Within Roundups
When a Celebrity Sighting Comes With Caveats
Miley Cyrus's flying snowplough story shows why vivid celebrity sightings still need context, timing, witnesses and sober limits.
On this page
- What Cyrus said she saw
- Why self qualification changes the evidential weight
- How readers should compare anecdotes with documented cases
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Introduction
Miley Cyrus’s account of seeing what she described as a UFO is one of the most widely repeated celebrity UFO anecdotes because it combines vivid detail with an unusually explicit acknowledgement of uncertainty. Rather than presenting her experience as unquestionable fact, she volunteered a possible alternative explanation herself, saying she had recently bought and used cannabis concentrate (“weed wax”) before the incident. That combination—a striking narrative alongside a self-imposed caveat—makes the case useful for understanding how personal testimony should be weighed. It is an interesting first-hand anecdote, but it does not become strong evidence of an extraordinary event simply because the witness is famous. [PAPER Magazine]papermag.commiley cyrus ufoThat said, while Cyrus admitted that "it could have been the weed wax" she bought "from a…Read more…
What Cyrus said she saw
The story entered the public record in October 2020 during an interview with fashion designer Rick Owens for Interview magazine. Cyrus said she had been driving through San Bernardino, California, with a friend when she believed they were pursued by an unusual flying object. She described it as resembling “a flying snowplough”, with a large structure projecting from the front and a yellow glow. She also claimed she briefly made eye contact with what she perceived as a being inside the object, an experience she said left her deeply unsettled for several days. [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…
Her description also included several details that supporters sometimes highlight:
- She said another person was present in the car.
- She stated that other motorists had also stopped to look.
- She maintained that she was “pretty sure” about what she saw despite recognising uncertainty. [Us Weekly]usmagazine.commiley cyrus says shes seen a ufo made eye contact with an alienUs WeeklyMiley Cyrus Says She's Seen a UFO, Made Eye Contact…20 Oct 2020 — The “Midnight Sky” singer admitted that she “bought weed wa…
These elements make the account more detailed than a simple statement of belief in extraterrestrials. However, no publicly available photographs, videos, police reports, independent witness interviews or contemporaneous documentation have emerged to corroborate the event.
Why self-qualification changes the evidential weight
The most distinctive aspect of Cyrus’s account is not the description of the object but her willingness to introduce a possible source of perceptual error herself.
Before describing the sighting, she explained that she had bought weed wax from “a guy in a van in front of a taco shop” and acknowledged that “it could have been the weed wax.” She nevertheless added that she remained convinced she had experienced something unusual. [PAPER Magazine]papermag.commiley cyrus ufoThat said, while Cyrus admitted that "it could have been the weed wax" she bought "from a…Read more…
This matters because witness credibility is not simply about sincerity. Investigators also consider factors that can influence perception, including:
- fatigue or stress;
- darkness or poor viewing conditions;
- distance from the object;
- expectation and memory;
- alcohol or psychoactive substances.
By volunteering a potential impairment without prompting, Cyrus effectively reduced the certainty with which her own testimony can be interpreted. That does not mean she fabricated the experience or intentionally exaggerated it. Rather, it means the witness herself identified a reason to be cautious about treating her perception as an objective record of external reality.
Ironically, this admission may increase perceptions of her honesty while simultaneously reducing the evidential strength of the reported event.
How the account differs from documented UAP cases
Celebrity UFO roundups often place Cyrus’s story alongside military encounters, pilot reports and officially investigated incidents. From an evidence perspective, however, they belong in different categories.
Cyrus’s account consists primarily of:
- a retrospective personal memory;
- no publicly available physical evidence;
- no independently documented witness testimony;
- no known radar, sensor or photographic data.
By contrast, the better-known government-investigated UAP cases typically involve at least some combination of trained observers, recorded sensor information, military documentation or multiple independent reporting channels—even when those cases remain unexplained.
That distinction does not determine whether any individual claim is true or false. It simply affects how much weight investigators can reasonably assign to it.
Comparing anecdote with evidence
Cyrus’s experience illustrates a broader point about evaluating UFO reports.
Personal testimony can establish that someone sincerely believes they experienced something extraordinary. It cannot, by itself, establish what the object actually was.
When comparing celebrity anecdotes with more heavily documented cases, readers can ask several practical questions:
- Is the event contemporaneously documented? Reports made immediately after an incident generally preserve more detail than memories recalled years later.
- Are there independent witnesses whose accounts can be compared? Shared observation is stronger than a single recollection, but only if the accounts are independently verified.
- Is there supporting physical or electronic evidence? Photographs, radar tracks or sensor recordings can be examined separately from witness testimony.
- Did the witness identify reasons their perception might have been affected? Cyrus’s own acknowledgement of possible cannabis intoxication belongs in this category.
These questions do not prove or disprove any sighting. Instead, they help distinguish between an interesting narrative and evidence that can be independently evaluated.
What this case contributes to celebrity UFO discussions
Cyrus’s story remains culturally memorable because of its vivid imagery—the glowing “flying snowplough”, the claimed eye contact and the emotional impact she described afterwards. Those details make it highly shareable in entertainment media and celebrity roundups. [EW.com]ew.comSome stars, including Miley Cyrus and Kacey Musgraves, recounted strange, vivid sightings. Dan Aykroyd, long fascinated by the paranormal…
From an evidential standpoint, however, the account demonstrates why celebrity status should not change the standard of assessment. The witness’s fame neither strengthens nor weakens the underlying claim. Instead, the same questions applied to any anecdotal UFO report remain appropriate: What was observed? How well was it documented? Were there corroborating records? What alternative explanations were considered?
Official scientific and government assessments of unidentified anomalous phenomena likewise emphasise that most reports contain limited data and that there is currently no evidence demonstrating that reported UAP represent extraterrestrial technology. Those conclusions do not invalidate Cyrus’s personal experience; they simply underscore the gap between a sincere anecdote and evidence capable of supporting broader claims. [science.nasa.gov]science.nasa.govUAP FAQsOctober 21, 2022 — 8 May 2026 — What has NASA funded so far in the search for extraterrestrial… Are there any data supporting the idea…
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Endnotes
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Source: ew.com
Link: https://ew.com/celebrities-who-believe-in-aliens-11992570Source snippet
Some stars, including Miley Cyrus and Kacey Musgraves, recounted strange, vivid sightings. Dan [Aykroyd]({{ 'aykroyd/' | relative_url }}), long fascinated by the paranormal...
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Source: science.nasa.gov
Title: UAP FAQs
Link: https://science.nasa.gov/uap/faqs/Source snippet
October 21, 2022 — 8 May 2026 — What has NASA funded so far in the search for extraterrestrial... Are there any data supporting the idea...
Published: October 21, 2022
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Source: science.nasa.gov
Link: https://science.nasa.gov/uap/Source snippet
nasa.govUAP9 Jun 2022 — A study team to examine unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs) – that is, observations of events in the sky that...
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Source: papermag.com
Title: miley cyrus ufo
Link: https://www.papermag.com/miley-cyrus-ufoSource snippet
That said, while Cyrus admitted that "it could have been the weed wax" she bought "from a...Read more...
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Source: usmagazine.com
Title: miley cyrus says shes seen a ufo made eye contact with an alien
Link: https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/miley-cyrus-says-shes-seen-a-ufo-made-eye-contact-with-an-alien/Source snippet
Us WeeklyMiley Cyrus Says She's Seen a UFO, Made Eye Contact...20 Oct 2020 — The “Midnight Sky” singer admitted that she “bought weed wa...
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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
Additional References
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Source: war.gov
Title: department of war releases unidentified anomalous phenomena files in historic t
Link: https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4480582/department-of-war-releases-unidentified-anomalous-phenomena-files-in-historic-t/Source snippet
Department of War Releases Unidentified Anomalous...8 May 2026 — Today, the Department of War announced the initial release of new, neve...
Published: May 2026
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Source: instagram.com
Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxL-UQHxSzQ/?hl=enSource snippet
NASA UAP (UFO) report released today offers a few answers...However, there is **no verified public record** showing that these files con...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/EverythingScience/comments/16ithu9/nasa_ufo_report_finds_no_evidence_of/Source snippet
NASA UFO report finds no evidence of 'extraterrestrial..."The NASA independent study team did not find any evidence that UAP have an ext...
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Source: aaro.mil
Link: https://www.aaro.mil/UAP-Cases/Official-UAP-Imagery/Source snippet
UAP ImageryThe United States European Command submitted a report of an unidentified anomalous phenomenon to the All-domain Anomaly Resolu...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/13y32g1/nasa_panel_no_convincing_evidence_for/Source snippet
NASA panel: No convincing evidence for extraterrestrial life...NASA panel: No convincing evidence for extraterrestrial life... UAP one...
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Source: nps.edu
Link: https://nps.edu/documents/110773463/165192597/CTX-EAG-Special-Issue-2026.pdf -
Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR0PaotZxD0Source snippet
NASA UFO report finds no evidence UAP have...NASA UFO report finds no evidence UAP have extraterrestrial origins | FULL. 37K views · Str...
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Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LLrb8XsOJkISource snippet
No evidence that 'UAP are extraterrestrial in origin,' NASA independent study team saysNo evidence that 'UAP are extraterrestrial in orig...
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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/401071959Source snippet
Miley Cyrus hat ein UFO gesichtet: "Wesen hat mir in die...21 Oct 2020 — Miley Cyrus ist außerirdischen Wesen begegnet; zumindest denkt...
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Source: aaro.mil
Link: https://www.aaro.mil/Source snippet
AARO HomeHas the Department found any evidence of extraterrestrial technology? No. Examination of UAP sightings is ongoing. AARO uses a r...
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