Not every young farm roustabout dreams of gracing the stage of Australia Ballet’s famed productions performing to scores by musical geniuses such as Tchaikovsky.
James McDonell in full flight at The Australian Ballet.(Supplied: The Australian Ballet)
But for James McDonell it’s becoming a reality as he prepares to perform across regional Australia for the next few weeks, taking him from the family farm in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges to the center of the troupe’s Swan Lake Variations, choreographed by the Australian Ballet’s former artistic director David McAllister.
McDonell, 19, grew up in the country surrounded by dogs, cats, some pet sheep, and alpacas, and started dancing at the age of nine at a local dance school in Riddells Creek.
Speaking to ABC Central Victoria, McDonell said he loved the feeling of being on stage and being able to use his body to express emotion and make people feel something.
“I kind of realized that it suited my body,” he said.
“And I just loved the way it felt. And as the years went on, it really resonated with me in my body and how the lines that you can make with your body and shapes and how movement can be created with your body.
“I love the aesthetic of it, really, the way of transforming your body to make stunning shapes, and then being able to show that to an audience as well. I think that’s the pinnacle thing for me.”
James McDonell relaxes from his busy ballet schedule on the farm with his dog and alpaca in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges.(Supplied: James McDonnell)
A great teacher matters
James McDonell dancing with The Australian Ballet.(Supplied: The Australian Ballet)
It was under the guidance of his first dance tutor, Val Sparshot, that McDonell began to find his love of ballet after trying his hand at tap and jazz.
“She kind of pushed me to do ballet because it wasn’t really the top of my list. I started doing jazz and tap and for two years straight she would say, ‘Do ballet, do ballet’. And I was like, ‘ Nah, not really me’,” he said.
“And then she finally convinced me, and I started ballet, and then from there, I was like, ‘Oh, this isn’t actually too bad. I kind of like this’.”
In 2015, he moved to The Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School at the age of 12 where he stayed for five years before joining The Australian Ballet School in 2020.
At home on the farm with friends.(Supplied: James McDonell)
pinnacle of dance
Swan Lake Variations is a classical piece celebrating the joy of dance and the beauty of Tchaikovsky’s famous score. This will be the second time McDonell takes to the stage across regional towns after performing with the company last year.
“I have had to sacrifice, I guess you could say, a normal life,” McDonell said.
“I trained six days a week, 8:30am until 6pm. So that comes with sacrificing things most people my age would be going out or doing. But I can’t afford to be doing that as much as others.”
Regional audiences will also get the opportunity to see dancers perform the exciting Flames of Paris Pas de Deux and the dramatic dance sequence Pas d’Action from La Bayadère.
McDonell will join the Australian Ballet’s regional tour as it stops over in Bendigo on August 5 and 6 for three performances at the Ullumbarra Theater and a youth masterclass.
“I know my parents are coming, but I’m sure others might accompany them as well,” he said.
When Adelaide-born pop musician and TikTok darling Peach PRC was offered the chance to record two Spotify Singlesshe was ecstatic.
The 25-year-old covered iconic band Wheatus’ even more iconic hit ‘Teenage Dirtbag’, as well as a reimagined version of her own single ‘God Is A Freak,’ and from her social media “bubble” the reviews were raving.
Then, comments from a wider audience rolled in.
READMORE:Real Housewives of Beverly Hillsstar Kyle Richards on her friendship with Dorit Kemsley
Peach PRC hit back at trolls who were sledging her ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ cover, but trolls are a new experience for her. (instagram)
“the amount of 🤟🏻men🤟🏻who are being so mean about my teenage dirtbag cover lol they act like metallica is gonna walk in their living room and hand them a beer for pointing out autotune. being a loser takes inches off your hairline grow up,” Peach tweeted last month in response to the trolls – but the criticism, despite her mammoth online following and presence, was a new experience for her.
“I actually don’t get a lot of [trolls],” Peach, whose real name is Shaylee Curnow, tells 9Honey Celebrity via Zoom. “I feel like I only noticed that when my music [was] shared through a platform that isn’t mine.”
Peach says she’s usually in a “bubble” online, and her followers and those she follows were “excited” to listen to her singles and only had “positive” things to say about it.
“When a different platform shows my stuff and it’s to a new audience, people are like, ‘What the f–k is this?’ I’m like, so taken back,” she says.
READMORE:Daisy Edgar-Jones ‘lived amongst’ wild creatures for her role in Where the Crawdads Sing
The ‘Josh’ hitmaker acknowledges that “of course” her songs will not be liked by everyone, but for her, the criticism was “jarring” to see.
Usually, Peach says, she wouldn’t acknowledge the trolls, but because the singles were shared far and wide – Wheatus actually retweeted it on their own platform – it was overwhelming.
The band actually privately messaged her their approval of her cover, and gave her some heartwarming advice.
“They were like, ‘I think it’s awesome, it’s really fun.’ Like, you know, ‘F–k what the haters are saying. Like, they hated it when we put it out 20 years ago. So like, don’t stress about it,'” she recalls, noting the band also said if she was to ever perform the song in New York City to let them know so they can come out and support it.
“It was so cool,” she says. “And so I was just like all the men that were just like, ‘You’ve ruined it.’ I’m like, ‘I haven’t taken the original away from you. Don’t listen to it.’ I’m like, ‘Wheatus even likes it.’ Grow up, get over it.
“A lot of artists, I’m sure, would love seeing their song reinvented years and years later. Like, I’d be really flattered if someone did a cover of my song 20 years later and it was like a whole new sound. I’d be stoked about it.”
READMORE:Aussie musician G Flip is dating Selling Sunset’s Chrishell Stause but they’re more than just her partner
Unable to display TikTok on this browser
READMORE:Aussie actress Olivia DeJonge reveals ‘most scariest aspect’ about playing Priscilla Presley in Elvis biopic
Peach’s over 1.9 million TikTok following and almost 250,000 Instagram followers are, like many high-profile creators, largely from users who lived vicariously through social media throughout lockdown – and the shift from her online notoriety to her real post-lockdown day-to-day life was one that had some hiccups.
Particularly for Peach, who is known for being open about everything from her sexuality to her mental health or synesthesia or relationships (her debut single ‘Josh’ was about her ex, actually named Josh), personal boundaries during lockdown were something she did not prioritize , and it’s something she’s now reevaluating.
“At the time I never really cared about it,” she says. “I was like, ‘Yeah, you know, like this is, I’m just sharing myself. I don’t know any other way to be. I want to talk about these things.’ I’m talking about them and like, there’s nothing that was really off-limits for me.
“Now, I guess, things have progressed more in my career and with my audience, and there’s things that I said a while ago, that I’m like, ‘I probably wish I kept that to myself.'”
Those things, for Peach, are mainly to do with her “personal wellbeing” and “growth,” something that goes back and forth when she sometimes “falls back into bad habits.”
“People are holding me to such a standard because of what I’ve said previously about the way I’m living or whatever,” she says.
READMORE:Young filmmaker’s sweet moment with Oscar winner Bong Joon-ho after they were locked out of a Sydney bar
At the end of the day, however, Peach says while she is still “figuring out” the balance between what’s too personal and not “healthy” to share and what’s not – creators, after all, make their personhood a business – being transparent is something she overwhelmingly sees as a “positive” thing that’s “worth the backlash.”
As her online fame bleeds into the offline, Peach says her lack of personal boundaries can actually be “nice” when somebody approaches her on the street.
“It’s kind of nice sometimes, because it’s like, ‘Okay, they already know me, I don’t need to make a first impression or worry about what they’re going to think of me,'” she says. “They already know. I can’t really go wrong from there.”
The mortifying order of being known, however, can at times be a double-edged sword – especially when people approach her when she’s going about her day, and want to talk to her about personal tidbits, which sometimes span quite heavy topics, she’s shared on social media.
“I have to remind myself that in that moment, it’s not really just about me,” she says.
“Somebody is just really excited to share something vulnerable with me or relate to me in that way or they’re wanting to just be like, ‘I’m so proud of you’ for this and that.
“It’s a really beautiful, sweet sentiment. So I try not to be in my head about like, ‘Oh, I really don’t want to delve into, like, my emotional side and like what I’m going through right now. ‘ I just take it for what it is in that moment and then kind of leave it in that moment and just go back to my grocery shopping and leave it with them.”
Listen to Peach PRC’s Spotify Singles ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ and ‘God Is A Freak’ onSpotifynow.
For a daily dose of 9Honey,subscribe to our newsletter here.
Adam Saad has spoken out as the AFL joined the Adelaide Football Club in investigating reports of an alleged racial slur made towards him during Carlton’s loss at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.
In a Tweet circulated on social media, the Carlton cheer squad claimed a female Crows supporter called the Blues defender “a terrorist.” Saad is a first-generation Lebanese Muslim – the only practicing Muslim player in the competition.
The post also labeled the subsequent action taken by Adelaide Oval ground staff as “absolutely disgraceful”, after the accused woman was spoken to but allowed to remain in her seat for the remainder of the match.
READMORE:Kyle Chalmers unloads on ‘load of shit’ media reports
READMORE:Aussie marathon mom pulls off gold-medal epic
READMORE:Tigers issued ultimatum over rising Luke Brooks heir
According to Adelaide Oval’s code of conduct, any person who engages in racial abuse “may be removed” from the venue.
“Depending on the severity of the behaviour, anyone evicted may incur a ban, suspension of membership and/or police charges,” the code says.
Addressing the media on Sunday, Saad said he wanted to use the incident to educate people on the peacefulness of his religion.
“[I’m] always grateful to be in this position, can’t complain,” he told reporters.
“Those things shouldn’t be said but hopefully the AFL and the clubs will deal with it.
“It’s disappointing, I guess we’ve just got to educate around making comments like that.
“At the end of the day I know who I am as a person and us as a Muslim community.
“As long as we can educate the person and move things forward.”
Adam Saad after the Blues’ 29-point loss to the Crows. (AFL Photos via Getty Images)
The Blues said in a statement they were comforting impacted members of their community.
“The Carlton Football Club is working with AFL Integrity and all relevant parties regarding an allegation of racial vilification in the crowd during Saturday night’s game at the Adelaide Oval,” it read.
“The club is fully aware of the seriousness of the alleged comments, and has been providing the appropriate level of support to its people as the matter is investigated.
“The club makes clear that vilification of any kind is disgraceful, unacceptable and has no place in society, let alone our game.”
In a separate statement, the Crows said they would not stand for any type of anti-social behaviour.
“We do not tolerate and strongly condemn any form of discriminatory behavior and it has no place in football or society. Adelaide Oval should be an inclusive and family friendly environment,” it read.
This latest occurrence of racism at the footy comes just months former Adelaide captain Taylor Walker completed a six-match ban for making a racist slur towards North Adelaide’s Robbie Young in a SANFL game last August.
In response to the incident, AFL House said the league would continue to advocate for diversity and inclusion.
“Football is a place of inclusion and belonging and there is no place for racist behavior in our game,” a statement read.
“Nobody in our game or in the community deserves to be discriminated against and vilified against due to their faith or race and there is simply no excuse for it.”
South Australia Police have confirmed officers and Adelaide Oval security took down the details of people allegedly involved in the incident.
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter byclicking here!
Where are they now: Looking back at every AFL No.1 draft pick since 2000
With aggression toward medical staff on the rise, a leading melbourne hospital has introduced a new program to defuse conflict.
Instead of introducing more security staff, clinicians are being encouraged to use calming strategies.
At Sunshine Hospital, staff are building a rapport with patients through conversation and fun personal profiles posted on the walls.
At Sunshine Hospital, staff are building a rapport with patients through conversation and fun personal profiles posted on the walls. (Nine)
Sunshine Hospital associate nurse unit manager Karen Garrett said she was taking the time to talk with patients.
“It might be a matter of walking into a room and the football’s on and going ‘oh I’m a Carlton supporter too’,” she said.
“Or it might an in-depth conversation for a person who’s distressed.
“Rather than interrogating them to get information, we provide them with information about ourselves and then they are more comfortable providing information about themselves.”
There is a chill out room for those stuck in hospital to enjoy a change of scenery and iPads are on hand to distract those feeling restless.
Western Health safe wards Manager Elisa Ilarda said there had been a “significant problem” in healthcare settings.
There is a chill out room for those stuck in hospital to enjoy a change of scenery and iPads are on hand to distract those feeling restless. (Nine)
She said however, resources such as the iPads had made a difference in setting patients down.
The program has already reduced the prevalence of code gray violent incidents by up to 30 per cent.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the policy, officially known as Safe Wards, will be adopted by more hospitals to help reduce conflict.
“Violence and aggression have no place in our healthcare system,” she said.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana state senators narrowly passed a near-total abortion ban on Saturday during a rare weekend session, sending the bill to the House after a contentious week of arguments over whether to allow exceptions for rape and incest.
The Republican-controlled Senate voted 26-20 after about three hours of debate, passing the bill with the minimum 26 votes needed to send it on to the House, which Republicans also control.
The bill would prohibit abortions from the time a fertilized egg implants in a uterus. Exceptions would be allowed in cases of rape and incest, but a patient seeking an abortion for either reason would have to sign a notarized affidavit attesting to the attack.
Indiana is one of the first Republican-controlled states to debate tighter abortion laws since the US Supreme Court last month overturned the precedent establishing a national right to an abortion.
But the GOP splintered after the rape and incest exceptions remained in the bill Thursday when an amendment failed that would have stripped out those exceptions.
Ten Republican senators voted against the legislation Saturday, including a handful who support abortion rights.
One of them, Republican Sen. Vaneta Becker of Evansville, said the measure will interfere with women’s medical choices, their lives and free will by setting strict limits on abortion access in Indiana.
“Women deserve to have us protect their lives and free will. Senate Bill 1 destroys both. Shame on us for doing this,” she said, noting that only eight of the Senate’s 50 members are women.
“We are considering dictating medical decisions with blinders and ignorant of the astounding, unintended consequences we are creating,” Becker warned, saying the Senate is “just making a mess.”
Republican Sen. Mike Young, whose amendment calling for no exceptions except for the life of the mother previously failed, said he voted against the bill not because he agrees with its opponents but because he has qualms with some aspects of the legislation he hopes are addressed.
Young said one provision that concerns him states that a doctor can perform an abortion if he believes a woman’s life is in danger but it doesn’t require the doctor to inform that woman that her life is in danger.
“She may never know the reasons why. I just think it’s important when a person makes the most important decision of their life for her they ought to know if their life is in danger, and what are the reasons why it’s in danger, ”he said.
GOP Sen. Sue Glick of LaGrange, who authored the abortion bill, said during the debate she doesn’t expect the legislation approved by the Senate to be the final version the legislature passes. She called the Senate bill “an expression of where we believe the state of Indiana is right now.”
The legislation’s passage “is a huge step forward in protecting the life of the unborn children in our state,” Glick said in a statement after the bill’s approval.
“We have put together a bill that would not criminalize women and would protect the unborn whose voices have been silenced for the past 50 years under Roe v Wade,” she added.
Ten of the Senate’s 11 Democrats voted against the bill, with the 11th member absent for Saturday’s debate.
Democratic Sen. Tim Lanane of Anderson condemned the bill as a product of a male-dominated Legislature that’s poised to take away the control that pregnant women should have over their own bodies.
“This is the government, the male-dominated government of the state of Indiana, saying to the women of this state, you lose your choice,” he said. “We’ve told you — papa state, big state government — is going to tell you what you will do with your body. And I don’t think we’re ready for that.”
The bill now heads to the House, where proposed changes could come as soon as next week — the second week of lawmakers’ three-week special session. Lawmakers must add their session by Aug. 14.
House Speaker Todd Huston on Friday declined to discuss specifics of the Senate bill. But he said he supports the rape and incest exceptions.
Gov. Eric Holcomb said earlier this summer that he had no “red lines” on what anti-abortion measures lawmakers might consider. But on July 12 Holcomb sidestepped taking a stance on how far the Republican-dominated Legislature should go in restricting abortions in its special session.
A national poll this month found an overwhelming majority of Americans believe their state should generally allow abortion in specific cases, including if a woman’s life is endangered or if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. Few think abortion should always be illegal, according to The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll.
___
Arleigh Rodgers is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/arleighrodgers
___
Find AP’s full coverage of the overturning of Roe v. Wade at: https://apnews.com/hub/abortion
A Sydney couple, who had been priced out of upgrading their family home, have managed to create a property portfolio worth $1.2 million in the space of just three months.
Amit Kumar and his wife Astha had bought a townhouse in the Sydney suburb of Quakers Hill for $610,000 six years ago.
Despite saving hard and their family home growing in value to $780,000, the couple who have two children aged three and five, discovered Sydney’s skyrocketing property market would mean it was impossible for them to find a new property in the city. They had discussed the idea of buying other homes but were nervous.
“It was the fear of the unknown,” Mr Kumar said. “You just don’t know what to do, you don’t want to overpay, you don’t want to buy the wrong place and then have it vacant for long periods and with no tenants,” he told news.com.au .
“You don’t know where the growth is going to be and you don’t know what the projects are in certain areas and things like that.”
But the couple met with a buyer’s agent and took the plunge in April, snapping up two properties in that month alone.
The first was in Adelaide in the southern suburb of Christie Downs, a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house.
They purchased it for $425,000 and it has already grown in value by approximately $60,000.
The second property was purchased in Toowoomba, Queensland – a three-bedroom house for $455,000, which has also jumped in value by $50,000.
“We were very nervous, particularly because they actually settled very close to each other… the settlement was two days apart,” he said.
“And also complicating things further was the Easter break and the Anzac Day long weekend happened as well, so it was all on short notice.
“I think at the time there was an election coming up, we didn’t know what the policies were going to be, we didn’t know what the interest rate was doing and how it’s going to affect us.”
But the gamble has paid off so far with Mr Kumar revealing they had 20 rental applications for the Adelaide house before the open home was even held.
“So we had a very large number of applications to actually choose from and we actually managed to get more than what we actually hoped to achieve in terms of rent,” he said.
“So when we bought the place, we were told $410 is a realistic expectation in terms of rent, but we actually ended up achieving $420.”
The Toowoomba home was already tenanted but Mr Kumar said it was at a significantly lower amount to the market rate.
They were told they would get $450 for the place, but after the previous tenant moved out, it was only empty for three days and then rented out for $470, he said.
Their latest buy has been in Bundaberg, a house for $387,000 snapped up in July, which is expected to rent out for $460.
All three properties were also bought sight unseen, Mr Kumar added, while the rents cover their mortgages.
The couple paid $65,000 to $70,000 for each place including stamp duty, using a 12 per cent “sweet spot” deposit recommended by their mortgage broker.
Mr Kumar, who works in sales, said the couple still plan to use their portfolio as a “stepping stone” to buy a bigger place in Sydney in the next 12 to 24 months, but they won’t stop there.
The 39-year-old never believed it would be possible to build a property portfolio but now the couple have a goal to buy eight to 10 properties in the next five to seven years.
He advised others to get into the property market as soon as they can, adding people shouldn’t be influenced by the market, but instead focus on the long-term goal of building value in their property.
“One of the things the buyer’s agent said to me and it’s just stuck out in my mind is that the earlier you buy, the sooner you buy, then the more time you’re allowing for capital growth and timing is not as critical as just getting into the market,” he said.
“Because if you buy the right property at the right price, timing is not such an important factor.
“All three properties that he’s bought for me, we’ve actually managed to get all of them under market value, so what it means is indirectly like even already now by the time we settle, we already have some equity.”
Everyone knows the pain. Buying a beautiful plant…only for it to die within a couple of weeks or even days. Yes, there are ways to extend the life of indoor plants. However, with our busy lives, sometimes we simply forget to tend to them.
We all want a luscious home garden that’s still easy to maintain. Well, we’ve found a solution to this conundrum.
LEGO has recently added two new additions to its Botanical Collection, now including orchids, succulents, a flower bouquet and a bonsai tree, all beautifully designed and will survive at the hands of even the worst plant carer.
Since launch, the collection has been gaining popularity on TikTok with people excited that they’ve finally found the solution to keeping their flowers alive.
Check out these videos from popular TikTok creators:
@raposo.rafaella arranges her LEGO flowers
Check out @raposo.rafaella arranging her new LEGO flowers in a beautiful vase. Paired with other trinkets, this is definitely the best bedside table arrangement.
@vtnat showcases this super cute LEGO bonsai tree
Amassing over 315K likes and 1.6M views, this video gives us a closer look at the cute bonsai tree.
@soft.pinec0ne creates a photo-worthy bouquet
This video gives us another look at how the LEGO bouquet can be displayed to enhance the interior design of any home.
@plumsoju demonstrates how to set up the orchid
Like us, @plumsoju has trouble keeping his plants alive. Take a look at how fun and easy it is to assemble the orchid!
The Botanical Collection is available on LEGO’s website or at any LEGO stockist!
Miley Cyrus wasn’t always the outspoken, rebellious musician she is today.
In the mid-2000s, the former Disney Channel darling was the picture of innocence thanks to her breakout role on the wildly popular series Hannah Montana.
The bigwigs at Disney were obsessed with maintaining the teenage popstar’s clean-cut image. During interviews, Cyrus openly spoke about her virginity and even claimed she wore a purity ring.
“I like to think of myself as the girl that no one can get, that no one can keep in their hand,” she told TVGuide in 2008.
READMORE:The ‘feud’ between Julie Andrews and Audrey Hepburn that ended with this Oscars photo
Miley Cyrus’s Vanity Fair photos caused a huge scandal. (VanityFair)
“Even at my age, a lot of girls are starting to fall and I think if [staying a virgin] is a commitment girls make, that’s great.”
Cyrus, then aged just 15, was a teen idol to millions of young girls around the world. She was under enormous pressure to be a role model for her legion of impressionable fans.
But Cyrus inadvertently shattered her innocent child star image with a controversial magazine photo that sent shockwaves through industry and her fanbase.
READMORE:Jane Fonda was branded a traitor against American troops thanks to this infamous photo
In April 2008, the ‘Malibu’ singer appeared in the pages of Vanity Fair in a daring pose, shot by renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz.
In the photo, Cyrus posed shirtless while clutching a white satin sheet. Immediately, it became a huge scandal for the young actress.
The interview accompanying the photo also upset fans. In it, Cyrus discussed her from her favorite TV show Sex and the City and the controversial party girl stars Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears.
After it hit the stands, the photo made headlines – including the New York Post’s frontpage, which reads: “MILEY’S SHAME”.
The New York Post ran the headline ‘Miley’s Shame’. (twitter)
READMORE:The heartbreaking story behind John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Rolling Stone cover
The publication described the photoshoot as “semi-nude” and many saw it as a strange deviation away from her brand as Disney’s wholesome Hannah.
In a bit to salvage her squeaky clean reputation, Cyrus was forced to apologize for her career misstep.
“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 any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about,” she said.
“It was every one’s poisonous thoughts and minds that ended up turning this into something that wasn’t meant to be.”
“I never intended for any of this to happen, and I am truly sorry if I have disappointed anyone.”
Disney even stepped in to decry Cyrus’ photoshoot, claiming the interview was a “manipulation” of the teenage star.
“Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines,” a spokesperson said at the time.
In 2008, Cyrus was 15 and was the star of Hannah Montana. (AP)
READMORE:The true story behind the infamous ‘side eye’ photo of Sophia Loren and Jayne Mansfield
Leibovitz was also forced to defend her creative vision after the photos were published.
“I’m sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted,” she said in a statement.
“Miley and I looked at fashion photographs together and we discussed the picture in that context before we shot it. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful.”
Cyrus’ parents had been on-set with her during the first-half of the interview and photoshoot, however sources claimed only her grandmother and teacher remained when the infamous shot was taken.
“Annie convinced them it was going to be artistic. Her parents are mortified. They know this is a learning moment for Miley,” an insider told People at the time.
“The photo suggests that she is [naked], but she is not. She is covered by a sheet, and beneath the sheet she is clothed. Originally, she she was in a flesh-colored tank top but she was asked to remove it.”
After the scandal, Cyrus went on to play Hannah Montana for a further three years, releasing a film and several albums as the fictional popstar.
Years later, Cyrus has shed her innocent reputation. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
READMORE:Miley Cyrus’ evolution over the last decade
Once she was free from her Disney contract, the singer-turned-actress sparked even more controversy in the following years.
Her most notable scandal was in 2013, when Cyrus performed at the VMAs alongside Robin Thicke and twerked and gyrated on a giant foam finger.
By now, Cyrus had completely shed her wholesome image as Hannah Montana.
“Not only was culture changed, but my life and career were changed forever,” Cyrus later told Wonderland of that performance.
“It inspired me to use my platform for something much bigger. If the world is going to focus on me and what I am doing, then what I am doing should be impactful and it should be great.”
Armed with her new rebellious reputation, Cyrus decided to take aim at her critics in 2018 – a decade after the controversial Vanity Fair photos were published.
Cyrus tweeted an image of the new york post front page which read “Miley’s Shame” and wrote the following message: “I’M NOT SORRY. F— YOU #TENYEARSAGO.”
The popstar rescinded her apology in 2018. (Instagram)
READMORE:Miley Cyrus opens up about ‘scary’ moment lightning hit her plane: ‘I was in my mum’s lap crying’
speaking on Jimmy Kimmel Live about rescinding her apology, Cyrus said, with hindsight, she realized how unfair the shaming was over her photos.
“I guess it was apparently 10 years ago and I think a lot of things have changed and I think the conversation has changed a lot,” she explained.
“And I think something that I really thought about was, you know, sure people thought that I did something wrong in their eyes.
“But I think it was really wrong of someone to put on top of someone that this is my shame and I should be ashamed of myself. That’s not a nice thing to tell someone that they should be ashamed of themselves. Besides Donald Trump.”
Cyrus said people misconstructed an artful photo as something more sinister, simply because she was underage.
“There was nothing sexualized about this on set,” the ex-Hannah Montana star said.
“It was every one’s poisonous thoughts and minds that ended up turning this into something that wasn’t meant to be. So actually, I should not be ashamed.”
For a daily dose of 9Honey,subscribe to our newsletter here.
Why JoJo Siwa ditched trademark bows that made her $572m
Virtuosi Racing’s Jack Doohan emerged to his second victory of the 2022 Formula 2 season, dominating the Sprint Race around the Hungaroring.
At the start, the Australian lost his advantage from pole to Enzo Fittipaldi, who had lined up alongside him on the front row. Into the second corner though, Doohan capitalized on a lock-up by Fittipaldi to retake a lead he wouldn’t forfeit again.
Juri Vips was able to capitalize on the Brazilian’s Turn 2 moment to secure a second in the race but had a much tougher time fending off the Charouz Racing System driver. The Estonian managed to keep Fittipaldi at arm’s length despite his rival having DRS for the majority of the 24 laps.
Felipe Drugovich survived contact with Logan Sargeant at the first corner to end up in fourth place by the checkered flag. Dennis Hauger was also involved as the trio went three-wide at the first corner, but the PREMA Racing driver and Carlin came off worse. The Norwegian was tipped into a spin and was out on the spot, while Sargeant recovered to the pits but forced to retire at the end of Lap 1.
Frederik Vesti rounded out the top five for ART Grand Prix, but could have been fighting for a P2 finish. Following Fittipaldi’s lock-up, the Dane attempted a move into Turn 4, but was forced to the run-off by the Charouz racer, dropping him behind Drugovich in the process.
Liam Lawson, Marcus Armstrong and Ayumu Iwasa completed the top eight and points-paying positions in sixth, seventh and eighth respectively.
The result hands Drugovich a growing advantage in the Drivers’ Championship, now up to 44 points over next-best, Theo Pourchaire, who finished outside of the top 10. Sargeant remains third ahead of Daruvala, but Doohan’s victory lifts him into the top five on 88 points.
ART Grand Prix continue to head up the Teams’ Standings on 213 points, ahead of MP Motorsport on 204 and Carlin on 200.
Among the lovelier lyrics in Don McLean’s song about Vincent van Gogh are those that refer to “faces lined in pain” being “soothed beneath the artist’s loving hand.”
Key points:
The Spirit of SA collection showcases people, places and objects with strong ties to SA
The works will be auctioned off to raise $100,000 to support children with cancer
At the forefront is artist Mark Lobert, who volunteered his time to produce 42 works in about 30 weeks
Something of that tender spirit is reflected at Mark Lobert’s Port Adelaide studio, where, for the past few months, an impressive act of artistic altruism has been taking shape.
“Hopefully we’ve done SA proud because we’re very proud of this collection,” Lobert said when describing the project.
Painting is a paintaking business, but these portraits and landscapes are about alleviating pain — specifically, the pain of very sick children.
Collectively, the 42 canvases will comprise the Spirit of SA exhibition, and they depict prominent South Australian faces, places and icons.
The Granite Island horse-drawn tram is popular with tourists at Victor Harbor.(Supplied: Phil Hodgson and Mark Lobert)
From Monday, they will be on display at Adelaide’s Westpac House, and will be auctioned online to raise at least $100,000 for the Childhood Cancer Association (CCA), to support children battling the illness.
Subjects include rock legend Jimmy Barnes, actress Theresa Palmer, the Hills Hoist, Kangaroo Island’s Remarkable Rocks, chef Maggie Beer, and pop singer Guy Sebastian.
There are also the ABC’s Collinswood building, AFLW star Chelsea Randall and former prime minister Julia Gillard.
Born in the UK, former Prime Minister Julia Gillard moved to Adelaide at a young age.(Supplied: Phil Hodgson and Mark Lobert)
“As a female in politics, and in general, she’s an amazing person,” Lobert said of Gillard.
“The painting that has been done by Barnesy is linked in with the Largs Pier Hotel.
Australian rock legend Jimmy Barnes with the Largs Pier Hotel.(Supplied: Phil Hodgson and Mark Lobert)
“That image would have to be one of my favourites.”
The project has evolved collaboratively — fellow artist Phil Hodgson has worked closely with Lobert, and it is testament to their commitment to the cause that both have volunteered their time.
Each has brought different and complementary skills.
Hodgson’s talents include the ability to capture the lineaments of a human face, while Lobert has focused on non-human subjects, as well as color schemes and other touches.
42 paintings in 30 weeks
In person, Lobert can look a little like a canvas himself—his arms are impressively inked, and his paint-stained shirt resembles a palette for mixing colors.
His studio is every bit the artist’s den.
Lobert’s shirt, like the floor of his studio, is suitably stained with paint.(ABC Radio Adelaide: Daniel Keane)
It is brimming with brushes, paint pots, blank canvases, and works in progress, and its floor is so densely covered with splashes of pigment that it resembles an example of Jackson Pollock’s abstract expressionism.
But the paintings themselves suggest other suitably eclectic influences.
A carton of Farmers Union Iced Coffee, a packet of FruChocs and a selection of frog cakes evoke Andy Warhol’s soup cans, while the blues and yellows of an image of Adelaide’s skyline bring to mind van Gogh’s Starry Night.
An Andy Warhol-esque painting of a packet of FruChocs.(Supplied: Phil Hodgson and Mark Lobert)
“I kind of love colour, I’m always trying to chase color — I need to have color all around me,” Lobert said.
Despite that passion, he admits the production of 42 sizeable works in about 30 weeks has been a challenge.
Kangaroo Island’s Remarkable Rocks were among Hodgson and Lobert’s subjects.(Supplied: Phil Hodgson and Mark Lobert)
But when he admitted, “I won’t lie — it’s been very stressful”, he spoke with the smile of someone who knows the finish line is in sight.
“They have taken a lot of time,” he said.
“Originally, we were going to start off with about 14 — then it went to 20, and 25 went to 30, then it bloomed out to 38 and shot out to 42.”
The Hills Hoist clothes line was produced in South Australia.(Supplied: Phil Hodgson and Mark Lobert)
‘The fight of his life’
The driving force behind the project has been media identity and CCA ambassador Mark Soderstrom.
By auctioning the paintings, Soderstrom hopes to raise $100,000.(ABC Radio Adelaide: Daniel Keane)
“I thought, we’ve got to be grateful for where we live, what can we do to raise $70,000 to $100,000?” he said.
“What if we try and showcase the best part of South Australia, and then auction them off for Childhood Cancer?
“They need something like $1.3 million a year to function and provide their services, so if we could put a dent in that, it’d be bloody brilliant.”
Chosen subjects also included Port Lincoln’s tuna industry.(Supplied: Phil Hodgson and Mark Lobert)
Soderstrom admits he is not “arty” himself — but he is impressed by the power of art not only to raise funds but to provide respite.
Through CCA, he struck up a friendship with Lobert.
Their work has put them in contact with some harrowing stories.
Three-time AFLW premiership player and two-time premiership co-captain Chelsea Randall.(Supplied: Phil Hodgson and Mark Lobert)
Soderstrom recalled the case of Jaxon, “an unbelievably brave little boy” who was undergoing palliative care at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
“He was in the fight of his life, and his parents called him Iron Man because he was so strong,” Soderstrom said.
Soderstrom asked Lobert to paint a picture of the superhero for Jaxon, to go over his hospital bed.
“Every time he woke up, with the time he had left, all he could see was Iron Man.”
Easing the burden on children like Jaxon is at the heart of the Spirit of SA.
“Our father passed away with cancer,” Lobert said.
“So whenever I hear of any [fundraiser] that’s to do with cancer, it’s always going to be a ‘yes’.
“I love to be able to give.”
Assistant Leandra McKay and artist Mark Lobert at Lobert’s studio, where he has been working on a painting of CCA mascot Elliot.(ABC Radio Adelaide: Daniel Keane)
