Toddlers and Tiaras: New Season

[overedge]

ZOMG

The preschooler faux-pole dancer routines in the pageants are bad enough....but seriously, some of these kids (like that MaKynzie or however her mama thought was a cute way to spell her name) need professional help. And their entitlement-enabling parents too.

[Buzz]

I have never watched this but just the sound of it....

[ArtisticFan]

This show is my guilty pleasure. I consider it great birth control because I don't watch and think what cute children. I watch and think...I don't want one of those.

[algonquin]

ZOMG

The preschooler faux-pole dancer routines in the pageants are bad enough....but seriously, some of these kids (like that MaKynzie or however her mama thought was a cute way to spell her name) need professional help. And their entitlement-enabling parents too.

Did not watch the show. Pageants asides, ugh why do people give different or cute spellings to their child's name. They will spend their whole life spelling their name to people. Take it from someone who knows, it gets annoying. (I have a common name that is spelled four different ways. Even when I spell it to people, they get it wrong.) End of rant, go on with your discussion.

[Flatfoote]

Did not watch the show. Pageants asides, ugh why do people give different or cute spellings to their child's name. They will spend their whole life spelling their name to people. Take it from someone who knows, it gets annoying. (I have a common name that is spelled four different ways. Even when I spell it to people, they get it wrong.) End of rant, go on with your discussion.

I hear ya. Same problem for me. Though Mom didn't spell my name for cutsie reasons. I was named after a song she liked, and that was the spelling on the song. Don't you just love the people who act like you are the one spelling your name wrong, and they are setting you straight by informing you on how you should be spelling it!

As for the show. Man, what a train wreck. But of course I watch it. LOL!

[Stormy]

This show is one of my guilty pleasures as well. I don't see anything wrong with some pageants per se, but these parents take it way too far. They're messing up their kids big time. Although, granted, there is the occasional parent who does geniunely say the child does it for fun and they really don't take it that seriously.

[FigureSpins]

The State of Pennsylvania has submitted legislation to severely restrict reality shows that involve children. The bill's author called it "child abuse."

Saw the commercials and watched a preview. I refuse to watch this show - it just seems so wrong and sad.

[Norlite]

The State of Pennsylvania has submitted legislation to severely restrict reality shows that involve children. The bill's author called it "child abuse.".

The show has nothing to do with the abuse. Those pagents have been around before the TV shows. Maybe a bill restricting that exploitation would be more useful.

But then, something like that would have to limit children involved in any aspect of "show business" I suppose. Maybe even dance recitals, skating shows and such.


I don't watch it either. Even when I see the commercials I think UGH.

But then, my daughter took dance and was a skater and she wore makeup and such at a young age in those. Not to that extreme, of course but still....

[Jenny]

The show has nothing to do with the abuse. Those pagents have been around before the TV shows. Maybe a bill restricting that exploitation would be more useful.

But then, something like that would have to limit children involved in any aspect of "show business" I suppose. Maybe even dance recitals, skating shows and such.

Yes, where does one draw the line? When I was a kid, we had all kinds of recitals etc at school, and I remember putting on makeup for a ballet recital outside the school when I was 5 (and my mom is no pageant mom, believe me!). Skating shows often include glittery costumes and makeup too.

I'm always concerned about legislating one thing in that it could affect others. Slippery slope and all that.

All that aside, I love Toddlers & Tiaras!

[danceronice]

For some reason, Little Miss Perfect I find amusing (oddly enough, especially since the show starting having the pagent host talk and comment more) but Toddlers and Tiaras just squicks me. Maybe because LMP seems a bit less glitz, and most of the girls don't have quite the psycho 'being groomed for Miss America or Miss USA from conception' thing going on. Toddlers and Tiaras...some of the moms are very, very scary. Much more inclined that most LMP moms to give their daughters routines that would make Miss USA go 'Uh...that's a bit skanky, don't you think?' And why are most of the pagent organizers on T&T women who, to put it gently, wouldn't be competing in any beauty pageants themselves?

I think there's a clear difference between stage makeup (which is designed so that from a distance you don't really LOOK made up, and tends to look very odd close in) and tarted-up makeup like they put on these girls, flippers (yay more people on these shows not using them!) false hair, and photos that are severely edited to essentially give seven-year-olds postpubescent secondary sexual characteristics (shape of lips, adult teeth, shape of eyes and cheekbones, etc. The stereotypical pageant 'thirty-year-old face on a six-year-old body.')

[PDilemma]

Did not watch the show. Pageants asides, ugh why do people give different or cute spellings to their child's name. They will spend their whole life spelling their name to people. Take it from someone who knows, it gets annoying. (I have a common name that is spelled four different ways. Even when I spell it to people, they get it wrong.) End of rant, go on with your discussion.

There were four Michaelas in the sophomore class this year. Every single one was spelled some weird way and then they would get all offended if you spelled it wrong or asked.

[Quintuple]

Ach. I think I just watched the first episode on YouTube. Ach!

[OlieRow]

I'm another person with this show as a guilty pleasure. I did pageants like these as a kid (though the glitz scene has apparently become waaaaay more over the top in the last 10 yrs) and I'm so glad that I never encountered moms/kids like these. That little Mackenzie, or however she spells it, pitching tantrum after tantrum last night? I would've been punished on the spot and pageants would've been over.

One thing to keep in mind is that most of the moms aren't psychotic, but the crazy ones who are determined to make their little Susie a star are the ones that are going to go on these shows.

[Jenny]

I'm not sure the current season is even airing here yet, but I've seen quite a few T&T eps in the past, and not all the pageants/contestants are full glitz. Some are of course, but others have shown families more focused on natural looks, and others who are mostly into the talent side of pageants.

There was a really interesting documentary some years ago, British I think, that followed two little girls - one was winning everything and the other was struggling through. Years later, when the girls were in their late teens, they revisited them for another documentary - the first girl was out of it and studying at college, but didn't regret a thing and in fact said it helped her prepare for things like public speaking. The second girl was still involved in competing, and coaching other girls, and loving it.

In other words, all this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

[ArtisticFan]

There was a really interesting documentary some years ago, British I think, that followed two little girls - one was winning everything and the other was struggling through. Years later, when the girls were in their late teens, they revisited them for another documentary - the first girl was out of it and studying at college, but didn't regret a thing and in fact said it helped her prepare for things like public speaking. The second girl was still involved in competing, and coaching other girls, and loving it.

Sounds like Painted Babies and Painted Babies at 17. You can find it on Youtube. One of the girls was named Asia and she was talking about wanting to win a car for her Grandma. Her talent was singing, but she was horrible at it. In the follow up, she's still bad at it.

There is also one that was overly insane. I think it was called Living Dolls. It followed a little girl named Swan. She had this chainsmoking mom, a brother who kept getting thrown in jail, a cheerleader older sister and a younger brother. Then there was the stepfather, who was strange in his own right. It follows this little girl on several competitions where she doesn't win. Then mom gets like a third job and takes her to Alabama to this mansion where these two gay men live. She pays them to coach her daughter and take her pictures, etc. I don't remember, but I think I read that Swan's mom and biological passed away and she was living with the older sister. It was really a mess. I think it is on Youtube too.

[grimey]

Count me in as another guilty pleasure. I watch this show all the time and was (sadly) excited for the new season.

the kid with the pacifyer at age 4 was a bit scary...the parents were worse. "we just let her do whatever she wants" - No kidding?

(ETA: also watch 19 Kids and counting and The Little Couple...damn TLC!)