As you might have heard “the kids” have tabbed Ms. Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus, as “The Worst Celebritry Influence of 2009.” I think the poll, conducted by the youth-oriented website JYSK.com (Just So You Know, part of AOL and aimed at the 9 to 15-year-old set), actually shows the influence of the Internet.

Miley topped the poll for being involved in such attention-grabbing news stories as having revealing photos on the Intenet, making “slanty eye” photos with friends that surfaced online, quitting Twitter, posing with a sheet in Vanity Fair,  and a controversial pseudo-pole dancing routine during a performance at the Teen Choice Awards.  So, you say the last two are not Internet related? Vanity Fair’s website was bombarded by hits after news of Miley’s photos broke. As well, her performance at the Teen Choice Awards was watched plenty of times on YouTube.

I also think that in today’s world, kids are more in tune with what their heroes and role models are doing because of the Internet. For example, everyone knows that Babe Ruth or Mickey Mantle were not the “All-American” boys in every way, but fans heard less about the negative parts of their lives in their hey days.

Following Cyrus on the list were Britney Spears and Kayne West. For her high standards of headline-grabbing behaviour, Britney was actually pretty well-behaved in 2009. Meanwhile Kayne West, the superstar rapper and producer, earned the rage of teens when he upstaged Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) by saying Beyonce should have won instead. High School Musical movie seris star Vanessa Hudgens was fourth in the JYSK poll.

The website also asked young people who were good influences. The top rated on this list ironically included some of Cyrus’ fellow  Disney franchise queens and her friends. Wizards of Waverly Place star Selena Gomez was the winner, followed by Swift, Nick Jonas of the tween fave Jonas Brothers band, Harry Potter actress Emma Watson and singer Justin Bieber.

Robin

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