Miley Cyrus

Annie Leibovitz has apologised for the topless photo you she took of 15-year old actress/singer Miley Cyrus. Or rather, she's apologised for the photo being misinterpreted. This follows on from Cyrus' own apology yesterday.

Neither of these apologies are warranted. Leibovitz is an exceptional phototographer and the Miley Cyrus photo that caused all the controversy maintains the high standard of her art. If you listened to some of the bloggers out there you would think Leibovitz was producing child abuse images. G-d help them if they ever see Sally Mann's family portraits, their heads might explode!

Cyrus' own apology was misplaced. She had nothing to apologise for in the first place, but when she did, she apologised to her fans...

"I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed. I never intended for this to happen and I apologise to my fans. The pictures of me on the Internet were silly, inappropriate shots. I appreciate all the support of my fans and hope they understand that along the way I am going to make mistakes and I am not perfect. I never intended for any of this to happen and I am truly sorry if I have disappointed anyone. Most of all I have let myself down. I will learn from my mistakes and trust my support team. My family and my faith will guide me through my life's journey."

Miley, I really doubt your fans could give a flying fuck about the photos. If anything, I think they would rather like them. Your contemporaries are far more sophisticated than you seem to think. The only thing that's let you down is this apology.

Actually, maybe I'm being a little unfair. I think her apology is in truth an indirect but calculated apology to Cyrus' paymasters, the Walt Disney Corporation, conceived by her 'support team'.