Love or hate Miley Cyrus’s provocative VMAs performance, you’ve gotta give her one thing: she got people talking.
The “We Can’t Stop” singer has endured a rash of criticism following the skin-baring set – which saw her stripping down to a rubber bra and panties and twerking against singer Robin Thicke, among other things – including from several of her fellow celebs (not to mention our own Melinda Newman). All the attention compelled Cyrus to defend herself on Twitter Monday by proclaiming:
Smilers! My VMA performance had 306.000 tweets per minute. That’s more than the blackout or Superbowl! #fact.
– Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) August 26, 2013
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That tweet was followed up by a pair of quotes from Rolling Stone magazine, which actually went against the grain by giving Cyrus high marks for her on-stage antics:
“Miley was the one star in the room who truly understood what the MTV Video Music Awards are all about!” – Rolling Stone
– Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) August 27, 2013
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” Miley stole the night, which is why the nation is still in recovery today. Thanks, Miley…” – Rolling Stone
– Miley Ray Cyrus (@MileyCyrus) August 27, 2013
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Not that her critics are backing down.
“That was girl gone wild. So sad, so sad,” singer Cindy Lauper told Australian radio hosts Brig & Lehmo during a recent interview. “There she is a young 20-something trying to prove she can hang with the big boys and girls, you know … basically simulating a ‘Girls Gone Wild’ video on stage and I just felt like that was so beneath her and raunchy, really raunchy. It wasn’t even art.”
Cyrus’s former TV mom Brooke Shields also weighed in during a recent “Today” show appearance, telling host Willie Geist: “I just want to know who is advising her and why it’s necessary. My 6 year old and my 10 year old, they can’t watch that…She can sing beautifully, and I feel like if she lets that lead, rather than let her bottom lead. I feel it’s a bit desperate – you’re trying to be [Lady] Gaga… but it’s different… She’s trying so, so hard.” Nevertheless, Shields did concede one point: “She went for it. You got to give her some credit. We”re all talking about her.”
Speaking of mothers, Thicke’s real-life mama Gloria Loring has also spoken out on the controversy, telling omg! Insider: “I just keep thinking of her mother and father watching this. Oh, Lord, have mercy. … I was not expecting her to be putting her butt that close to my son. The problem is now I can never ‘unsee’ it….I don’t understand what Miley Cyrus is trying to do. I just don’t understand. I think she’s misbegotten in this attempt of hers.”
For more reactions from around the celebrity-sphere, check out our Twitter roundup below.
And listen if it wasn’t ur cup of tea— all good but why is everyone spazzing? Hey – she’s doin something right. We all talkin.
– Adam Lambert (@adamlambert) August 27, 2013
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Just saw a couple performances from the VMA’s last night. 2 words…. #pitchystrippers
– Kelly Clarkson (@kelly_clarkson) August 26, 2013
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Alan Thicke and Billy Ray Cyrus now under genetic arrest.
– Albert Brooks (@AlbertBrooks) August 26, 2013
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Miley Cyrus at the VMAs last night reminds me of Candyland – the easiest game in town and everyone gets a turn. Tune in at 9pm ET for more!
– Joan Rivers (@Joan_Rivers) August 27, 2013
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Thank Christ! The internet has stopped bitching about #BatFleck to bitch about Miley Cyrus’ #MtvVMAs performance instead… #SentientTongue
– KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) August 26, 2013
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Remind me to never let my kids into showbiz… Thanks
– Nick Cannon (@NickCannon) August 26, 2013
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I will always have this version of Miley. Let’s live in the past and heal. pic.twitter.com/zMsEW2PvfO
– Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) August 26, 2013
Things I learned watching the #VMAs2013: There’s nothing you can do with a foam finger that you can’t air on MTV.
– James Van Der Beek (@vanderjames) August 26, 2013
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Watching VMAs. Haven’t been in a strip club in a while, but good to see nothing has changed
– Bill Maher (@billmaher) August 26, 2013
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Just saw @MileyCyrus. What did I miss. She was having fun. #twerkmileytwerk
– Russell Simmons (@UncleRUSH) August 26, 2013
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I’m watching the VMAs and Miley Cyrus has made me so uncomfortable. The WORST thing I have ever seen. Am I too old to understand?
– Johnny Weir-Voronov (@JohnnyGWeir) August 26, 2013