Most of the time we’re discussing the dangers of live television, it’s in reference to Saturday Night Live, sporting events or awards shows. New Year’s Eve, however, is one of the few recurring times where, despite weird stuff happening every year, a lot of networks simultaneously commit to going live. NBC was no exception, which put together a live special fittingly produced by SNL creator Lorne Michaels and co-hosted by SNL cast member Pete Davidson and pop star Miley Cyrus. The latter, of course, worked in plenty of costume changes. Most went well; one did not. During one of her musical acts, Cyrus’ top failed her, and like so many unplanned live television whoopsies, it wound up turning into a great moment.
Cyrus was performing her hit “Party In The USA” in a crop top and skirt when the top ran into some issues. She tried holding it up for a few seconds before she turned around, disposed of the failed garment and walked off stage. Her band and backup singers carried the load for a bit while she sang from off-camera until she re-emerged with a blazer on and rocked the rest of the song as if nothing went wrong. You can check out footage of the memorable moment below…
Miley Cyrus began 2022 with a wardrobe malfunction. #MileysNewYearsEveParty pic.twitter.com/D3BF4JNA0XJanuary 1, 2022
This whole incident is such a great example of what a professional performer she is. Weird stuff happens during live performances. They’re not usually broadcast live on television, but strange things happen. The goal is to find a balance between acknowledging the obvious and still delivering what the crowd wants to see. Miley Cyrus did this here by dealing with the situation, making a few jokes to the crowd about it including “this is still the most clothes I’ve ever worn on stage” and then rocking the rest of the song without any self-doubt.
There was obviously some initial confusion from everyone involved after the top first failed. The show had no idea where to go with the camera. Miley herself bailed on one of the lyrics as she was dealing with herself, but within fifteen or twenty seconds, everyone involved was back in the groove. The back-up singers belted out a few lines on their own, we got a few extra crowd shots and Cyrus returned to an excited and appreciative crowd. Fans at home were very pleased too.
There were tons of tweets talking about it being a spectacular way to start off 2022. Many others also complimented her for how well she rolled with the punches and owned the moment. You can check out an example below…
Miley Cyrus calling it and just tearing her top off on live TV and making it work like an absolute bad bitch is the exact energy I want in 2022 #MileysNewYearsEvePartyJanuary 1, 2022
Response to the New Year’s Eve special with Cyrus and Davidson was pretty positive. That being said, we’ll just have to wait and see whether the combination sticks. There was something about the dynamic and their energy together that just worked, but I’m sure NBC will hold off on making plans for next year until it sees the ratings, the advertising dollars and whether or not the two stars are even interested in returning.
