After her unforgettable performance last year, we were all waiting to see what Miley Cyrus would do at the 2014 VMAs and she did not disappoint. Only, she didn't do anything any of us expected. When she bested Iggy Azaela for video of the year, I braced myself. What sort of tongue gymnastics were we about to endure? Could it just be time for Beyonce already? I didn't want to look. And then Miley did the unthinkable. She did something amazing and almost completely selfless. Almost. But the haters were ready to pounce right away and I'm hear to make a little suggestion: retract your claws.
Rather than taking the stage and talking about her growth last year or about being "retwired" from twerking, Cyrus stood up, gave the mysterious young gentleman who'd been sitting next to her all night a hug and then sent him onstage. Was he some industry professional we'd never heard of? Nope. He was a formerly homeless youth, delivering a speech in place of Cyrus' acceptance speech. The guy, whose name is Jesse, was so nervous Jimmy Fallon had to help him hold the mic steady while he delivered a very important message about homeless youth.
And sure, Miley was sitting off to the side rather conspicuously, ready for the camera to capture her crocodile tears. And yeah, she knew that she was giving herself a massively good PR opportunity and a chance to balance out her image a bit after her display last year. But when it comes down to it, Cyrus did something really lovely and really important.
She not only gave the cause a voice, she let that voice be that of someone who actually had that life experience. Not to get too soap boxy on VMA night, but it's not often that celebs take a back seat and let the victims of terrible circumstances speak for themselves. Say what you will about Cyrus' music, her choice of clothing, and her integrity when it comes to sexually charged stunts in music videos and on television, but don't say the girl doesn't have a heart.
She did something pretty darn cool. Let's forget the foam finger for just a moment and give the girl credit where credit's due.
