Billy Ray Cyrus: Hannah Montana 'Destroyed My Life'

Billy Ray Cyrus, 49, is reflecting on his mistakes in raising teen pop sensation daughter Miley, 18. “The damn show destroyed my life,” Billy Ray said of the popular Disney series Hannah Montana, in a new interview with GQ. “It destroyed my family.” Billy Ray is now in the process of divorcing Miley's mom, Tish Cyrus.

Presumably, Billy Ray is also referring to the numerous scandals to break in recent years concerning his daughter. In 2008, a hacker publicly exposed photos Miley took of herself in which she appeared only partially clothed. Then came Miley’s racy Vanity Fair photo shoot with Annie Leibovitz, 61. While these scandals wouldn’t cause a Lindsay Lohan fan to bat an eyelash, because Miley, then 15-years old, was known for her angelic persona, the media erupted in a frenzy of bad press.

“You know why I didn’t go?” continued Billy Ray, speaking of his daughter’s 18th birthday party. “Because they were having it in a bar.” Lucky for him, he avoided more than being in the presence of underage drinking. In the days following Miley’s celebration, a video surfaced that depicted her smoking from a bong and then ranting incoherently afterward. At its latest count, the video has garnered over a million hits on YouTube.

Billy Ray also discussed his own rise to fame, which culminated in the release of his hit song “Achy Breaky Heart.” These days, he is still writing music. He has an album in the works, "I’m American," though he was disappointed to report the release date has been pushed back to Memorial Day. – Sam LaCroix