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Miley's Dad Apologizes for Seatbelt Slipup
Miley Cyrus by Kevin Mazur/ WireImage.com
Billy Ray Cyrus has publicly apologized for failing to buckle up in a scene with Miley Cyrus from her concert movie.
On Monday, he and Miley got their hands slapped by Consumer Reports, which noted in a blog posting that they weren't wearing seatbelts in one of the scenes from Miley's recent 3-D flick Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert and were therefore setting a bad example for young people. In the scene, neither she nor her dad were wearing seatbelts in the back of a Range Rover.
In his apology, Billy Ray told People, "We got caught up in the moment of filming, and we made a mistake and forgot to buckle our seatbelts." He added, "Seatbelt safety is extremely important."
CR had openly criticized the father-daughter duo and the studio, saying, "Miley, her father and Disney had a perfect opportunity to help influence teens and counteract — rather than encourage — this trend."
Miley's film, which opened Feb. 1 for a limited release, broke sales records on Fandango, and sold out at screens across the country. Given that so many teens and tweens saw the flick, what's your take on the mag's hand-slapping? Is the seatbelt-free scene a bad influence? Or a barely noticed drive-by? Should Billy Ray have apologized?— Anna Dimond
More Miley:
• For Miley's Next Trick: Montana Movie Gets April Start
• Miley's Movie Pulls Off Some Box-office Bests
• Watch video: Miley's Hannah Montana audition tape
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Feb 12, 2008 3:44 PM
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Obviously, everyone should be wearing seatbelts. But is it just me, or does it seem like there's a concerted effort out there to take down the Hannah Montana empire? It seems every week, there's a new story trying to damage her image.
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Feb 12, 2008 4:02 PM
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I was just going to comment on the same fact. While granted, wearing a seat-belt is the most important thing to do while driving--occasionally, people forget. My 70 year old aunt forgot last week, does that mean Consumer Reports will be waiting to slap her?? Here is a 15 year old girl who has suddenly become a target for nasty comments--and if she was out there pulling a "Britney", imagine the comments then. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Nice.
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Feb 12, 2008 4:52 PM
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It's really not Miley-freakin-Cyrus's responsibility to get kids to wear their seat belts. It's up to their parents. Remember them, Consumer Reports?
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Feb 12, 2008 4:56 PM
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My uninformed guess is that Disney/the director didn't like the "look" of a seatbelt. Slapping their hand is a good plan to me. But, yes, slap Miley and Billy's hand publically. It's not going to damage them (and shouldn't!), but simply points out something that Teens, Tweens, and Their Parents should know every single moment they spend in a vehicle....seatbelts save lives!!!!
I find nothing wrong with people who influence our children being expected to be good influences. Including, but not limited to parents, tv, movies, music, and most of all, IMNSHO, sports. If just one childs life is saved over this little "hand slap" is it not worth it?
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Feb 12, 2008 5:12 PM
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I completely believe that everyone should be safe when in a car but is CR for real? Do people really have nothing better to do with their time then to make a comment about this. There are so many other things going on in the world that they could be looking at.
I'm sure there are plenty of other movies where kids don't wear seatbelts but you don't hear about that. Since it is Miley Cyrus, who is very much in the public light, CR feels the need to critize it.
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Feb 12, 2008 5:35 PM
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It seems like all of a sudden the media has been attacking Miley for no reason at all. Leave the poor girl alone and stop trying to take her down.
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Feb 12, 2008 5:55 PM
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Since it is Miley Cyrus, who is very much in the public light, CR feels the need to critize it.
You mean "glom on to it for the sake of their own glory and publicity." Or am I just splitting hairs?
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Feb 12, 2008 6:05 PM
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I saw her running with scissors......
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Feb 12, 2008 9:09 PM
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All the kids I know wear thier seatbelts because the driver said to. If we are really talking about saving lives here, how about putting them on SCHOOL BUSSES.
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Feb 12, 2008 11:08 PM
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Just wait until the expose about her not waiting for an hour after eating before swimming, and all of the kids who got cramps because of her.
Should she be wearing her seatbelt? Yes. Does anybody really think that a tween girl will refuse to wear a seatbelt because Miley didn't? And that a parent will be okay with that?
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Feb 12, 2008 11:44 PM
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This is a joke, right? Jamie Lynn Spears gets knocked up and she didn't get this much flack. I agree...it ain't Miley's fault. It's the parents first and then the movie producer for not catching this faux pas. How many times do we see kids smoking in films that teenagers see? How many times have we seen underage drinking on one of my fav shows Friday Night Lights? And poor Miley gets the brunt of this from a NATIONAL magazine that I always thought has some credibility...until maybe now. Geesh
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Feb 13, 2008 12:18 AM
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Of course everyone is trying to take down the Hannah empire! That is what society likes to see done to celebrities!
What makes anyone think that while kids are watching this movie they are thinking, "Wow - Hannah doesn't wear a seatbelt in the back seat so neither will I." If Consumer Reports hadn't raised a stink, I'm sure over 95% of the kids would've missed it.
We send so many mixed messages in this society that it's a miracle anything is communicated correctly. We expect our children to look at a celebrity and pick out the proper behavior to follow; however, we don't teach our children the proper skills they need to figure out which behavior is proper. "Don't swear like a sailor because Miley doesn't." "Where your seatbelt while in the back seat even though Miley doesn't."
She's a kid. Spotlight or no spotlight she's going to make mistakes. Parents need to stop looking for excuses to cover for their unwillingness or inability to raise their children responsibly. Then again, maybe these are the same parents that think Obama is the best man for the job solely because Oprah said so and not because of his formidable political prowess.
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Feb 13, 2008 4:41 AM
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i completely agree that miley should wear her seatbelt at all times, just for her own safety, and especially in her movie.
however, I saw the movie and i did not notice that she wasn't wearing a seatbelt and I can't imagine that anyone else did either
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Feb 13, 2008 7:17 AM
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Dudes I have seen the movie and in it Miley and Billy Ray have just gotten into the car and are pulling out of their driveway in California. How does everyone know that she didn't put her seatbelt on? I am 13 also and I did notice she wasn't wearing a seatbelt but I put my seat belt on when I get to the end of my driveway. If they arrested everyone in the USA for not wearing a seatbelt they would have so many people in jail that there wouldn't be enough jail cells. GET OVER IT PEOPLE!!! NOBODY IS PERFECT YOU CAN'T JUST GO AROUND POINTING OUT THE STUPIDEST THINGS!! AND I AM SURE THAT SOME PEOPLE ON TV GUIDE DON'T WEAR SEATBELTS EITHER SO WHY ARE YOU PICKING ON A 15 YEAR OLD!
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Feb 13, 2008 7:52 AM
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