NPR: 'Hannah Montana' Takes America by Storm

'Hannah Montana' Takes America by Storm

Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus performs during the Disney Channel Games 2007 Concert in April in Kissimmee, Fla.

Gerardo Mora/Getty Images

OK, she doesn't really. But her records do. And her posters. And her magazine covers. And while I don't let my children watch much TV, she always seems to be on whenever they've earned the right to watch the tube. I swear there are a couple of episodes of the Disney Channel show Hannah Montana that I've seen a dozen times. My daughters can recite the dialogue by heart.

Blake Farmer reported on Morning Edition today from Nashville about the Hannah Montana phenomenon, which is also the Miley Cyrus phenomenon. Cyrus plays the title character on Hannah Montana, alongside her co-star dad, former country sensation Billy Ray Cyrus. For the next few months, Miley is taking her musical act on the road, and she has sold out shows across America.

One marketing consultant Blake interviewed says the demand for Cyrus tickets shows the power that tweens have over what their parents buy. But what is it about Hannah Montana that has all those 8-to-12-year-olds clamoring for tickets that are selling for hundreds of dollars?

On the show, Cyrus' character lives a dual life. By day, she's a regular middle schooler, constantly bullied and humiliated by the cool girls. But at night, she puts on a wig and becomes Hannah Montana, super pop star. It's that fantasy that I think my girls love: living a regular life and hanging out with friends and family, yet secretly being way cooler than the cool kids. And as someone said to me, the idea that people who are mean to you can't see who you really are (but would like you if they did) is pretty appealing.

4:20 PM ET | 10-18-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Never seen Hannah Montana on concert, I was not going to see it, Hannah Montana tickets got sky rocked thanks to stupid brokers. But even if I had seen it, I wouldn't buy it. I'd rather wait and see it on DVD. Well suprise I changed my mind and I got 2 tix for the Hannah Montana show I was looking for tickets thanks god there sites like Ticketwood which work as comparators here is the site
Hannah Montana Tickets http://www.ticketwood.com/concerts/Hannah-Montana-Tickets/index.php . So any body going to the Hannah Montana concert ??

Sent by britney asbourne | 2:28 PM ET | 10-31-2007

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