A recent Associated Press article talks about actress, singer and songwriter Miley Cyrus and her “controversial photo” at age 15 in Vanity Fair as presenting “a great opportunity for parents to discuss how seemingly innocuous photos posted to a blog or social networking site can be misinterpreted.”
“Miley has said she is ’so embarrassed’ by the photos and has apologized to her fans. But it may not be that much different from what regular girls are already putting up on the Internet, says M. Gigi Durham, author of The Lolita Effect.
“It is pretty routine these days for girls to post provocative pictures of themselves online,” she says. “The sexual objectification of young girls is so normal in today’s media environment.”
From Miley Cyrus: A Cautionary Tale.
But acclaimed author Germaine Greer points out in an article of hers, “Kate Moss has been able to earn millions only as long as she could continue to project the body image of a 13-year-old. The appeal of her nude portraits derives from the heart-breaking curve of her narrow hip-line and the tautness of her barely perceptible cleavage, not to mention the sulky innocence of her unfocused gaze.
Continued »
No Comments » | 05.03.08 | Share This
Asked about her choices of characters in her movies including some “bad girls,” Evan Rachel Wood commented, “One of the reasons I fought for those roles is that I think there are so many things about them that are just human, but people like to label them as weird or bad or wrong because they’re scared of them.
“I don’t consider them bad - they’re girls [laughs]. They’re going to make mistakes, but the films show the repercussions and show that they’re going to learn.”
[Interview magazine, May 2008; photo: Evan Rachel Wood left, with co-star Nikki Reed in "Thirteen" (2003)]
Continued »
No Comments » | 04.27.08 | Share This
Alia Sabur, at age of 18, has been recognized as the youngest college professor in history, breaking a 300-year-old record. She was hired as a professor in the Department of Advanced Technology Fusion at Konkuk University, in Korea.
As profiled in a Today Show bio, “She made the jump to college at age 10. And by age 14, Sabur was earning a bachelor’s of science degree in applied mathematics summa cum laude from Stony Brook University — the youngest female in U.S. history to do so. Her education continued at Drexel University, where she earned an M.S. and a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering. Sabur has taken up teaching math and physics courses at Southern University in New Orleans. She has been playing clarinet with orchestras since her solo debut at age 11.” [From article posted on www.aliasabur.com]
In an interview in 2005, Sabur said talked about her achievement attitude: “Things have been not exactly smooth along the way, but that’s how it is when you do something that no one else has really done before… not honestly so much with the actual work and the class work and practicing and performing, but with everything else along the way.
“I mean, there are a lot of people who told me that I couldn’t do what I’ve done. And if I had listened to them, then I wouldn’t have done any of it.
“I would say that if you have a goal, you should fix it in your mind and not let anything stop you on the way. Because no matter what you try to do, people will tell you that you can’t or you shouldn’t. And especially for other girls, who are really discouraged in the sciences, that you can be just as good at it or better than boys.
“You can’t let people bring you down. That’s basically all there is to it.”
[CNN SUNDAY MORNING April 17, 2005]
No Comments » | 04.24.08 | Share This
That word “good” may have some negative overtones, but it is still convenient to talk about people who are pursuing their dreams and talents in positive ways. Below is an excerpt from a Back Stage blog:
It’s always a pleasure to interview child actors and their parents for our annual Spotlight on Young Performers. Most of the child actors we meet are bright and courteous, and the parents work hard to provide the best for their children.
It’s such a contrast to the stereotypical child-stars-gone-wrong stories we hear about almost every day. The tabloid travails of Britney and Jamie Lynn Spears, Lindsay Lohan, the Olsen twins, Brad Renfro, Mischa Barton, Gary Coleman, Danny Bonaduce, et al., feed the impression that all child actors are destined for lives of addiction, depression, and even early death.
The truth is that most child actors grow up just fine — even happy and successful. Of course, the entertainment industry is full of stars and behind-the-scenes pros who began as child actors: Jodie Foster, Natalie Portman, Brooke Shields, Ron Howard, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Connelly, and Christopher Walken to name a few. There’s also Peter Billingsley (Ralphie from A Christmas Story), executive producer of the upcoming superhero flick Iron Man and other films, and writer-director Sarah Polley (The Sweet Hereafter), who was nominated for a best adapted screenplay Oscar this year for Away From Her.
Continued »
No Comments » | 03.30.08 | Share This
From Interview with Adam Sibley, creator of Talented Young People:
When I was young growing up there were so many things I dreamed of being or doing but there was no one stop place where I could find out everything I needed to know about achieving my dreams which were at the time becoming a Radio Presenter or a writer.
So I wanted to build a website where any aspiring talented young person could come and find out helpful tips and information to help them on their quest to fulfilling their dreams.
I grew up in the rural county of Cornwall in England which was miles away from the big cities like London where a lot of people go to fulfil their dreams so I wanted a website that would bridge the gap between the big cities and the little towns a website that would help remove barriers that were put in their way.
This is why we have the spotlight section on the website as I want to showcase people who have had barriers in their way to achieving their dreams the ones that can’t afford to go to twenty million auditions or those that have done hundreds of gigs but still not got the recognition they deserve.
I want to promote the best in young talent and help them get on the map.
Continued at Talented Young People.
No Comments » | 03.24.08 | Share This
More Sections
