Remember the big uproar over Miley Cyrus’ “Vanity Fair” cover? What I always found odd about that whole thing was that nobody batted an eyelash at other, candid photos that came out around the same time of Miley posing provocatively with some guy, showing off her midriff and bra strap. How come all those reporters who interviewed Miley and her father never brought those photos up? I’ll tell you why: because those photos were taken by Miley herself, so there was no one else to blame for them. Now, more of these photos have emerged, thanks to a hacker who broke into Miley’s e-mail account. There are photos of Miley taking a shower in a white T-shirt, making pouty faces at the camera. There are photos of Miley blowing kisses at the camera and lifting up her shirt. The hacker, who goes by the name “trainreq,” claims he viewed raunchy e-mails from Miley to her ex-boyfriend Nick Jonas from The Jonas Brothers, recalling a night they had sex.

i have worse pictures than these, and those are prob getting sold . . . I have some more pictures of her that I want to attempt to sell to a tabloid, but if i cant, i’ll just leak them with watermarks. I saw alot of juicy emails, but I never thought of saving them.. now I kick myself for not.. there where so many juicy emails that I read…ones with her talking to nick about the night they fucked, etc.

[From Digital Gangster via Celebslam]

This hacker sounds like a grade-A creep. However, people wouldn’t be trying to hack into Miley Cyrus’ e-mail if they didn’t stand a good chance of finding something. And why shouldn’t young Miley keep on taking photos, when it didn’t seem to hurt any other starlet’s career in the slightest? Fellow Disney girl Vanessa Hudgens is more popular than ever after nude photos of her leaked. And I suppose Disney powers-that-be aren’t too worried about tarnishing the Hannah Montana brand, now that there are two new girls rising in the ranks to replace Cyrus if she messes up too badly: Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez. But it’s probably only a matter of time before their first racy pics hit the Internet too.

Billy Ray Cyrus has talked about those pictures of daughter Miley. The Vanity Fair ones, not the myspace pictures of her with various boys and lifting up her shirt.

“I didn’t know they were gonna strip her down and wrap her in a blanket,” Cyrus told Meredith Vieira on “Today” Tuesday in New York, referring to the shot of his 15-year-old daughter taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz. In the photo, the “Hannah Montana” star appeared to be topless, covered only by a sheet she clutched to her chest.

Though Cyrus doesn’t approve of the photograph, which Leibovitz defended as “a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup,” he said that heeded his dad’s advice on the situation.

“My dad always told me the more you stomp in poop, the more it stinks,” Billy Ray said. “So I was just, ‘OK, this happened. We got to deal with it.’ ”

And what about that other photo of Miley in Billy Ray’s lap, which also raised more than a few eyebrows?

“That’s just a daddy who loves his daughter a whole lot,” Billy Ray explained, laughing off the question about the pose that Vieira thought made them look like more like girlfriend and boyfriend.

Los Angeles Times

I know a lot of people think Miley should have been more carefully supervised at the photo shoot, but you don’t drop your 15-year-old daughters off to work as babysitters and supervise their shift, maybe they were trying to give their daughter some normalcy at work. Posing for photos and publicity is what she does for a living to promote her show and music.

I also thought that the pictures of Billy Ray and his daughter were nice. The matching clothes bothered me, not the pose. I think anyone that suggests that there is something inappropriate in their relationship is way out of line, particularly when it is based on a photograph.

Any photographers working with Miley in the future are probably going to give the Cyrus camp the power of veto over what gets published.

Miley Cyrus had even more photos released last week showing her lifting her top to show her stomach and pouting at the camera. They were more of the same facebook-style photos of Miley, which have had less attention from the public than that backless Vanity Fair picture. That one picture somehow seemed to capture the premature sexualization and objectification of young teens in the media, and sparked a huge debate. Meanwhile Miley has scores of private photos that have been leaked which are much racier but not as well publicized.

Now Miley has struck up a friendship with John Travolta after they worked on the animated Disney film Bolt together. Travolta’s wife Kelly Preston told a reporter that her husband will possibly sing a duet with Miley. Cue the inevitable question that comes up when a celebrity gets to know John Travolta or Tom Cruise: Are they being groomed for the cult of Scientology? There is plenty of pressure on these celebrities to bring more famous people into the fold, so it’s a legitimate concern:

Miley Cyrus can still command a stadium-size crowd and raked in $18.2 million in 2007 along playing Disney’s Hannah Montana. So it’s not surprising that they 15-year-old has become a sought-after commodity for Scientology, and her pal John Travolta is the most likely person to do the recruiting!

[From Star Magazine, print edition, June 2, 2008]

Miley is young and impressionable, and you could see her falling for something like this, but her family are devout Christians. Miley even made a YouTube video talking about how she loved Jesus. Some insiders claim that Scientologists tell new recruits that you can be a member of their cult and still follow Christianity, Judaism, or any religion you prefer. This is contradicted by the teachings of founder L. Ron Hubbard and to the basic tenets of Scientology, which some Christians claim are anti-Christian and anti-Jesus.

You just hope Miley keeps Travolta and his family at arm’s length. His wife is trying to hype up their relationship with the young superstar, though, so it’s not that far of a stretch to think that they’re also trying to convert her and her family to the cult that has such a stronghold on them. Travolta converted his old “Grease” co-star Jeff Conaway to Scientology under the guise of helping him beat his drug addiction. They surely have a way of helping Miley with her singing, or maybe they have training to assist with her public image, since Cruise and Travolta have had so much success in that department since joining the cult.

Miley Cyrus is shown performing on 5/17/08 in East Rutherford, NJ, thanks to WENN. John Travolta is shown on 4/25/08 at a ceremony presenting Michael Eisner with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

Despite reports that Disney planned to keep 15 year-old superstar Miley Cyrus out of the spotlight after her controversial backless photo in Vanity Fair, she will go ahead with a planned concert at Walt Disney World on Sunday. E! Online reports that Miley has been in Nashville working on the Hannah Montana movie and that she’ll play the show at Disney World as scheduled. Paparazzi caught up with Miley outside a Target in Nashville, Tennessee and she was friendly and said “no comment” when asked about the Vanity Fair photos.

I checked the Disney World website and it was hard to navigate so I can’t be sure, but I couldn’t find the concert listed under the Live Events section or the park’s calendar.

There’s a story that’s hopefully misquoted, because Miley definitely doesn’t need the bad publicity, but she supposedly said she wants her show Hannah Montana to be more like Sex and The City - like, the friends part not the sex part. Disney producers are going to love this:

Despite the young impressionable market she is selling to, Cyrus wants her show to go in a direction more akin to the adult themes of New York based Sex And The City.

However, she denies wanting to make Hannah Montana’s situations raunchy like Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha. She explains via Wenn: “Obviously not the scenarios.

“But, if you watch Sex and the City, like the way the friends are, the way that it’s dry and they all have distinct characters - that’s a thing we try to do on our show. It’s my favourite show! I love it!”

[From Entertainmentwise]

It’s unclear if this quote is in Vanity Fair or if it’s from another interview, but it’s a pretty dumb thing to say given all the issues she’s having with the sort-of racy photos. Hopefully she said this before the photo controversy, but even so it’s foolish to say you want to make a kids’ show more like an adult one with sexual themes. She clarified that she wanted to have those kind of female friendships on her show, but she shouldn’t have used a cable show some consider raunchy as an example. Maybe Miley is deliberately testing the boundaries of her wholesome image and isn’t as much of a pawn in all this as some people would like to believe.

Update: People reports that Miley did say this in Vanity Fair, but that she watches the edited version on TBS. They also clarify that she will be playing at the 2008 Disney Channel games.

Miley Cyrus is shown at “Idol Gives Back” on 4/8/08, thanks to PRPhotos.

Everyone seems to have an opinion on the vulnerable sexy photo of Miley Cyrus posed with just a sheet and a bare back that’s set to hit newstands today in the June issue of Vanity Fair. Miley’s reps claim that famed photographer Annie Leibovitz tricked the 15 year-old superstar into removing her top for what would be an “artistic” photo once her parents left the photo shoot and she was more easily influenced. Miley’s father Billy Ray is said to be outraged and Disney claims she was manipulated into posing for the photo that potentially threatens her billion dollar wholesome brand.

The Huffington Post has compiled a list of celebrity quotes, and many people think that this controversy is overblown and that it’s not that big of a deal. A few blame Miley’s parents for leaving early, not watching out for her, and not insisting on final approval for all photos. Hillary Duff, who is now a pop singer after a similar career on Disney television, seems to understand why Miley’s photo is causing such a stir and while she’s supportive she says it’s not a choice she would have made:

Sally Field: “I love Miley Cyrus. My granddaughters are completely and utterly over the moon. I watch Hannah Montana….I think, ‘Let it go for God’s sake’…It’s a beautiful picture.”

Hilary Duff: “It’s a lot of pressure. I don’t know how I would even begin to give her advice because I feel she has a huge career and she’ll learn how to deal with it. Everyone goes through things and takes their own path. Who am I to judge decisions that she made? It’s not what I would choose to do, but if she did then that’s fine. That’s her choice.”

Lauren Conrad [The Hills]: “I found it a bit silly. I thought she looked beautiful in the pictures. I didn’t find it that inappropriate. I think it’s difficult. It s a lot of pressure on her since she is a role model, but I think she’s doing a good job.”

Heidi Montag [The Hills]: I think she’s a young girl in Hollywood and she’s just having fun. Exploring herself.”

Spencer Pratt [The Hills]: “I didn’t think it was that bad. Supposedly, she’s wearing a top underneath. It’s artistic.”

Tila Tequila [VH1’s A Shot of Love with Tila Tequila]: “I think it’s hot. When I was 15, I was doing the same thing except I bared it all….She’s just showing her back. She’s growing up. I don’t think she’s doing anything harmful. If the media keeps pushing her, pressuring her, she might end up messed up. But right now, I think everyone should just let her have fun. She’s not doing anything scandalous. I think she’s hot!”

Emmy Rossum: “I think she’s a role model for kids, but I think she looks beautiful.”

Rosie O’Donnell spoke out about the so-called scandal on her blog saying, “I had two photo shoots with her [Annie Leibovitz]. It’s intimidating. Annie Leibovitz. I also didn’t think it was a pornographic photo in any capacity. I thought it was kind of a beautiful portrait, you know. I like the one of her and her dad too. It’s Annie Leibovitz people. Leave Miley alone!”

Jamie Lee Curtis: “She is a young girl. She shouldn’t have to deal with any of this. I don’t feel that she was duped. I know the integrity of Ms. Liebovitz and the magazine and I know there were people present at the shoot that should have been looking out to make sure that this didn’t happen.”

Bill O’Reilly: “[Billy Ray Cyrus] puts her into a situation where she becomes, at 15, a sex symbol. Middle America… they don’t like this. Miley is a nice girl,” she made “a bad decision.
“She should do Oprah and say, ‘We made a mistake, here’s why and it won’t happen again.”

Bonnie Fuller [Star Magazine editor]: “Is it OK to sexualize a fifteen-year-old if it is in the pages of a high falutin’ magazine and her parents seem OK with it? Or is this really not much different from parents in a cult acquiescing to having their teen daughters wedded and bedded?

I’m not sure that it is all that different.”

[Quotes compiled by The Huffington Post, except where linked]

As someone who sees a lot of sexy images of celebrities it’s hard for me to understand all the hoopla over this photo, but I’m starting to get it. I was reading an article in Star this week about how to get Miley’s style and it features really cutesy star-print clothes, sneakers, and polka dot purses. That really brought it home to me that she’s only 15. She’s a kid who makes videos about how she loves Jesus and is going to stay pure until marriage. On the other hand she’s had very suggestive photos leaked that are meant to be private but suggest that she’s exploring her sexuality, and she was maybe half-coerced into a back-baring picture that makes her seem older and more experienced than you hope she is.

In a way Miley is bringing to light the very important issue of kids growing up and what’s too much too soon. When you’re a media darling, it seems inevitable that you’ll be pushed into some of the sex-filled sensationalism that helps keep the public interested and talking.

More details are emerging about the way that Miley Cyrus was persuaded to pose backless and covered in a sheet for famed celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz in a series of photos to be published in the June issue of Vanity Fair, which is out tomorrow and features Robert F Kennedy on the cover. A spokesperson for the magazine claimed that Miley’s “parents and/or minders were on the set all day” and implied that they approved all the photos before they were published, but both Disney and Miley’s people claim that’s not how it happened.

Disney says Miley was manipulated; her dad says he wasn’t on the set at that point and didn’t see those photos
When the Disney Channel issued a statement that “a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines,” I assumed they were overstating their case in an attempt to do damage control, but new details make it seem as if that’s exactly what happened.

Miley’s reps say that her parents weren’t on the set at the time that the controversial backless photos were taken. Her grandmother and teacher were there and were convinced that it would be ok.

“Miley’s parents did leave the shoot and were not present for the final shot, nor did they see any digital images of the shot in question,” a Miley spokeswoman told The Post yesterday.

Her grandmother and her teacher were left to supervise, according to People magazine.

“Annie convinced them it was going to be artistic,” a source told People. “Her parents are mortified.”

[From The NY Post]

Leibovitz convinced Miley to take those photos after her parents left
Leibovitz explained how the photos came about, saying “Miley and I looked at fashion photographs together, and we discussed the picture in that context before we shot it. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful.”

In the article accompanying the pictures, Miley says that it was hard to refuse the photographer’s request. She called the photo “really artsy,” but not “in a skanky way,” and said “You can’t say no to Annie. She’s so cute. She gets this puppy-dog look, and you’re like, OK.” [NY Post]

Given the news that Miley’s parents had left at that point, you can’t help but think that Liebovitz knew exactly what she was doing. I personally don’t find the photos all that revealing or sexy, but Miley’s target audience are young kids and a lot of people say she’s sending the wrong message with those pictures. Her whole image as a wholesome Christian teen star is threatened by this mini-scandal, and rumor has it that Disney plans to keep her out of the spotlight for a while until the story dies down. Meanwhile Miley’s dad Billy Ray is said to be “furious” that the photos were taken and never shown to him or his wife before they were published. He is said to have left early on the day of the shoot due to “a prior commitment.”

Here’s a behind the scenes video from Vanity Fair’s website:

Miley Cyrus is obviously getting a little bit worried that her reputation as Disney’s golden girl could be sullied. The ink was barely dry on her million dollar biography contract, when she was caught in some slightly scandalous photos with her boyfriend. Now, it seems like she’s ignoring the private leaked photos where she flashes her bra and stomach to the camera and apologizing for an artistic bare-back shot that will appearing in the June issue of Vanity Fair.

The article [in Vanity Fair], written by Bruce Handy, seems to support that claim, quoting Ms. Cyrus as saying, “Annie took, like, a beautiful shot, and I thought it was really cool. That’s what she wanted me to do, and you can’t say no to Annie.” She also said of the photo, “I think it’s really artsy. It wasn’t in a skanky way.”

Ms. Cyrus had a different view in a prepared statement released on Sunday:

“I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be ‘artistic’ and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed. I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about.”

[From The New York Times]

Personally, I’m not too concerned about the photo. While it is definitely in questionable taste for a 15-year-old girl to be photographed in that way, I think the key is for parents not to buy their kids any Hannah Montana merchandise or copies of Vanity Fair if it bothers them. That should put a dent in her billion dollar fortune.

Interestingly, Annie Leibovitz says that she tries to get her subjects to “let down their guard .” The topless shot, combined with the party shots of her with her boyfriend might just be sending the message to Disney executives and parents alike, that 15-year-old girls are not as wholesome as they used to be. They are girls growing up into women, much faster than they did in my day. This thought is absolutely terrifying, I know, I’m going to give my toddler something to stunt her growth right away so I never have to face it!

In case you’re wondering, Miley’s parents and management were on hand at the shoot, and according to photographer Annie Leibovitz, “the photo was taken digitally, they saw it on the shoot and everyone thought it was a beautiful and natural portrait of Miley.”

Note by Celebitchy: The Disney Channel has issued a statement saying that Miley was manipulated into donning a sheet for the photo session, saying “Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines.”

Photos are from VanityFair.com, and most are behind the scenes pictures. There are many more on their website.

Miley Cyrus has received a seven figure advance for her memoirs at the tender age of 15. Her book, which will undoubtedly be ghost or co-written, will cover her astronomic rise to fame from not-so-humble country star dad beginnings, and will be published by Disney Book Group.

Miley has issued a statement saying that she’s oh so excited to let everyone know how much her family means to her:

The book will focus on the 15-year-old’s road to fame, from growing up in Tennessee to navigating the spotlight as an international star, and how her family – especially mother Leticia – helps keep her grounded. According to Disney, the book will feature never-before-seen photos, family stories and a look at the star’s inner circle.

“I am so excited to let fans in on how important my relationship with my family is to me,” Cyrus said. “I hope to motivate mothers and daughters to build lifetimes of memories together, and inspire kids around the world to live their dreams.”

[From People.com]

This girl probably hasn’t had to write an essay in years, and now she’s getting a million bucks to put out a biography that either someone else will write or that all she’ll have to do is dictate, with someone else putting it together and editing it to make a compelling story. Miley has a private tutor, according to Wikipedia, and E! Online says that she goes to school on Fridays to take tests, so maybe I’m wrong that she is unskilled at writing, but you know Disney isn’t going to give her a million bucks and send her off on her way to write the thing.

Meanwhile more semi-scandalous photos of Miley hugging her previously-unknown maybe-boyfriend have come out. Earlier in the week the tween set let out a collective gasp at a photo of Miley lifting up her shirt to show part of her bra while a dark-haired guy around her age placed his hand lightly on her hip. Another picture showed Miley laying across his chest. The guy has been named as Thomas Sturges, but not much more information is available about him.

Photos via Gossip Rocks and The Hollywood Gossip.

I pretty much ignored the other two sets of semi-scandalous Miley Cyrus leaked pictures, because I figured she’s just 15 and is goofing around like kids her age do. Miley was seen lifting up her shirt and pouting for the camera as well as sharing a piece of candy with a female friend at a slumber party. Miley defended her candy-sharing photo, saying the criticism hurt her at first when the photos were leaked, but that it “was not even a big deal” and that she felt sorry for the friend that was pictured with her because she’s not used to negative attention like Miley is.

New photos of Miley have come out that show the teen sensation lifting up her shirt as she’s sprawled on a couch. An unidentified guy puts his hand tentatively on her hip and he looks like he’s trying to get a glimpse of her bra. In another photo she’s laying across the guy’s chest, looking cosy.

It’s possible that he’s just a friend and that Miley is posing all flirty with him because she likes him. The way he looks like he’s really trying to get a peek at her chest makes it seem like he’s trying to take advantage of the moment when it presented itself. Miley could just be hamming it up for the camera like she’s so successfully done all her life.

We didn’t have digital cameras or the Internet when I was a kid. I know I did this sort of thing, it just wasn’t as well documented as it is for this generation. Now excuse me while I go take my fiber pill.

Miley says she won’t get married because she doesn’t want to share a bathroom
Miley has a new goofy interview with Life & Style in which she says she’ll never get married - because she never wants to share a bathroom. Miley is rich enough at this point in her life to retire and never have to share a bathroom even on the road if she doesn’t want to. She’s so adverse to sharing a bathroom because she had to share one on her tour bus with “three boys, including [her] dad.” She said her brother has a “ridiculous mullet” and that he uses her hairbrush and that he also used her toothbrush to comb his eyebrows. Miley said “I’m never getting married because I cannot take sharing a bathroom.”

As for her relationships with guys, Miley says “I’m too much to handle right now,” and “I can’t be quiet and ladylike and cute for boys for too long - I have to be a bit crazy. There are guys who I like to hang out with, but I like to be the girl who no one can get. I think that’s always hotter.”

Maybe she’s playing hard to get here. It doesn’t look like it, but either way that guy is probably thrilled and trying to play it cool.

Photos found at OceanUP via GossipRocks.

If you have children, you were probably subjected to Nickelodeon’s 25th Annual Kid’s Choice Awards ceremony on Saturday night. You have my sincerest condolences. I, too, had to watch, and it was often eyeroll-inducing: lame banter between celebrity presenters; boring and unfunny “behind the scenes” skits; stupid slime stunts that dragged out the show even longer and wayyyy too much Disney product, in the form of Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers. Miley Cyrus won favorite female television star and favorite female musical artist, much to my daughter’s delight.

There were a few bright spots in the broadcast, including host Jack Black’s over-the-top opening musical number, in which he wore a bright green superhero costume and rocked out with a giant octopus playing guitar to the Kiss song “I Was Made for Loving You,” with the lyrics changed to “I Was Made for Sliming You.” (In my opinion, Black was the only funny, high-energy part of the show and should have been allowed to riff and get crazy even more.) The theme of each Kids’ Choice Awards, you see, is that celebs and kids in the audience get buckets of green slime poured on their heads at random moments. Slimed celebs included Harrison Ford, who recreated a famous scene from “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” which concluded with him being covered in green slime. Other mildly amusing segments included a celebrity belching contest that featured Jodie Foster attempting to burp along to the song “YMCA.”

All in all, the show had the same problems as most other awards shows: it went on too long, there was too much unfunny dialog, and the host didn’t get enough chances to do what he does best. But if you are at all interested in the winners, here they are.

Favorite TV Show: Drake and Josh
Favorite Reality Show: American Idol
Favorite TV Actor: Drake Bell (from Drake and Josh)
Favorite TV Actress: Miley Cyrus
Favorite Cartoon: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Favorite Movie: Alvin and the Chipmunks
Favorite Movie Actor: Johnny Depp
Favorite Movie Actress: Jessica Alba
Favorite Animated Movie: Ratatouille
Favorite Animated Voice: Eddie Murphy (Shrek The Third)
Favorite Music Group: The Jonas Brothers
Favorite Song: “Girlfriend” by Avril Lavigne
Favorite Female Singer: Miley Cyrus
Favorite Male Singer: Chris Brown
Favorite Male Athlete: Tony Hawk
Favorite Female Athlete: Danica Patrick
Favorite Book: Harry Potter Series
Favorite Video Game: Madden NFL 2008
Wannabe Award: Cameron Diaz

If anything, the Kids’ Choice Awards gives parents a glimpse into the music, movies, and other pop culture their kids like– which should scare the crap out of you. I know I had a hard time sleeping knowing that the youth of America wants to be just like Cameron Diaz.