Within Encounters

How much does Miley's caveat matter?

Miley Cyrus's San Bernardino account is unusually useful because it includes both witness details and a self-reported perception caveat.

On this page

  • The glowing object and reported eye contact
  • The friend, traffic, and emotional after effect
  • Why the weed wax caveat changes the reading
Preview for How much does Miley's caveat matter?

Introduction

Miley Cyrus’s account of seeing a UFO near San Bernardino is one of the more discussed celebrity encounter stories because it combines details that appear to strengthen the report with a candid admission that weakens it. She described a glowing yellow object, said a friend also saw it, claimed other motorists stopped to look, and recalled making eye contact with what she believed was a being inside the craft. At the same time, she volunteered that she had recently used cannabis concentrate (“weed wax”) and acknowledged that it could have affected her perception. That combination makes the case especially useful as an example of how eyewitness reports can contain both credibility-enhancing and credibility-limiting elements. [Marie Claire]marieclaire.commiley cyrus alien ufoMarie ClaireMiley Cyrus Said She Was Chased by an Alien In a UFOOctober 21, 2020 — 21 Oct 2020 — Miley Cyrus revealed she was "chased dow…Published: October 21, 2020

Miley Caveat illustration 1

The glowing object and reported eye contact

Cyrus described the incident during a 2020 interview with fashion designer Rick Owens. According to her account, she was driving through San Bernardino with a friend when they were followed by what she characterised as a UFO. She said the object resembled a “flying snowplough”, with a large front section and a yellow glow. [Marie Claire]marieclaire.commiley cyrus alien ufoMarie ClaireMiley Cyrus Said She Was Chased by an Alien In a UFOOctober 21, 2020 — 21 Oct 2020 — Miley Cyrus revealed she was "chased dow…Published: October 21, 2020

The most distinctive part of her story is not simply the object itself but the claimed interaction. Cyrus said she saw a figure seated at the front of the craft and believed they made eye contact. She later explained that this moment, rather than the object’s appearance, was what unsettled her most because she felt she had looked into the eyes of something she could not understand. [Marie Claire]marieclaire.commiley cyrus alien ufoMarie ClaireMiley Cyrus Said She Was Chased by an Alien In a UFOOctober 21, 2020 — 21 Oct 2020 — Miley Cyrus revealed she was "chased dow…Published: October 21, 2020

From an evidential perspective, this shifts the report away from a conventional UFO sighting and into the category of close-encounter narratives. A distant light in the sky can sometimes be investigated through astronomical records, aircraft data or photography. A reported exchange of eye contact with an occupant depends almost entirely on the witness’s perception and memory.

The friend, traffic, and emotional after-effect

One feature that distinguishes Cyrus’s account from many solitary encounter stories is her assertion that she was not the only observer. She said her friend also saw the object and that several other vehicles stopped on the road to watch it. She interpreted these additional observers as support that the experience involved an external event rather than a purely private perception. [Marie Claire]marieclaire.commiley cyrus alien ufoMarie ClaireMiley Cyrus Said She Was Chased by an Alien In a UFOOctober 21, 2020 — 21 Oct 2020 — Miley Cyrus revealed she was "chased dow…Published: October 21, 2020

However, no independent witness statements, photographs, video recordings or official reports linked to the event have been produced publicly. As a result, these additional witnesses remain part of Cyrus’s testimony rather than independently verified evidence.

She also described a lasting emotional impact. According to her account, she remained shaken for around five days afterwards and found herself looking at the sky differently because she worried the object might return. [Marie Claire]marieclaire.commiley cyrus alien ufoMarie ClaireMiley Cyrus Said She Was Chased by an Alien In a UFOOctober 21, 2020 — 21 Oct 2020 — Miley Cyrus revealed she was "chased dow…Published: October 21, 2020

That reaction is significant because intense emotional responses are common in reports of extraordinary experiences. They can indicate that the witness sincerely believed something remarkable occurred. At the same time, emotional intensity does not by itself establish what objectively happened. A sincere witness can accurately report their experience while still being mistaken about its external cause.

Miley Caveat illustration 2

Why the weed-wax caveat changes the reading

The most important feature of this case from a critical perspective is that Cyrus herself introduced a possible alternative explanation before anyone else did.

She stated that shortly before the sighting she had bought and used cannabis concentrate, commonly referred to as weed wax, and remarked that “it could have been the weed wax”. She nevertheless maintained that she believed she had seen something real because other people appeared to react to it as well. [Marie Claire]marieclaire.commiley cyrus alien ufoMarie ClaireMiley Cyrus Said She Was Chased by an Alien In a UFOOctober 21, 2020 — 21 Oct 2020 — Miley Cyrus revealed she was "chased dow…Published: October 21, 2020

This self-reported caveat matters for several reasons.

  • It demonstrates that Cyrus did not present the account as certain proof of extraterrestrial contact.
  • It acknowledges a recognised factor that can affect perception, attention and interpretation.
  • It provides readers with a concrete competing explanation that must be weighed alongside the UFO interpretation.

Importantly, the caveat does not automatically invalidate everything she reported. Cannabis does not invariably produce hallucinations, and many users do not experience vivid visual distortions. Equally, acknowledging recent cannabis use makes it more difficult to treat the account as strong standalone evidence for an extraordinary external event. The appropriate conclusion is not that the story is disproved, but that the confidence which can be placed in its interpretation is reduced.

How much does the caveat matter?

Among celebrity UFO stories, Cyrus’s account occupies an unusual middle ground.

On one side are details that investigators typically regard as potentially strengthening an observation:

  • an allegedly shared sighting with another person;
  • claims that unrelated motorists also reacted; [imdb.com]imdb.como says she made eye contact with an alien during the encounter.Read more…
  • a vivid and consistent description of the object;
  • an account of lasting psychological impact.

On the other side are equally important limitations:

  • no publicly available independent corroboration from the additional witnesses;
  • no photographs, radar records or physical evidence;
  • a close-encounter element that relies entirely on personal perception;
  • Cyrus’s own acknowledgement that recent cannabis use could have influenced what she experienced. [Marie Claire+2PAPER Magazine]marieclaire.commiley cyrus alien ufoMarie ClaireMiley Cyrus Said She Was Chased by an Alien In a UFOOctober 21, 2020 — 21 Oct 2020 — Miley Cyrus revealed she was "chased dow…Published: October 21, 2020

For that reason, the story is best understood as a sincere personal testimony rather than verifiable evidence of extraterrestrial contact. The reported eye contact makes it one of the more memorable celebrity encounter narratives, but the perception caveat is not a minor footnote—it is central to assessing how much evidential weight the account can reasonably carry.

Miley Caveat illustration 3

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Endnotes

  1. Source: marieclaire.com
    Title: miley cyrus alien ufo
    Link: https://www.marieclaire.com/celebrity/a34435631/miley-cyrus-alien-ufo/
    Source snippet

    Marie ClaireMiley Cyrus Said She Was Chased by an Alien In a UFOOctober 21, 2020 — 21 Oct 2020 — Miley Cyrus revealed she was "chased dow...

    Published: October 21, 2020

  2. Source: papermag.com
    Title: miley cyrus ufo
    Link: https://www.papermag.com/miley-cyrus-ufo
    Source snippet

    PAPER MagazineMiley Cyrus Was "Chased Down" By a UFO21 Oct 2020 — "I got chased down by some sort of UFO," she revealed. That said, while...

Additional References

  1. Source: glamour.com
    Link: https://www.glamour.com/story/so-miley-cyrus-and-demi-lovato-talked-about-their-alien-encounters-this-week
    Source snippet

    Miley Cyrus shared a detailed story during an interview with Rick Owens about being chased by a UFO while driving through San Bernardino...

  2. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mazWSUJwLOw
    Source snippet

    Miley Cyrus Admits To Making Eye Contact With An AlienMiley Cyrus is the second celebrity this week who claims to have come in contact wi...

  3. Source: kurier.at
    Title: miley cyrus hat ein ufo gesichtet alien hat mir in die augen geschaut
    Link: https://kurier.at/stars/miley-cyrus-hat-ein-ufo-gesichtet-alien-hat-mir-in-die-augen-geschaut/401071959
    Source snippet

    Miley Cyrus hat ein UFO gesichtet: "Wesen hat mir in die...21 Oct 2020 — Miley Cyrus ist außerirdischen Wesen begegnet; zumindest denkt...

  4. Source: geo.tv
    Title: 314405 miley cyrus claims she was chased down by aliens in a ufo
    Link: https://www.geo.tv/latest/314405-miley-cyrus-claims-she-was-chased-down-by-aliens-in-a-ufo
    Source snippet

    I was driving through San Bernardino with my friend, and I got chased down by some sort of UFO. I'm pretty sure...Read more...

  5. Source: imdb.com
    Link: https://www.imdb.com/news/ni63066559/
    Source snippet

    o says she made eye contact with an alien during the encounter.Read more...

  6. Source: facebook.com
    Link: https://www.facebook.com/vibe887/posts/miley-cyrus-had-a-scary-ufo-experience-in-california-while-driving-with-a-friend/928995425899622/
    Source snippet

    She saw a strange object that looked like a glowing yellow...Read more...

  7. Source: pagesix.com
    Title: miley cyrus claims she was chased down by some sort of ufo
    Link: https://pagesix.com/2020/10/21/miley-cyrus-claims-she-was-chased-down-by-some-sort-of-ufo/
    Source snippet

    “I was driving through San Bernardino with my friend, and I got chased down by some...Read more...

  8. Source: youtube.com
    Title: Miley Cyrus UFO Encounter: The Night She Saw a Glowing Craft
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4idLiL0NUqA
    Source snippet

    Miley Cyrus UFO alien encounter Interview Miley Cyrus Describes UFO Encounter Access Hollywood...

  9. Source: yahoo.com
    Link: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/miley-cyrus-says-she-made-120000335.html
    Source snippet

    Miley Cyrus Says She “Made Eye Contact” With an Alien...21 Oct 2020 — Speaking to Interview (via Us Weekly), Miley said she was once fol...

  10. Source: youtube.com
    Title: Miley Cyrus Claims She had an encounter with a UFO
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZLNLp2-EIA
    Source snippet

    Miley Cyrus UFO Encounter: The Night She Saw a Glowing Craft...

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