Today I will stretch the definition of what should constitute television by including MTV.

The subject of the discussion is Miley Cyrus. Since she regaled us with a series of shenanigans in questionable taste – with the aid of Robin Thicke – at the MTV Video Music Awards, the blogosphere has been abuzzing with criticism.

Two weeks down the line, you’d have thought it’s stale news by now. I mean, seriously, how often can you repeat: “Oh no, whatever happened to sweet Miley?” or even “That hussy should know better”?

To read some of the online blogs and reports, you’d think no other star has ever done a spot of hip gyration before her (I refuse to acknowledge twerking as a bona fide word, by the way).

Do I think it’s tacky? Of course I do. Do I think it’s attractive? I don’t, but I’m sure 90 per cent of the male population disagrees. Do I think we should all make a song and dance (sorry) about it?

What is the point? Showbiz has become the pit where all good taste goes to die, and the sooner we get used to it, the better.

After all, we have ourselves to thank – it is the shows with the sleaziest, most morally questionable content that get the most views.

But back to Miley. I can understand why many who remember her as the innocent girl from Disney would be shocked. But kids grow up. Some of them grow up into classy beauties, like Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame. Others grow into... Miley. It’s the way the cookie crumbles.

And people seemed to have finally understood this. The blogosphere calmed down and I could actually go back to my social network sites without being assaulted by scores of outraged Miley posts or memes.

Then the video to her new single, Wrecking Ball, came out and once again we had Miley strutting her stuff, this time in her birthday suit.

The armchair moralists came back out of hiding, exponentially increasing the singer’s exposure and – without doubt – making her agent supremely happy in the process.

Once again, after a couple of days, the predictable outcry finally died down. Until good old Sinéad O’Connor – presumably feeling left out and needing an excuse to get some exposure – decided to rekindle the fires with an open letter on Friday.

To be fair, Miley did kind of ask for it by saying that Wrecking Ball was designed to be similar to O’Connor’s Nothing Compares video. Totally understandable that she’d wish to reply, of course.

What is not totally understandable is the way O’Connor milked it, conveniently forgetting her own good, old days. You know, the ones where she too would do anything to get some column inches – such as when she decided that ripping up a photo of the Pope was such a great, politically correct move back in 2011.

Let’s not pretend she’s any worse than the rest of the trash inhabiting today’s MTV-driven industry

Apparently, Miley’s simulated sexcapades are “not cool” and smack of pimping herself for the music industry. They do, of course – but so did O’Connor’s PR stunts from two years ago, when her career was flailing and her one-hit wonder was almost forgotten. Pot calling the kettle black, much?

The funny thing is that back then, O’Connor had also justified her actions by claiming to be basing them on the actions of another star – in this case, Bob Geldof’s ripping up of a picture of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in Grease.

Ripping up a photo of the Pope is hardly in the same ballpark, I would have thought, so get off your high horse, why don’t you?

Is Miley’s video trashy? Is it sleazy? Does it smack of taking a shortcut away from creativity all the way through Boulevard Cliche? Yes, yes and yes.

But let’s not pretend she’s any worse than the rest of the trash inhabiting today’s MTV-driven industry.

rdepares@timesofmalta.com