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.


tnty said...
on Oct. 28 2009 at 8:41 pm
I'm a mother of a 12 year old girl who believes that "Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana are not the same person". lol She is aware that Miley Cyrus plays the character of Hannah Montana but it some warped way she feels they are two different people. She says that she likes Hannah Montana but she doesn't like Miley Cyrus. She My problem is she wants EVERYTHING that has Hannah Montana on it and I want her to like someone else. I don't know what direction to point her in, though. Hannah/Miley is EVERYWHERE!!!!!! Who do you look up to now?

sandraa said...
on Oct. 11 2009 at 6:12 pm
i agree. her pictures weren't racy.... vanessa hudgen's pictures were. and its true that a lot of teenage girls are... well... kinda slutty to some extent. i know my friends are a bit. and miley isn't perfect. no one should expect her to be.

sandra said...
on Oct. 11 2009 at 6:10 pm
roll ur eyes....

and the reason the shows have zero meaning is because they are supposed to have zero meaning. they're comedy shows you know... not really supposed to have a ton of meaning..

TigerLynn GOLD said...
on Oct. 6 2009 at 8:52 pm
TigerLynn GOLD, Maysville, Kentucky
10 articles 0 photos 110 comments

Favorite Quote:
"She walks in beauty,
Like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes."
--Byron

I think your writing is really good; especially the beginning, it was a good lead. But I disagree with your actual topic. Hannah/Miley is a GOOD role model, yeah she makes mistakes but don't we all? That photo was not RAUNCHY as you so hastily described it. It only showed her bare back. If that's what constitutes raunchyness, be prepared to realize that half this country is raunchy, including you, probably. Have some understanding and compassion for the girl you once loved so deeply! Keep writing.

Mmbusch BRONZE said...
on Sep. 10 2009 at 7:24 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."

awww thank you so much! This gives me so much confidence from everyone that commented on my article :) I will def check out your writing which I'm sure is excellent since obviously you have good taste ;)

on Aug. 19 2009 at 5:26 pm
Electricity PLATINUM, Bradenton, Florida
30 articles 0 photos 271 comments
amazing, I agree. I too role my eyes whenever I see Hanna Montana or any other Disney channel stars. It's inane, that channel. The shows have zero meaning, and every one of the actors/actresses are horrid at acting.

SarahM BRONZE said...
on Aug. 10 2009 at 12:18 am
SarahM BRONZE, Dover, New Hampshire
1 article 0 photos 1 comment
This was really really good! It bugs me that all these little girls seem to be blind to her sometimes not-so-role-model choices.

Amber1994 GOLD said...
on Aug. 9 2009 at 2:04 am
Amber1994 GOLD, Roanoke, Illinois
15 articles 6 photos 45 comments
wow! somone who shares my opinion about myley/hannah! except i never really liked her from the start. her name/face is plasterd on everthing, from pens to birthday cards,to kiddie underwear (now thats gross dont you think?)way to go! i really liked this piece. :-)



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