CYRUS. Less than balanced treatment. AFP
Miley Cyrus isn’t the only young star who’s making headlines with her bad behavior these days—the even younger Justin Bieber is ruffling fans’ feathers in his own, ornery way.
His recent misadventures include trying to sneak in and out of a kinky cathouse, getting into loud arguments and downright fights, trashing hotel rooms, and generally just obligingly providing paparazzi with the feisty photos they need to keep him and his now officially surly public persona in the public’s increasingly disapproving gaze.
Being a frisky male teen, however, Bieber is being cut more slack than Miley as far as his recent misadventures go, because—well, boys will be boys. This less-than-balanced treatment must tick off the now ritually misbehaving Ms Cyrus, which may explain why she appears to be so hell-bent on shocking the shockable with her now “grown-up” performances, costumes—or lack of them.
Thus far, Miley’s “shock tactics” have worked well, helping to increase her popularity or notoriety—and, more importantly, making more people buy her albums and patronize her shows. But, for how long can she keep her blitzkrieg and assault tactics up before protesters’ reactions become too loud and vociferous to ignore? Just last week, she was roundly chastised on TV shows—a portent of even more contentious times to come?
In the final analysis, Justin and Miley can get away with media “murder” as long as their performances don’t slip below a certain standard of competence or at least proficiency.
For all of the sour comments he’s been provoking, Justin appears to be doing better in this regard, because he’s been honed as a professional, young singer who delivers the musical goods.
It’s Miley who’s turning out to be more vulnerable on point of musical and performing competence, with her recent “twerking” antics getting rapped not just for their shock tactics, but more for their awkwardness and lack of creativity.
Truth to tell, however, Justin and Miley haven’t been doing anything outrageously new, since misbehaving stars have always been with us, since the early days of show business—!