Where is the class?

I grew up on the classics, being introduced to the “greats” of Hollywood by my grandpa from day one.

We listened to Tony Bennet in the car, Louis Armstrong in the house and Ella Fitzgerald on the radio. Even though my grandpa has been gone several years now, I still walked to class the other day listening to Glen Miller, and my room decor at home is Audrey Hepburn.

What can I say? I’m a traditionalist.

This being the case, I was completely shocked, and frankly, straight up annoyed at the Sunday evening airing of the MTV Music Video Awards.

Was that serious?

I always knew the award show was somewhat of a farce. After all, the trophy is a metal sculpture of an astronaut.

But my disgust was taken to an entirely new level as I watched Miley Cyrus degrade herself on national television, and Robin Thicke, dressed as an extra from “Beetlejuice”, parade around the stage acting like he had some sort of right to be up there.

Throughout the airing of the show, I kept returning to the same question. Where did we go wrong?

There really is no pinpointed time in which hope was lost, because frankly, it isn’t. Some people are even attempting at this very moment to bring back what used to be.

Michael Buble charms us all with a Sinatra-esque record every now-and-then, and Adele graces the world with her presence at the occasional award show, giving us a glimpse of what life must have been like with a living Audrey Hepburn.

Styles change. No one is going to be singing songs like “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” forever, and that’s fine. I was pretty content with the Backstreet Boys cargo pants and acid wash phase because at least they did it with dignity and the illusion of true talent.

But what do you call what Miley was doing up there? Music? Talent?
I beg to differ.

We’re students of Indiana University, home to one of the most prestigious music schools in the nation.

It seems almost an oxymoron to walk to class each day with the subtle melodies of Jacob’s fluttering in the air to then return home after class to watch the new generation of “talent” expose and humiliate themselves on national television.

I seriously hope Miley’s spasm isn’t going to be one of those “gateway” performances that leads to bigger and braver things down the road.

If Miley is trying to “twerk” her way to some lasting impression on the Hollywood scene and audiences for decades to come, she might want invest more time listening to classics like “I’ll Be Seeing You” and “Young At Heart” and leave the “strip club,” “big butt” lyrics behind, as well as that horribly shaved head.

It’s not that she’s talentless. Miley isn’t on the same page as Cole Porter for me, but she’s got pipes.

The true problem with performances like Miley’s is simply a loss of class. I don’t know where it went or how it disappeared so quickly, but vanish it did.

In my mind, Miley Cyrus needs a large, old-fashioned, Kathryn Grayson, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen-style helping of class. And a new hairstyle.

Until then, I’ll stick with my “High Society” and keep praying for ours.

­— cnmcelwa@indiana.edu
You can follow columnist Claire McElwain on Twitter @claire_mcelwain