Billy Ray Cyrus defends Miley on ‘Arsenio’

Billy Ray Cyrus was nowhere to be seen on the MTV mini-documentary “Miley: The Movement” that aired Wednesday night. But Miley’s dad was on “Arsenio” on Thursday night, and he revealed that he’s a proud, proud papa. In fact, he suggested that Miley’s twerking extravaganza might have been influenced by Johnny Cash, of all people.

Papa Cyrus told Arsenio, “I was so glad to let the world hear Miley’s side of the story. Miley is very smart. She’s thought this thing out in advance.”

She’s “going back to her roots. The music. She grew up around the greats, Waylon Jennings, Carl Perkins, musicians, Johnny Cash.”

At the MTV Video Music Awards in August, Miley stripped down to her underwear, did R-rated things with a foam finger and managed to add “twerk” to the vocabulary of parents and children alike.

PHOTOS: Miley Cyrus before and after Disney

While many saw the performance as an embarassing flameout of a troubled former child star, the current PR push is to position Miley as a very controlled performer who knows exactly what she’s doing.

Arsenio said, “You’re probably very proud of what’s going on because she’s very savvy about getting attention. And that’s what this is all about, right?”

Cyrus answered, “If they ain’t talkin’ about you, then you probably ain’t doing nothin’.”

If only Johnny Cash had gotten a chance to twerk a little more.

ALSO:

‘Saturday Night Live’s’ Jay Pharoah: Our show is too white

‘Witches of East End’: Julia Ormond and Madchen Amick talk sci-fi

Mark Burnett, Richard Branson’s reality TV show prize? Space travel