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Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:43 am
by radbag
http://www.cnbc.com//id/24351309


Image

Fifteen years old, topless and wrapped in what appears to be a satin bedsheet in the June issue of Vanity Fair. Did Miley Cyrus, with the help of a controversy-courting magazine, just deliver a blow to the Walt Disney Company’s billion-dollar “Hannah Montana” franchise?

Some parents reacted with outrage over the weekend when the television program “Entertainment Tonight” began showing commercials promoting a scoop: Ms. Cyrus, the star of the wholesome Disney Channel blockbuster “Hannah Montana,” had posed topless, albeit with her chest covered, for the Vanity Fair photographer, Annie Leibovitz.

Screen grabs of the photo quickly popped up online, sparking a blogosphere debate. “Bonfire anyone?” wrote Lin Burress on her marriage and parenting blog, Telling It Like It Is, referring to the mountain of Hannah Montana retail items — makeup, shoes, clothes — in the marketplace. “Parents should be extremely concerned,” Ms. Burress said in an interview. “Very young girls look up to Miley Cyrus as a role model.”

It is doubtful that one photograph — especially one that is tame in the context of an Internet awash in nude photographs of other starlets — could dent the Hannah Montana machine, said several Wall Street analysts.

Retail sales for the franchise are expected to total about $1 billion in 2008. A motion picture is in the works for 2009 and Ms. Cyrus signed a seven-figure book deal with the Disney Book Group last week.

But keeping a teenage entertainment franchise on track in an age when stars are monitored around the clock by bloggers and paparazzi is extremely difficult, even for a company with the experience of Disney. Executives are constantly battling to keep minor slipups from growing into full-blown controversies.

Last week, the public relations problem du jour was a green bra; photos online showing Ms. Cyrus pulling away her tank top to flash her underwear.

Ms. Cyrus and the “Hannah Montana” series have been championed as one of the few entertainment sanctuaries for children, complicating matters. Last month, Ms. Cyrus was chosen favorite television actress at Nickelodeon’s “Kids’ Choice Awards.”

More than 3 million viewers regularly watch “Hannah Montana,” most of them age 6 to 14.

Media outlets, in particular the rabid celebrity-focused tabloids, have been pushing to capture new angles of the ubiquitous Ms. Cyrus. After popping up everywhere from the Academy Awards to “American Idol” in recent months, the only photos of her that are assured of selling are controversial ones.

A Disney spokeswoman, Patti McTeague, faulted Vanity Fair for the photo. “Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines,” she said.

The article, written by Bruce Handy, seems to support that claim, quoting Ms. Cyrus as saying, “Annie took, like, a beautiful shot, and I thought it was really cool. That’s what she wanted me to do, and you can’t say no to Annie.” She also said of the photo, “I think it’s really artsy. It wasn’t in a skanky way.”

Ms. Cyrus had a different view in a prepared statement released on Sunday:

“I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be ‘artistic’ and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed. I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about.”

Beth Kseniak, a spokeswoman for both Vanity Fair magazine and Ms. Leibovitz said, “Miley’s parents and/or minders were on the set all day. Since the photo was taken digitally, they saw it on the shoot and everyone thought it was a beautiful and natural portrait of Miley.”

At the very least, Ms. Cyrus and her advisers do not seem to be on the same page as Disney. The company learned of the photo only when “Entertainment Tonight” started showing its promos.

Last week, Gary Marsh, the president of entertainment for Disney Channel Worldwide, was quoted in Portfolio magazine saying, “For Miley Cyrus to be a ‘good girl’ is now a business decision for her. Parents have invested in her a godliness. If she violates that trust, she won’t get it back.”
Copyright © 2008 The New York Times

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:56 am
by texgator
Marketing genius. The whole 'will she or won't she?" thing is keeping this young girl with questionable talent on the front page week after week.

Mark it down...there will only be more of this to come.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:57 am
by TheTodd
I heard that Disney was upset and they think that Vanity Fair deliberately manipulated her. I guess Disney doesn't want the competition in manipulating 15 year olds.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:00 am
by TTBHG
I heard that Disney was upset and they think that Vanity Fair deliberately manipulated her. I guess Disney doesn't want the competition in manipulating 15 year olds.

You hit the nail on the head.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:02 am
by Toothy
Yeah. I have little sympathy for mass marketing of overpriced products by branding them. A plastic play ball costs a buck, unless it's a Backyardigans play ball, in which case it's $3.99. Guess which one my daughter wants?

Burn, baby, burn.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:35 am
by radbag

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:37 am
by DocZaius
That disturbs me a hell of a lot more than the sheet photo.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:39 am
by Toothy

Yeah, that is just wrong. I'm sorry -- I'll admit that they are good-looking people, and have some talent, but by God, where's the common sense?

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:52 am
by radbag
uggh.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 11:54 am
by mommygator
yep, pic #2 is just plain weird.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 12:29 pm
by G8rMom7
Eh...no comment. I really don't know what to say. I do take offense to the comment about Disney exploiting 15 year olds...not sure what you mean there...like they are working in sweat shops and treated poorly just so the company can make money? Whatever...who is Disney's audience? What, should they get people over 21 to star for them? How would that work exactly?

But Miley and Billy Ray??? I dunno...they sure don't seem to be making wise decisions. IMO

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 12:36 pm
by IHateUGAlyDawgs
nobody said Disney was exploiting 15 year olds...just manipulating them.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 1:07 pm
by G8Rpmc

But Miley and Billy Ray??? I dunno...they sure don't seem to be making wise decisions. IMO
[img]{SMILIES_PATH}/iagree.gif[/img] and that picture is just weird and wrong. Yeck.....

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 1:37 pm
by wpfox16
Man, is that ever creepy...

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 1:44 pm
by RickySlade
Everything about that is creepy. WTF were they thinking? She's fifteen...why would she be in a bed with nothing but a sheet covering her? And the picture with her father? I am as far away from a prude as you can get, but damn.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 1:56 pm
by Toothy
Hello, it's Annie Leibovitz.

My daughter can pose for Annie Leibovitz after she stops receiving tuition money from me, but not before.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:01 pm
by TheTodd
good call Toothy. Annie L is pretty well known for pushing the envelope with photo's in magazines. She's an awesome photographer though.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:11 pm
by Toothy
Agreed. Does, uh, Disney keep track of where its little cash cow is wagging her tail? Because Annie Leibovitz is a pretty big appointment in the datebook if you ask me.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:19 pm
by TheTodd
You would think that Disney would do more, um contractually, to limit what she does so she doesn't damage the Disney brand.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:14 pm
by texgator
Now shes hanging out with black dudes in their underwear!

[img]http://blogs.chron.com/tmi/MTV_TRL_CYRU ... NYR113.JPG[/img]

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:22 pm
by G8RKyle
That guy doesn't have nipples.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:23 pm
by TheTodd
Isn't that the black sumo wrestler dude?

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:24 pm
by Toothy
That guy doesn't have nipples.

Well, there's an early leader in the Most Troubling Post of the Day competition.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:25 pm
by RickySlade
You know what? I think you're right. That is the black sumo wrestler dude.

Revealing Photo Threatens a Major Disney Franchise

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 4:00 pm
by Toothy
You would think that Disney would do more, um contractually, to limit what she does so she doesn't damage the Disney brand.


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