South Jordan » When someone asks "How you doing, everybody?" the usual response is not a high-pitched mass scream from several hundred throats.
But it's a familiar answer when the person doing the asking is 16-year-old pop star Miley Cyrus, who popped into Utah on Friday to surprise the audience at a sold-out matinee screening of her new film, "Hannah Montana: The Movie," at the Megaplex 20 at the District in South Jordan.
"We're really excited to see you guys -- are you guys excited to see the movie?" Cyrus asked the audience, who responded with a deafening "yes."
"I was really happy" to see Cyrus, said Breanna Soter, 8, of West Jordan, who was at the screening to celebrate a friend's ninth birthday. "I like her singing a lot."
The visit was one of two Miley Cyrus and her father, country singer and actor Billy Ray Cyrus, made to promote the Friday release of the movie, in which Miley plays a normal teen who moonlights as a mega-famous pop star. The other stop was in the Cyruses' hometown of Knoxville, Tenn.
"You're the greatest fans in the world, and we just wanted to stop by and say thank you all for your support," Papa Cyrus told the audience. "We hope you enjoy the movie."
The screening seemed to start normally -- except for the 30 or so members of the media crowded into the theater's hallway. But after a couple of "coming attractions" trailers, the projector stopped and the houselights went up. A radio personality from KZHT-FM, who goes by D.B., told the crowd they were "the lucky audience" to enjoy the "Opening Weekend Surprise" promotion from Walt Disney Pictures. D.B.'s assistants threw some T-shirts to the crowd, and promised more free stuff after the movie.
And that seemed to be that. Then D.B. asked the audience, "What would you do if Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus were here right now?"
Then the father-daughter pair entered the theater, and screaming commenced.
The Cyruses stayed in the theater less than four minutes, saying hello and posing for a few quick pictures. Then they ran a gauntlet of local news media. One TV reporter even brought a gift -- a box of marshmallow Peeps, Miley's favorite.
"We wanted to go somewhere that people didn't expect," Miley Cyrus said, explaining why Utah was chosen for the surprise visit.
Salt Lake City is special because Cyrus' 2008 concert film, "Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour," was filmed at EnergySolutions Arena -- but, Cyrus added diplomatically, "in every state, you have a bond."
The Cyruses were asked if a print of the movie has been delivered to two of the nation's biggest "Hannah Montana" fans, first daughters Sasha and Malia Obama. "Maybe we'll do one of these Disney surprises to the White House," Miley Cyrus joked.
