Hide your foam fingers, everybody.
Miley Cyrus hits the stage at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater to host the 2015 MTV VMAs on Sunday, and according to producers, all bets are off.
Despite shocking pretty much the entire world with her now infamous tongue-wagging, half-naked twerk session with Robin Thicke in 2013, the former “Hannah Montana” star has been given a carte blanche to do whatever she wants.
While that may sound like a frightening proposition to some, it’s important to remember a tiny little fact: In a two years, Cyrus has gone from Disney golden girl to global superstar stripper machine.
TheWrap takes a look at Cyrus‘ most shocking moments (in chronological order) since her 2013 “Blurred Lines” performance, and how — despite her critics — she’s twerking all the way to the bank.
1. After mixed reviews, Cyrus‘ “Bangerz” debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 250,000 copies. The album, released on Oct. 8, 2013, crossed the 1 million sales mark in less than five months, spawning three top 40 hits, a world tour and one deliciously controversial Robin Thicke performance.
2. Even more shocking than her VMA nude-colored outfit, Cyrus, for some reason, was named among Barbara Walters’ 10 Most Fascinating People of 2013.
During the interview she told Walters that she relished her quiet alone time, following the hoopla surrounding her engagement to former fiance Liam Hemsworth, though she did admit enjoying wearing a “fat rock” during the engagement.
3. Cyrus‘ twerking got her booted off an upcoming Vogue cover when magazine editor Anna Wintour apparently wasn’t impressed with her flesh-colored bikini and giant teddy bear ensemble. One source was quoted saying, “Anna found the whole thing distasteful … She decided, based on Miley’s performance, to take the cover in a different direction,” which is fashion-speak for “getting fired.”
4. Cyrus’ video for “Wrecking Ball,” released Sept. 9, 2013, demolished music charts, becoming the first Hot 100 No. 1 of her career.
Shockingly, it had zero twerking and just as few dancing teddy bears. Instead, the somewhat simplistic video, directed by Terry Richardson, showed Miley getting back at her ex by doing some structural renovation in the buff. Maybe even more shocking … the video has been viewed a whopping 792,839,179 times on YouTube.
Take that Anna Wintour.
5. Score one for Miley … the pop star made herself the prime butt of jokes as she hosted and served as musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” in October 2013.
Cyrus brought more than just self-deprecating humor to “SNL’s” 39th season, pulling in an impressive in a 4.5 rating and a 2.7 in the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demographic.
6. The Stroke Association lashed out at Cyrus over a joke she made on “Saturday Night Live.”
During her October “SNL” cold open, young, “Hannah Montana”-era Miley (played by Vanessa Bayer) asked new-gen MTV VMAs Miley why she keeps sticking out her tongue, to which the pop star replied, “I’m having tiny strokes, yo.”
“Having a mini-stroke is no laughing matter,” Patrick Olszowski, head of Campaigns and Policy at the Stroke Association, said in response.
7. Cyrus Instagramed three photos of herself in full (well, not very full) costume in October 2013. The pop star also included two photos of herself in the purple wig, one involving a horse.
The costume was an homage to an older MTV VMA controversial moment, when rapper Lil’ Kim donned a very similar getup. At the VMAs podium, co-presenter Diana Ross added buzz to the moment by touching Lil’ Kim’s exposed breast.
Lil’ Kim responded via Twitter: “Awwww. Look at my baby @mileycyrus tonight!!! Looking GORGEOUS!!! I wish I was there to squeeze your boob.”
8. While accepting the trophy for Best Video for her hit “Wrecking Ball” at MTV’s European Music Awards in November 2013, the pop star pulled out what appeared to be a rolled marijuana cigarette. She then lit the joint, took a few puffs and bowed off stage.
The act was deemed so controversial by MTV, it was edited out of the show when it was aired in the U.S..
8. Cyrus‘ tongue was up to its old tricks in a music video, which introduced her nearly-naked body to fans before coming on stage during her “Bangerz” tour in May 2014.
The experimental video was made by multi-media artist Quentin Jones, and featured then 21-year-old pop star getting busy with black paint all over her body, dressed only in fishnet stockings and nipple protectors to eliminate chafing.
9. Miley Cyrus posted two racy (more) pictures of herself in August 2014, imitating Nicki Minaj‘s now infamous booty pose.
In case you’ve been living under a rock, Minaj generated a ton of heat and headlines, when she bared her very ample backside in a promotional picture for the single “Anaconda,” off her upcoming album “The Pink Print.”
One image showed Cyrus face over Minaj’s body, along with the caption, “#dontwantnoneunlessyougotbunzhun,” quoting Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back.”
10. Cyrus threw Sinead O’Connor’s cautionary warnings to the wind, posing for a series of borderline-pornographic photos with her “Wrecking Ball” music video director, Terry Richardson.
In 22 photos Richardson posted online, Cyrus mimics common stripper choreography by stroking her private parts, then in other, forced a can of Arizona Grapeade to touch her crotch.
O’Connor wrote an open letter to Cyrus which advised the young singer to stop exploiting her sexuality in an effort to shed her “Hannah Montana” image, and instead send a “healthier message” to her fans.