After being called out for not wearing seatbelts in a scene from their
movie, America's most popular father-daughter duo has apologized.
"We got caught up in the moment of filming, and we made a mistake
and forgot to buckle our seatbelts," Billy Ray Cyrus told People
magazine about a gaffe in the hit 3-D concert film "Hannah Montana/Miley
Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour."
"Seatbelt safety is extremely important," he added.
Billy Ray Cyrus is, of course, the father of Miley Cyrus, the
15-year-old acting and singing sensation known to her legions of
teen and tween fans as "Hannah Montana." Earlier this week, Consumer
Reports magazine called attention to a scene in the "Hannah Montana"
movie where the two are riding in the back seat of a Range Rover
without wearing seat belts.
"Why should we care?" the Web posting read. "Because, according to
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in about 55
percent of passenger vehicle fatalities in 2006 (the latest data
available), the occupants were not wearing seat belts. Even worse,
in the 13- to 15-year-old age group, that percentage climbs to 65
percent."
"It seems to us that Miley, her father, and Disney had a perfect
opportunity to help influence teens and counteract — rather than
encourage — this trend," the Consumer Reports post continued. "Then
again, as Hannah herself sings, 'Everybody makes mistakes.'"
The "Hannah Montana" concert movie has taken in more than $50
million in less than two weeks. In December 2007, Miley Cyrus was
ranked No. 17 in Forbes' list of Top Twenty Earners Under 25, with
an annual earning of $3.5 million.
From abcnews.com