Disney Should Fire Annie Liebovitz

While the majority of the blame for this week's dust-up over the half-naked photo of Miley Cyrus deserves to be laid squarely at the feet of her parents, who showed appallingly poor judgement and didn't protect their daughter from an inappropriate situation, there is another angle to this story which I haven't yet seen explored elsewhere.

There was another adult involved in this photography session: the photographer, Annie Liebovitz. Liebovitz, who has said the come-hither photo of Cyrus was "misinterpreted," has in recent months taken a series of photographs for Disney with various celebrities posing as Disney characters. The most recent photo, of Julianne Moore as the Little Mermaid, was just released.

Given that Liebovitz did not have the common sense to recognize that it was wrong to turn a 15-year-old girl into a sex object -- let alone a 15-year-old looked up to by many young girls as the one "tween" star who seemed to have a sensible head on her shoulders -- Disney should immediately sever its connection with the photographer. Liebovitz saw an opportunity to make "news" with a controversial photograph and, heedless of what this would do to either Miley Cyrus or Disney, she took it.

It makes no sense to have the same person whose work injured the reputation of a young girl -- perhaps permanently damaging her Disney franchise -- used to publicize and pay tribute to other parts of the Disney empire. Disney should make this clear in no uncertain terms.

Update: Michelle Malkin weighs in on the controversy.