My Ex-Teen Icon | Teen Ink

My Ex-Teen Icon MAG

July 21, 2009
By Mmbusch BRONZE, Fox River Grove, Illinois
Mmbusch BRONZE, Fox River Grove, Illinois
1 article 0 photos 31 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Do not pity the dead. Pity the living. And above all pity those who live without love."


The other day I was walking down the aisle of my neighborhood Super Walmart, desperately scanning the shelves for Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds. To my dismay and shock, there were none. I turned to leave when suddenly I came face to face with my mortal enemy: Hannah Montana. There she was, staring into space as though a crisp hundred dollar bill was dangling from a fishing pole before her.

“Hannah Montana cereal,” I muttered, cursing Disney. But I suppose I should have known better. Did I honestly expect Disney not to cash in on every opportunity to plaster Miley Cyrus's face onto products? It was as if Disney had been shipping off Hannah Montana stickers to every manufacturer with the note, “Use these at your discretion; they'll make anything sell.” Because why wouldn't I want to buy a product if a chick in a wig is telling me to?

I was a sixth grader when the Hannah Montana phenomenon landed on our planet. My friends and I became obsessed with the show, to the point that we made our own music videos and memorized the title of every episode. When I was in seventh grade, this success grabbed the attention of those out of range of Disney Channel's hypnotron, and Miley Cyrus slowly but surely approached the teen audience, eager and cautious.

It was fine, it was all fine. No one expected her to stay young forever, she had a career to worry about and pressure to be cool among her own peers. But as the reports of tasteless photos appeared, I stopped staring with a blind eye. Who was this girl I looked up to? I was the same age this “role model” was when she started running off the track, and I had never done anything remotely like that.

So now, whenever I walk into a store, I feel betrayed by my ex-teen icon. Her very image screams “Look at me! I may act trashy and dim, but as long as I'm not caught pulling a Winona Ryder, Disney will continue paying me a gazillion bucks!” I wish I could say to her, “Be a role model or stop putting on that wig to reap all the benefits.”

I'm not as cynical as I seem though. I hope Miley takes the right path. I hope she doesn't become the next Britney. Or Lindsay. Or Jamie Lynn. But everyone grows up, and odds are that if they come from Disney, they end up in Vegas. And I don't appreciate Miley trying to persuade me to buy her bicycle.


The author's comments:
Hey, my name is Margaret. I'm 15 and considering becoming a journalist. When I mentioned this to my dad, he encouraged me to practice writing, as I have obviously done so. My work is nothing great, but I hope you like it. I know it has too much teenage attitude to be published as news, but your site sounds very open to all types of writing, so I hope you'll appreciate my work for its own personality. However, if not, I completely understand. I'll just keep practicing.
The work I have pasted here is simply my own thoughts after having come across a cereal box endorsed by Hannah Montana.
Enjoy!

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This article has 208 comments.


schlage GOLD said...
on Nov. 11 2010 at 4:01 pm
schlage GOLD, Erie, Pennsylvania
10 articles 0 photos 37 comments
Awesome article! It is kind of sad how Miley went from this disney teenager to a girl who tries to act and dress like she's years older. Her dad was famous and I think she just got a big taste of fame way too fast. It's even worse when I see younger kids with hannah montana backpacks, shirts, etc. So many younger kids look up to her.

on Oct. 26 2010 at 3:11 pm
thebushhippie PLATINUM, Sandown, New Hampshire
24 articles 0 photos 49 comments

Favorite Quote:
Leave behind your own footprints! :0)

Totally agree!!!! Anyways, awesome article. I totally think you'd be a great journalist. Please keep writing!!!

on Oct. 26 2010 at 1:10 pm
I think people fall too fast for celebrities as heroes. Being a celebrity, especially a top one like Miley Cyrus, can be very difficult. Corruption is very common for people who jump into it and are too famous, too young. Also...the insta-fame that she had really had a major impact. It's hard not to get caught up in it all, especially with famous parents and siblings. 

rose said...
on Oct. 15 2010 at 2:36 pm
I think Mikley will become like the other girls and will say shes not but will

on Oct. 15 2010 at 2:19 pm
I do not like Miley and I never will. I think that I enjoyed about this article is that it is real. Just because something I liked a lot and maybe look up to might be on a product does not mean I'll go buy it. In some cases this might be true, but not for me.

alexrighty1 said...
on Oct. 15 2010 at 1:57 pm
i agree with this post bc i am also one that when you became big, i used to love her, but now with all the puplisity reasons she has become way over rated. Everyone thinks she is so cute and sweet and innocent i dont think that at all, with her new music coming out she has little girls that are 5 years old, that love her and she is barley wearing any clothes now. i just think she is way over rated...

Mmbusch BRONZE said...
on Oct. 13 2010 at 8:10 pm
Mmbusch BRONZE, Fox River Grove, Illinois
1 article 0 photos 31 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Do not pity the dead. Pity the living. And above all pity those who live without love."

hahahahahahahahahahaha. I do not know who Adam Young is. I've had a few readers comment on his picture but really, I didn't get to choose the photo that accompanied the article. I don't know if you were trying to be funny, but your comment just made my 8:00.

on Oct. 6 2010 at 2:56 pm
oddballinthegroup GOLD, Wausau, Wisconsin
18 articles 1 photo 26 comments

Favorite Quote:
pinaple is my favorite vegitable

i agree with this artical even tho i watxh the show and love the music i hate the person i used to look up to her but not any more i think she is becomeing the new britinay

on Oct. 4 2010 at 11:16 pm
OneBarProductions PLATINUM, Union, Missouri
33 articles 1 photo 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You think it is the living that will have the ultimate judgement over you, but it's the dead that will have no claim over your soul"

To be COMPLETELY honest, I thougth this had something to do with Adam Young since his picture is the title picture...sorry, but I still totally agree with ya ON everything

KellyR GOLD said...
on Oct. 4 2010 at 4:26 pm
KellyR GOLD, Richmond, Virginia
14 articles 0 photos 258 comments

Favorite Quote:
We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.

Though I am 100% not a fan of Miley Cyrus I still have to disagree with this article. I do not think she is trashy, she is just being a normal kid. Kids make mistakes, even the famous ones.

blondy said...
on Oct. 4 2010 at 11:45 am
i think that is right when they get in the spot light they think they can do anything and get away with it 

on Oct. 4 2010 at 6:49 am
InkDance PLATINUM, Sylvania, Ohio
31 articles 0 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
The only difference between highschoolers and preschoolers is that preschoolers get naptime.

It's not that we're expecting them to be the perfect role models...it's that we prefer not to have pole dancers (yes, she did do it for her shows, there's been pictures) trying to endorse kids' cereal. 

on Oct. 4 2010 at 6:29 am
xAllegria BRONZE, Singapore, Other
1 article 2 photos 112 comments

Favorite Quote:
Ça fait tellement du bien d’aimer les gens qu’on aime, que ça finit par faire mal. Je sais pas comment on survit a ça. Non franchement, je sais pas. LOL (laughing out loud) ®, Lola.

I feel so sorry for teen stars... they have so much pressure on them not to do what anyone their age would normally do. It's not anyone's fault, really, but it's too bad people hate them for not being the role models they're not even ready to become.

brkarcher said...
on Sep. 24 2010 at 9:02 am
Yeah, I TOTALLY agree. After a little while of being famous she decided to "turn" into something. She became very, um...trashy? I guess.

on Sep. 23 2010 at 9:05 pm
thoughtfulsoul PLATINUM, El Cajon, California
25 articles 0 photos 48 comments

You are a good writer! It was witty yet very opinionated. Excellent job!

 


on Sep. 12 2010 at 8:16 am
SunnySummers GOLD, New York, New York
13 articles 1 photo 54 comments

   This really had nothing to do with growing up. Many people grow up without becoming the way Miley is today. I do pray that she takes the right path. In fact, I pray that all of those celebrities either get back on track or stay on the right track, if they're already on it.

   Unfortunately, most celebrities feel that they need to do whatever it is that they're told in order to keep their fame, like the role models they've chosen to follow have done.

   It all boils down to the fact that you really need to chose your role models carefully. If they don't base their decisions on solid morals and (yes) the proper religious faith, they'll join the ranks as the next Miley, Brittany, or Lindsey.


on Sep. 12 2010 at 6:29 am
Chitra.I PLATINUM, Dubai, Other
44 articles 2 photos 131 comments

Favorite Quote:
Everything makes sense if you think too much about it.

I know, right. I used to appreciate Hannah Montana, and knew all her lyrics by heart, but then she decided to 'grow up'....I wish she'd stayed thirteen.

on Aug. 26 2010 at 7:59 pm
Lindsey.L SILVER, New York, California
9 articles 4 photos 10 comments

you remind me so much of me! I'm the same age, am an aspiring journalist and sport the same attitude as you. excellent writing job! : )

 


on Aug. 21 2010 at 10:51 pm
imperfection GOLD, Gilroy, California
17 articles 9 photos 45 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Dream as though you&#039;ll live forever, live as though you&#039;ll die today.&quot;<br /> ~James Dean (1931-1955), American Motion Picture Actor, symbol of rebellion

I <3 honey bunches of oats too!!! i eat it every morning. it's so expensive though.

on Aug. 21 2010 at 10:24 pm
ThisBreRulezYouSonnn BRONZE, Wake Forest, North Carolina
4 articles 0 photos 24 comments

Favorite Quote:
Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;<br /> Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;<br /> Thy fate is the common fate of all--<br /> Into each life some rain must fall,<br /> some days must be dark and dreary.<br /> --Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)

awww, dude... i was so excited about the show ending and then they sprung 'hannah montana forever' on us. when i walk through the clothes departments in walmart, i'm scared to touch her clothes cuz i think that her hoochie-momma-ness wud leak onto me.