The men in Miley's life

4.1 Miley's boy selection

Another thing that caused the media to get some headlines is Miley dating a 20 year old underwear model that her father met while judging the show 'Nashville Star'. The model's name was Justin Gaston, and he was eliminated from first round competition. But apparently Billy Ray thought Justin was good enough to date his daughter for a time....despite accusations of statutory rape that seemed to appear. Or does that just apply if sexual activity is involved?

Maybe that question is best answered another time. But that was not the only headache people had I think. I think the bigger headache was that Miley was deviating from the 'teen romance' ideal she was supposed to portray with former beau Nick Jonas. An ideal that I guess was supposed to reflect a romance story of young love blossoming into adulthood, in the minds of some.

Well that didn't happen. It didn't happen with Brittney or Justin Timberlake either who also had the 'teen romance' ideal going for a time. That also ended badly and ended up with Brittney having kids with Kevin Federline. And I think maybe fans saw Justin Gaston as Miley's Kevin Federline. A bad boy with no talent hanging onto a young woman who....has had more sucess than him. I'll leave it at that.

However, the topic of teens dating over eighteen is not just limited to Miley. Demi Lovato had dated Miley's brother Trace, who was 20 himself to Demi's 16. Taylor Swift, a 19 year old who was dumped by another Jonas Brother-Joe (and by phone no less), is reportedly dating Taylor Lautner of Twilight fame. Currently he's 17. Yet while the media tries to portray Miley dating a 20 year old as something resembling a federal crime they look the other way in regards to Demi and Taylor.

What? Are they not big enough for scrutiny?

I also read about another 'underage' romance in the 'Battlestar Galactica' novels written by Richard Hatch. The first on being 'Armageddon' in which Apollo's son, 24 yahren (year) old Troy (the child formerly known as Boxey), fancied a 17 yahren old warrior named Dalton, who was the daughter of Captain Starbuck. Troy and Dalton had known each other since Dalton was born and she had grown into a strong willed, card playing, fumarello (cigar) smoking teen. And both fancied one another. However since Dalton was underage, and Colonial society frowned on that (much like our society apparently does [or at least it does in Miley's case]), they never act on their feelings. They however enjoy the feelings of their company, and the feeling of being in love.

Maybe that's what Billy Ray intended when he brought Justin home to meet his daughter. The feeling of love without intimacy. Of course that didn't stop Troy and Dalton from consumating their love when Dalton hit her eighteenth novayahren (birthday). So maybe when Miley hits eighteen, be careful.

And in the world of comics one character in DC had a 'young romance' of his/her own. That character is Firestorm.

The previous incarnation of the Firestorm character had a science nerd named Jason Rusch bonded with a seventeen year old girl named Gennifer who was still in High School. Jason was in college and the age barrier was definitely a factor when it came to 'getting close'. The only intimacy they had was when they were bonded as Firestorm, a being that could transmute objects and chemicals into whatever s/he needed them to be.

Yes, Firestorm was two people in one. And this version had a male and a female as part of the bond compared to the previous bonds that had two men joined. One brains and the other being brawn. Currently Firestorm is a reanimated Ronnie Raymond, part of the original Firestorm matrix, back from the dead with the help of a white power ring. Jason Rusch is part of the matrix too, but Gennifer had her heart taken from her and was turned to salt in the storyline 'Blackest Night'. She had died, but Jason admitted that he loved her despite their ages.

Ironically enough in her book 'Miles to Go' Miley said that 'her family set no limits on love'. Even if others apparently do.

4.2 Adam Shankman and the lap dance

As I have continued to draft this work...countless times, it always seems there is more to come from the world of Miley. And in the most glaring of cases it doesn't come out well. And while I am finding myself coming to believe that with Miley the quote from Gilda Radner that states "It's always something." applies. This upcoming incident came off as one big something.

In the recent weeks video was released of Miley doing what was termed as a lap dance in front of director Adam Shankman. A gay man who directed Miley in her film 'The Last Song.' The video was taken months ago when Miley was still sixteen, and was at a cast party celebrating the end of filming for the movie. Apparently someone decided to shoot video footage of the lap dance Miley had done and air it to TMZ months later after her video, and single, 'Can't be tamed' was released.

The usual cries of 'outrage' were given. People saying that 'Miley should have known better. That there were children present, and that she should have set a better example. Her behavior was disgraceful', and so on down the line. The Cyrus parents were not present, but Billy Ray did give his two cents on the matter.

Billy Ray's response was "It's no big deal. Kids her age do stuff like that all the time." And I think some would respond to that with "Not my kid." One who might reflect this way of thinking is CNN's Rick Sanchez, who basically came off as saying "If it was my daughter doing something like that I would be dragging her out of there, even if she was kicking and screaming.", possibly implying that Billy Ray should have done something similar and taken a similar attitude. Sanchez also said that this video could give her the impression of being a negative role model.

I think in the minds of some however, that ship has already sailed.

Coming to her defense was Ashton Kutcher, 32 year old husband to 47 year old actress Demi Moore-who, as I mentioned before, also did a controversial shot with Annie Leibovitz years back when she was pregnant. A shot that led to then husband Bruce Willis doing a parody shot, as well as version of the shot appearing in Marvel Comics' comic Quasar with the quote "Mom said there would be days like this." on the cover (Look for the comic. It's kind of funny). Moore will also be starring with Miley in an upcoming film that is a remake of a French comedy, but I'm digressing.

Ashton responded to Rick Sanchez's comment by saying that Miley was "Just having fun. She wasn't at a club or anything." He also sent to Sanchez an article about the exploitation of children in South America and that if Sanchez wanted to cover a story on child exploitation he should cover that. Her current boyfriend Liam Hemsworth also came to Miley's defence.

In retrospect, this is not the first time something like this has happened on the set of 'The Last Song' with Shankman. Months before Miley was doing another set of provocative pics with Shankman. Some with him in them. Miley didn't think anything of it, and neither did Shankman-who reminded everyone of his sexual orientation. He reminded everyone that he was gay, and the shots were considered 'harmless fun'. He considered the matter a 'Non-troversey' and dismissed the shots.

I guess Miley and Adam Shankman considered the lap dance 'Round 2 of the Non-troversey', even if others apparently didn't. And why wait so long to send the pic to TMZ? If the offended were so offended, why not send it the moment it happened? These are good questions I don't have the answers to.

But Miley didn't have a problem with it, and neither did Adam Shankman. Apparently he gave the okay for it. As has her father, and boyfriend/fiancee'.

4.3 The father and the fiancee'

A lot of times the road of controversey leads back to the Cyrus parents, especially Billy Ray. And several times he had given his consent for Miley's actions, even if he may have had reservations about them. The consent leading to an apparent dismissal of the actions like the 'pole' dance', the 'lap dance', and the pictures as 'harmless fun'. But to some it's not for their own reasons.

I'm sure there are a lot of parents who would love it if Billy Ray took the stance of Rick Sanchez and decided the right answer was to drag her out kicking and screaming. And to place developing Miley's morals and ethics first. But that is not the approach Billy Ray and Tish are taking with their kids. Billy Ray even quoted on a net article "I allow my kids to have the freedom to express themselves creatively and artistically any way they want."

Mr. Cyrus that is all well and good. But I do find myself asking "At what price?" Where do you say "This is the line. Don't cross it." Where does Miley say that?

Is that even said? Or is the philosophy of 'Anything goes' adapted? A philosophy that can be adapted to the point that one could consider themselves above the law, above the audiences Hollywood stars are apparently supposed to be providing for, and maybe even above morality as they decide the rules of the individual are more important than the rules of society. Rules that are meant to promote a sense of order.

And maybe that's what's missing. A sense of order in Miley. Because as far as I've been able to tell Billy Ray has come off more as Miley's 'best friend' rather than being a parent. I've read that Tish has sometimes filled the role of disciplinarian at times, but is it enough?

Where are Miley's values? Does she follow a code of honor? A way of order? Or does she just follow a philosophy of 'Party time' with no regard of the consequences? These are questions I have no answers to. And while Miley has not followed the path of the 'train wreck' just yet, some feel it's only a matter of time. And if the train does crash, will Billy Ray shrug it off again? Just dismiss it?

Or does he just know something we don't?

He mentioned that his family tries to revolve themselves around the concept of love. That they try to love eah other, and help eath other. To provide support when a family member needed it. I'll admit, that sounds like a worthwhile goal, but is it enough? Should there not be a point where love must give way to reason, and a consideration to the audiences the star is supposed to be providing for?

These questions are questions only the Cyrus's can answer, but I think it best to focus on the new man in Miley's life Liam Hemsworth.

Liam made waves starring with Miley in Nicholas Sparks' film 'The Last Song', and the two developed a romance at the time filming was taking place. Liam however didn't come alone to Hollywood, as his brother Chris has also made some appearances in films. He played the father of Captain Kirk in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek film, and will play the Norse god Thor in Marvel Comics's film of the same name-as well as the Avengers' movie where he will play the same character.

But as of yet, not much of Liam is known. Currently he's best known for being Miley's new boyfriend-and marraige may be in the air when she turns 18 (she has mentioned wanting to marry Liam in interviews) and for being the brother of Chris Hemsworth. He's providing support for Miley, but time will tell whether he makes his own name in the Hollywood superstructure. Or will he be like Mark Hamill, who will best be known for being Luke Skywalker and voicing the Joker in the animated Batman? Some waves were made when it was reported somewhere that Liam had been a brawler, and that Liam broke up with a girlfriend he had for years to be with Miley-leaving one to wonder whether or not Miley is a homewrecker as well.

With Nick Jonas I think people saw Justin and Brittney. With Justin Gaston I think people saw Brittney and Kevin Federline. I think however with Liam, this is a relationship where there can be no comparisons to Brittney's previous relationships. This one can be considered all Miley's regardless of the consequences.

He's already playing a role in Miley's support network if the response to the 'lap dance' is any indication. Only time will tell.

4.4 Bret Michaels

I've not really been a fan of hard rock, or glam rock as the case for the band 'Poison' is made. It took me a while to warm up to the harder rockers, mostly because when growing up the music served as a rallying cry for many bullies as they tore down kids they deemed 'nerds'. And yes, I was one of those tormented.

But it seems that Miley has no problem warming up to hard rockers, most notably the former frontman for Poison-Bret Michaels. She admired him, and the feeling was mutual. They collaborated on a song together, with Miley's mother Tish in attendance. Miley sought to add some harmonies to a song, and all who listened to it in studio thought it was a beautiful song.

However one thing that was not checked was the lyrical content, as some suggested that the song reflected underage pedophillia. The implication voiced was that Bret was looking to tell a story about him and Miley going down on one another apparently. Both Bret and Miley denied the accusation saying that they were just singing a song, and telling a story that was not a reflection of themselves. They said that by no means were they singing about themselves in the song. Here are samples of the lyrics in question:

Won't you fall down on me.
So close I can hear you breathe


Yeah we both know better than this.
Still we can't resist (still we can't resist)


Slowly get undressed.

After getting thrown by the lyrics and the outrage shown to them I listened to the song. Yes it has some beautiful harmonies and melodies, and yes they were probably telling a story not about themselves, just singing a song. But like the walls of the artist studio, once the work gets outside the rules of the studio do not always apply. They may have intended one thing, but it became something else.

As I was growing up the image for hard rockers was not a flattering one, and some tended to reinforce that image-even if done in humor. I remember a bit of a MAD Magazine parody that took the Poison song 'Every rose has it's thorn' and changed it to 'Leather clothes must be worn.' which reflected a line that said "Sell your soul to Satan, and you can't go wrong. Leather clothes must be worn." The line in this parody song reflected the image and attitudes hard rockers were believed to have had. Images enforced by performances where Ozzy Osborne ate live animals on stage, Axl Rose of Guns and Roses saying lines where "The bed hasn't been slept in. I'm not saying it hasn't been used it just hasn't been slept in." as he took part in a contest for MTV where he was giving away an apartment. Other ideas could be the songs of Marilyn Manson which have caused their own public outcry.

And yet I can see the storytelling appeal of Bret Michaels and Poison. I revisited a video that I saw years back for the song 'Fallen Angel' that had a girl move to California and fall in with a sleazy producer that seemed to want to make her dreams come true. Dreams of fortune and fame, but they seemed to be going in a direction that she did not expect as she was being steered away from the wholesome family girl she once was to....something that was the complete opposite. When the girl saw the sleazy producer surrounded by a bevvy of beauties, she left him lying clutching his favorite organ in pain and walking away.

The video ended with the girl dressing back to her old clothes and leaving on a Hollywood Taxi. I say 'on' because the 'taxi' was a motorcycle, and was driven by a punk rocker. The girl leaves and in the final shot we see another girl get off the bus with the same wonder in the eyes the previous one had. It seems the story of the video reflected how a girl's dreams became something she didn't recognize, and when the girl woke up and left for parts unknown another girl just came to fill the void the preious one had left. The cycle starting all over again.

Bret Michaels indicates that he is not just a fan of Miley, but he is also a father as well. And it is a role he takes seriously. I believe that if he thought there was something in the song that would worry him he would know it as his own kids, and their welfare, are a concern to him. If someone had addressed the lyrical content to him before hand he would have done something about it, or maybe even Miley's mother Tish as she was present during the recording.

Currently Bret Michaels in enduring a series of health problems stemming from a stroke and a brain hemorrage he had suffered weeks ago. He was also diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a kid, and that condition may have contributed to his current health problems. I wish him well. Even if I don't totally agree with the style of his music, I wish him well.