As you’ve seen, Miley Cyrus covers the new issue of Marie Claire. As already covered, most of the initial reaction to her interview had to do with what she said about Taylor Swift’s Bad Blood video – click here for a refresher.
The magazine has released new quotes from Miley, this time reflecting on her Hannah Montana experience and the effect that had on her personal development. Interesting and timely because I just posted about Britney Spears earlier today – click here for a refresher – and how much the early years of her career took from her.
Here’s how Miley describes her child stardom:
"From the time I was 11, it was, 'You're a pop star! That means you have to be blonde, and you have to have long hair, and you have to put on some glittery tight thing.' Meanwhile, I'm this fragile little girl playing a 16-year-old in a wig and a ton of makeup. It was like Toddlers & Tiaras. I had f-cking flippers. I was told for so long what a girl is supposed to be from being on that show. I was made to look like someone that I wasn't, which probably caused some body dysmorphia because I had been made pretty every day for so long, and then when I wasn't on that show, it was like, Who the f-ck am I?"
Needless to say, that kind of pressure had consequences on her body:
"Every morning, I was getting coffee jammed down my throat to wake me up. I just had to keep going, be tough, be strong. Everything happened to me on that set.
Including getting her first period while wearing white pants:
"It was so embarrassing, but I couldn't leave. And I was crying, begging my mom, 'You're going to have to put the tampon in. I have to be on set. I would have anxiety attacks. I'd get hot flashes, feel like I was about to pass up or throw up. It would happen a lot before shows, and I'd have to cancel. Then the anxiety started coming from anxiety. I would be with my friends, thinking, I should be having so much fun. You get in this hole that seems like you're never going to be able to get out of."
Like I’ve said often, the ones who don’t get f-cked up are the exceptions. And eventually, they all rebel, they all push back. Britney did it, spectacularly. The difference in the way Britney did it and the way Miley is doing it though is in the expression. When has Britney ever been able to say what she’s thinking and feeling, truly feeling? She couldn’t. She still can’t. I don’t know if she ever learned. To communicate, properly communicate. And that’s why I don’t worry about Miley the way I worry about Britney. Miley is speaking. She’s speaking whether or not you want her to.
Maria wrote to me about Miley yesterday:
You know why I think parents of older kids hate Miley Cyrus? Because she’s kind of a new mold of former childhood star. It’s OK if a child star rebels, but they have to reform to stay in people’s good graces (Demi, Britney, maybe Justin, Selena).
But Miley has rebelled, in not small ways, and become more successful - it makes people uncomfortable. Miley is all the things that some people think a daughter shouldn’t be, or all the things they secretly don’t want their daughter to be.
Also, I’ve been babysitting my 11-year-old niece and watching Nickelodeon and the shows are f-cking insane. The hair extensions are ridiculous, the makeup, the weirdly grownup but conservative wardrobes, and the sexualized storylines are f-cking creepy. Isn’t it worse for an 11-year-old to infer sex than for a 22-year-old to actually have sex?
Now think about all those child stars growing up, with Instagram and whatever – which ones will be the Britneys and which will be the Mileys? Click here to read more about Miley in Marie Claire.
