More than Miley

Now, if you haven't at least heard mention of Miley Cyrus at the VMA's, then I'm surprised you found this blog, because the "news" is all over the internet.

I say "news" because very little information is actually being delivered.  Scantily clad, she danced provocatively with another singer and a bunch of teddy bears to a song that promotes promiscuous behavior.  That pretty much sums it up.

Why so many articles then?  Because everyone has an opinion:
(I'm paraphrasing here, but you get the idea)

'She is another example of a former Disney star gone off the deep end.' 

'What will her daddy say?!?' 

'She can't just decide not to be a role model anymore.  People look up to her.  She has to set a good example.'

'It was so trashy!' (or alarming, or raunchy, or tasteless, or...) 

'I can't believe she did that.'

etc.  etc.

Will I ever let my son watch a video of that performance?  No.  Will I encourage that type of behavior? No. Do I want him to make judgments of people's character based on unknowable circumstances?  No.

But I don't think Miley is the problem at all. I think the real issue is:

Why did they even allow that on TV?

Yes, MTV is not subject to the same set of rules as Disney Channel.  Yes, it's a live performance (or whatever qualifies as live nowadays).  But do you really think there was no dress rehearsal on that stage with people dancing in teddy bear suits?  Do you think no one at MTV saw a script/blocking/conceptualization of that performance?  Do you think Miley brought that get-up from home and switched out her costume at the last minute?

No.  MTV knew what was going down and decided it was acceptable for America's viewing audience.  And you know what?  They were right.  Everyone is talking about it.  The VMA's are getting more publicity than MTV could hope for.  More than if they had simply aired N*SYNC for 45 seconds.  More than if they had simply let Lady GaGa dance around in a shell bra.  More than if it had simply been some no-name dancer with Robin Thicke instead of former Disney Channel Superstar, Miley Cyrus.

How did it happen?  Schadenfreude.  America thrives on the misfortune of others.

But also, because we let it happen.  Like I said, no one has questioned MTV's airing of that piece (not that I've seen, so I could be wrong; but my point is that Miley's performance and her character are more prevalent in the media than anything else, so if an article condemning MTV exists, it's been well shrouded by Miley's publicity).

Bowling for Soup gave a nod to the ridiculousness of MTV as they reminisced about "1985." "...and music still on MTV..."  When I grew up, I couldn't watch MTV because some of the music videos were "too risque"-- Everybody (Backstreet's Back) at the Teen Choice Awards on Nickelodeon was pushing the envelope.  I mean, they said the word "sexual."

Today, I think I'm thankful for 16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom, and the other programs that air on MTV because it prevents videos like Blurred Lines from airing on TV, preventing me--or my family--from accidentally stumbling upon them when trying to watch a channel nearby in the guide, but selecting the wrong one.  Or when someone tries to eat the remote and ends up changing the channel to who knows what.

So, though I don't think those shows need to exist, I'm grateful that they do to fill up space on MTV's schedule.  I'm sad for our society, that we let it get this way.  Somewhere along the lines, we decided it was OK to say the word sexual at a TV show geared toward teenagers.  And sometime between then and now, we decided it was OK for Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke to do what they did.  And the amount of people talking about it and rewatching it prove to producers that it's what we want to see.

So, sorry Miley.  You're not the root of the issue.  I hope no one talks about you anymore, but I think it's too late for that.  Your 2013 VMA performance will live in infamy.

Until something worse happens at the VMA's in 2014.  Because America said it was OK.