Marie Osmond: Billy Ray to Blame for Miley Photos

Like most everyone else, Marie Osmond has an opinion of the Miley Cyrus photos for Vanity Fair. And it's not positive. What particularly upsets the entertainer (who is herself a mother), is that such an experienced showbiz parent as Miley's dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, would leave his 15-year-old alone during a photo shoot. "My parents never, never left us alone," Osmond, 48, tells AOL Television. "We always had some form of a guardian or something with us, a guardian that would represent what they would have done." In Miley's case, says Osmond, "her dad stepped out, and that's when it happened. How do you say no to somebody like Annie [Leibovitz, the photographer] when you're a little girl? It's an interesting thing that happened with her." In actuality, Miley's grandmother and teacher remained with the photo subject, as Billy Ray was called away to a business appointment, a source close to the family told PEOPLE – adding: "Billy Ray was not there for the shot. He would not have approved that shot if he was." Once the photos became public, Miley Cyrus apologized to fans, while Leibovitz said she was sorry the photos were misinterpreted.
Pressures on Young StarsHaving been on stage as both a youngster and adult, Osmond also weighs in with her opinion of young stars today and any additional pressures they may face. "I think it's a multitude of things," she says. "I can only speak for myself, but … I was blessed, because [with Olive Osmond] I had the perfect stage mom. She was there for every stage of my life." Once again expressing her disapproval of what Billy Ray Cyrus did – and didn't do – regarding the Miley situation, Osmond concludes, "I think, if your kids are going to be in that kind of business, then you need to make it your business to be there for them and help them figure out, but not necessarily to control them."