My daughter Shelagh requested I do a post on Annie Leibovitz’ controversial shoot in Vanity Fair of young Miley Cyrus  who is apparently something called a “tween sensation”. I said maybe you should do it on your blog (jashan.org) because I’ve never heard of Miley Cyrus, the teen or the tween. Apparently, the irrepressible Annie  got the 15 year old Miley to pose in a bedsheet. I looked at the photos and they seemed pretty harmless to me, but then I’m an old fogey and even some of my grandchildren have sailed past the 15 year mark. The photo that did give me pause was the one where Miley who looks about 25, is nestled in her father’s lap and in fact, he doesn’t look much older than 25 himself. There’s a biker babe aura to some of the photos and I pose the question: which is the worst example for our nation’s young people: a Tween in a bedsheet or a Tween riding with the Hell’s Angels?

 

 

But what really got my attention was this photo taken during the shoot which seems to show General Colin Powell  attending to young Miley’s bedsheet. 

 

 

I have often wondered what happened to the General after his disgraceful performance in 2003 before the UN in support of the invasion of Iraq. Dresser to the Tweens? Annie Leibovitz’ newest assistant? At first, it would seem the former Secretary of State is  overqualified for the job but when you think about it his military training is probably good preparation for navigating Annie’s clients through the shark-infested waters of celebrity fame. 

 I should add that all the photos I’ve used document the Cyrus shoot and are are not Annie Leibovitz’ photographs. Those, and the photos I’ve used, which are unattributed, can be seen on the Vanity Fair site.