I should have posted this in the Miley Cyrus thread but I hate contributing attention to her. I didn't like her VMA performance, mostly because I found her really unattractive and un-sexy during it. But it was weird to see people on news programs questioning her mental state and saying how awful an example she is, then later I think it was some dude named Scarborough saying that "this isn't new," and citing how Britney Spears did the same thing.

Haven't most musicians done this since the start of Rock and Roll? Doing crazy or sexualized stuff to get attention? Elvis was doing the pelvis thing, and back then it was pretty scandalous because of what it was simulating. The Beatles I don't know that much about but didn't John Lennon and Yoko Ono get naked for their album cover? It was interesting to see Scarborough bring up Britney Spears and saying how shocking it was the things girls at his kid's school talked about as a result of the negative influence of Spears' music and VMA show. Does this guy not remember Madonna? And before her I'm sure there are plenty more examples.

What was embarrassing about the performance of Robin Thicke and Miley Cyrus is that it was, musically, poorly done. They substituted shock for showmanship.

GG Allin

I'm infected with AIDS! I fuck every day! I...kill everything I fuck!

What amazes me is that people were shocked at all. I finally watched it on youtube and saw nothing that seemed any more shocking than most VMAs I watched as a kid. She grinded on another dude. That's it? Really? It's not like she is underage. Giant foam finger used as phallic symbol. Crazy.

It wasn't shocking, it was just really unappealing.

It was also apparently the only memorable thing that happened at the VMA Awards because it's the only thing people were talking about.

And even now, a month later, it's still being discussed.

"There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." - Oscar Wilde

I suppose Manson the late 90's would fit in here.

"There is no such thing as bad publicity except your own obituary." - Brendan Behan

There was an urban legend story about Frank Zappa and Alice Cooper. The story goes: They were on stage and challenged each other to a gross out contest. Zappa took a shit on stage, Alice Cooper ate it.

No. That was actually KISS and Aerosmith in the '80s, and it was purely metaphorical.

There's this moment of Ozzy madness ...

"According to the Motley Crue biography The Dirt, on one of the Ozzy's tours, Motley Crue was the opening acts for the shows. While standing outside, Ozzy peed on the pavement. He then got down on all fours and lapped up the pee like a dog. He then challenged Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue bassist) to pee on the pavement and lick it up just as he did. Nikki peed on the ground and got down and just as he stuck his tongue out, Ozzy beat him to it.. Nikki was shocked. Then Ozzy took a straw out of someone's drink and saw some ants. He bent down to the ground and snorted the ants up."

“For the record, folks; I never took a shit on stage and the closest I ever came to eating shit anywhere was at a Holiday Inn buffet in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in 1973.” - Frank Zappa

I guess the Rod Stewart story about needing to get his stomach pumped is also a lie.

1. Color me surprised to open the thread and the OP was talking about Miley Cyrus. Musician? Maybe in the loosest terms. She's more of a performer to me.

2. Her VMA appearance (and subsequent photos.. etc), wasn't "shocking" for something a young woman was doing but you have to consider she was Hannah Montana for several years on the Disney Channel with millions of viewers, mainly young girls. A very wholesome image. Britney really didn't do the same thing. She came into the limelight with a naughty schoolgirl image and just slowly ramped it up from there.

3. Miley's whole career has been marketing. This is no different. All tied to her new album. Not that shocking, really. But she got what she wanted.

4. Thought this thread was about musicians pushing themselves MUSICALLY. Ohwell.

I thought Miley looked more like she was trying to lick an envelope than push one.

It's hype to sell records (or mp3s, I guess). The only thing "shocking" is this the same tired schtick still works on people.

Miley Cyrus must have hired an awesome publicity company. Janet Jackson stroked her clit as a dance move in a video, and no one raised an eyebrow.

It will never cease to amaze me that even though you can go to a thousand different websites for instant, free porn, people still get titillated over a celebrity showing a little ass or doing something racy. Look at just about any movie thread, and inevitably there will be discussion by the sad, sad, men there concerning whether or not you can see so-and-so's boobs.

I once created a thread here asking if it was possible for an unattractive female musical artist to be successful in America. The only one anyone could think of was Missy Elliot, and her star didn't burn long.

Took the words right out of my mouth. I agree with all four of your points.

Oh, yes, what a shocking phenomenon that people might want to see famous celebrities naked. Someone must be sad, sad to want to see that. Because, as we know, all people are completely interchangeable, and what does it matter who you're looking at as long as they're naked, right?

Joni Mitchell wasn't ugly but I wouldn't really call her a looker. Adele would be a more recent example.

About Miley, yeah she must have. After the VMA's she's on all the magazine covers and everywhere on tv.

I forgot about Janet Jackson and the supposed "wardrobe malfunction."

Do you lose respect when artists do these types things to drum up attention to themselves so people don't forget them? Or do you sympathize with their need to get publicity in a very competitive industry where star power can fade over night?

I guess when you're younger that stuff is more impressive because you think they're rebelling against societal norms. Nowadays, if there's a musician or actor who gives an intelligent and honest interview, that impresses me and makes me want to look up their catalogue.

Wandered into this thread thinking it was going to be about some groundbreaking musicians. Boy was I wrong.

They're in show biz. They have to do what it takes to get their career going, while walking the line but not going too far and being dismissed as as a floozie. I once talked with someone who never respected Jane Fonda because she took off her shirt in Barbarella.

I think Adele, like most fat chicks, has a pretty face.

if you take a look at Lorde's mug it isn't exactly pretty. She is like a really hot Alice the goon, from Popeye.

Gaga, while having one of the best asses in music, is very unappealing facially.

i need to reacquaint myself with top 40 for more examples.