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Monday, Aug 10, 2009 7:50 PM UTC

Miley Cyrus: Too young to pole dance?

At the Teen Choice Awards, the starlet takes a note from exotic dancers

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Topics: Broadsheet, Love and Sex,

It’s been but a month since 16-year-old Miley Cyrus sent jaws dropping by posing in a black leather bustier and thigh-high boots for Elle magazine. Now, the Hannah Montana star is set to scandalize parents once again, this time with a pole-dancing performance on the 2009 Teen Choice Awards, which airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. Those of you who can’t wait to evaluate the inappropriateness of said pole dance or who refuse to sit through the two-hour-long show, you’re in luck: When the show was pre-taped Sunday night, a sneaky audience member caught the routine on camera and posted it to YouTube.

The video begins with Miley clad in booty shorts and high heels, singing her song “Party in the USA.” Then the controversial object is wheeled in — but it isn’t just any stripper pole, it’s an umbrella stand on top of an ice cream cart, minus the umbrella. She climbs onto it, grabs the pole, drops it like it’s hot and shimmies rather innocently as the cart is pushed across the stage. Now that’s some potent imagery: an emblem of childhood (an ice cream cart) juxtaposed with a symbol of modern young womanhood (a stripper pole). Looks like her managers are following the Britney Spears sexy-virgin path to success — or self-destruction, depending on your perspective.

Tracy Clark-Flory

Tracy Clark-Flory is a staff writer at Salon. Follow @tracyclarkflory on Twitter and Facebook. More Tracy Clark-Flory.

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Gripping photos: The people of the Turkey protests (slideshow)

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  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

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