'The Hills' and Miley Cyrus -- why, why, WHY?

This has been a particularly strange week in the world of Pop Culture for me.
First I caught Miley Cyrus on the Kids Choice Awards Saturday. I have never heard a Hannah Montana song, since I am older than 13 myself and don't have daughters. As I watched her perform on Saturday, I simply could not believe what I was hearing! The worst singer on "American Idol" (I'm looking at you Kristy Lee Cook) is many times better than Miley.
She is simply a terrible singer. And it wasn't like her dancing was so great it messed up her singing. Madonna, hell, even Britney Spears in her heyday, did way better dancing and still sang better. Why are people so into this girl? Are there so few role models for girls that every girl has to go to Miley? In the world of Bratz, I guess I already know the answer to that.
Then there is this thing called "The Hills"?!? Now, I grant you, all I have seen of "The Hills" has been on "The Soup," and it's been so annoying that sometimes I have wanted to turn it off in the middle of a short clip. I cannot imagine how bored one has to be to watch a half hour of this nonsense. The last clip I saw the girl was all excited about feathers! What is happening to our youth?
Why do people pay attention to this crap? I really want to know.