Social media has been in a frenzy this week over Miley Cyrus’ live show on Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards. Her performance was outlandish, embarrassing, and contained undertones of pedophilia. Cyrus, 20, wore a leotard with a teddy bear design while her dancers were in teddy bear costumes. This presented us with a very silly, childlike theme consistent with the song’s music video. Robin Thicke, 36, enters the stage wearing a black and white striped suit, reminiscent of a prison uniform. Cyrus then proceeds to perform sexual gestures toward him. Though Cyrus is “legal,” the visual was one of a young girl simulating sexual acts with an adult criminal.
Now, we shouldn’t be shocked by this behavior. MTV has been known to push the envelope many times before. Nevertheless, the desperation and immaturity that Cyrus displayed was so extreme that it sent pop-culture into mourning. Bloggers and journalists – particularly Christian conservative ones – have rightly called Cyrus out for her antics. For whatever reason, however, the critics haven’t been as tough on Thicke.
Yet, the Miley Cyrus performance was only half of the problem. There were other displays of inappropriate behavior, including Lady Gaga showing off her bare backside. But I’m mostly surprised that Christian bloggers haven’t said anything about the overtly pro-gay evangelism of rapper Macklemore. His song, “Same Love” won the award for Best Video with a Social Message. His acceptance speech included: (more…)
