Hi Everyone!

I am a huge fan of the TLC series "Toddlers and Tiaras" that follow child and 'tween pageant contestants in thier pursuit of the crown. It's gearing up for it's second season next week and I was wondering what everyone thought of the show. (I'm kind of hoping that this thread will be a discussion hub for the show when it premieres)

I liked the last season. My favorite one was probably from the last show at the Miss Chitlin Strut pageant in South Carolina. I really do like the sort of home grown pageants better.

I have been a participant in pageants on and off since I was about 5. (I started in photo contests at three though) and I just like to see people in pageantry because I did enjoy it and still do.

http://i27.tinypic.com/21bkxf7.jpg
This is a pic of me when I was eight years old--obviously for a naturals pageant. LOL.

Well everyone I'd like to hear what you think of this series. Please post.

And the new season starts at 9 pm on TLC on July 22nd!

That is a great pic, you were adorable.  Did you win? :)


I am not into pageants.  Never been my thing so the show doesn't interest me.

Hi Dag.

I think I won a little side award like prettiest smile or something. I've done alot of pageants in my time. LOL. But most of mine were glitz numbers. Glitz is what you see when most people think of say JonBenet Ramsey. You know all the make up and fancy clothes and stuff. It's actually even more elaborate in the 13 years after JonBenet's death.

http://aperfectangel.com/HD/holly2.jpg
(Don't be freaked out by the man. That's Mr. Tim. He's the "voice" of pageants)

This is what pageantry looks like now. (A banner ad for clothes by Holly Gaskell) It was never that elaborate for me because I spent every spare dime I had as a kid on MJ. LOL. But so you're not cringing, some ladies to color thier daughter's hair, add extensions, put on fake nails, fake tans, fake lashes... All I got was nail polish on my own nails because my mom didn't want to attatch all that crap to me. And we used my own hair. Some judges liked me, some didn't. Thats just pageants. I just liked to perform and be the attention grabber.

Word on the street is that the new show will be at the Universial Royalty Pageant (www.universalroyalty.com) I've never done this pageant, but I know a couple of girls that have. It's a good pageant. They take girls and women of all ages. Last season a 47 year old mom competed with her 6 year old daughter.

I know you're into the pageants and all and I think it's okay for a young adult, but the little kids with the makeup, spray tans and overbearing mothers are absolutely revolting to me.  The only time I ever watched this show, there was this one girl who was screaming her head off and was so not into it.  I just wanted to slap her mother down and tell her to find her glory somewhere else because her daughter did not want to be her trick pony.

Hi Ladybug

I know which one you're talking about. That was for the Miss Georgia Spirit pageant and the little screamer was a girl named Marleigh. I really don't think children under 3 should participate because eVERY 2 year old I've seen screams her head off. (Well except maybe the baby smiling in the Holly ad) Well I never needed a tan because I have a built in one. LOL. And it wasn't so much make up as it is now. But I liked competing. I still do. I liked the attention. I mean I'm an only child, and aside from writing and spouting useless info about Michael Jackson--like who really cares he wore size 32 white Calvin Kleins?--I had pageants. I like to perform. I like to sing. I'm just a natural competitor. Everything I do, I try to outdo someone. LOL. Might not be the bes thting, but I do.

I started my MJ fanclub because other people ran thier own and I wanted mine.
I'm writing an MJ fan fiction story for a fanstie because I got tired of seeing Michael being tossed around a sex object in stores and wanted to give some substance to him other than taking his sparkly socks off.
I kept competing in pageants because I wanted more crowns than the other little girls.
I started designing my own pageant clothing when I was 13 because I didn't want to wear anything else that some other girl might have had on.
I started writing books because I got tired of reading stuff by other people.
I coach my friends for pageants because I think I can put together a routine just as well as any of the other pageant ladies.
I mean the list is curling around the block. LOL.


And some girls are like that. Maybe I have some kind of complex to be the best or something, but it's not from pageants. That's just inate in me. I can't help it.
I bet you a steak dinner that whenever I have my daughter, she'll be the same way. My own mother had no clue where it came from. I suspect it's the one trait I gfot from my father. He always jumped out and did stuff for himself. And I do that. If I want something done, I do it myself. Pageant girls are independent girls and women.

But pageants have helped me in that aspect. I can get up and talk to people. I'm polite and nice and poised. (I only come unglued if someone is deliberately mean to me, then all bets are off) LOL.
Plus I can smile for 10 minutes straight without my face cracking. LOL.  ;D

I understand your inherent need to perform, to compete, to be the center of attention, but I'm going to have to respectfully disagree about how to channel that.  I think it's awesome that you've had a great experience competing and that it's taught you poise and all but in my opinion, many pageants (especially for children), put importance on all of the things I DON'T want my daughter to concentrate on: beauty, clothes, makeup, being "on" all the time, how fit she looks in a swimsuit, etc.  I can think of at least 50 activities/hobbies that would help build confidence as a woman that have zero to do with the above. 

Now, I can see where it would be exciting for a little girl - all that dressing up stuff, but don't bet that steak dinner just yet.  Kids are really funny and you never know which kind you're going to get  :)

Tiffeny - you were a very beautiful little girl!   :)

Hey Y'all.

@LAdybug. I respect your opinion. But you know I had to go for the glitz. I mean look at who I adore--Michael Jackson. I mean the more crystals on everything. He even has a silver sequin comforter on his BED!

@Ash: Why thank you very much. LOL.

Hey Y'all.

@LAdybug. I respect your opinion. But you know I had to go for the glitz. I mean look at who I adore--Michael Jackson. I mean the more crystals on everything. He even has a silver sequin comforter on his BED!

@Ash: Why thank you very much. LOL.

Aww, I hear you!  I love glitzy myself.  My daughter however - not so girlie.  :)

@Ladybug. Well that's okay if your little girl is more of a tomboy. Indulge her interests. Every child is different (If you wanna do a pageant, do a "natuaral" pageant. No make up and a normal dress.)
I liked make up because I really really looked up to my mother and she was just like so amazing to me. I thought she was gorgeous and she always would put on make up and I'd watch her, and I jsut wanted to be like my mother.

One of the greatest compliments I get now is that people do tell me that I remind them of my late mother. They say I look like her and act like her and that really is the nicest thing for me to hear.

And my mother really put me in pageants so I could socialize with other little girls. I live in the South, pageants are a norm down here.  :) Every year there's a pageant held in my mall from a company called Sunburst Beauty. I mean it always here.

I have seen this show.  I think beauty pageants are ok, but when it comes to kids of that age, it's a little bit creepy

Beauty pageants for kids that age speak more about the parent than the child.  Personally, when it gets to all that make-up and making a 5 year old look a Baby Jane hooker, well it is just short of disgusting.  People are sexualizing children of that age.  Yes that is exactly what they are doing.  It is perverse.

Beauty pageants for kids that age speak more about the parent than the child.  Personally, when it gets to all that make-up and making a 5 year old look a Baby Jane hooker, well it is just short of disgusting.  People are sexualizing children of that age.  Yes that is exactly what they are doing.  It is perverse.


Yes, sexualizing and commodifying...

I mean, if you went through it, and your experience was positive, more power 2ya, but I certainly wouldn't let my kid do it.

http://aperfectangel.com/HD/holly2.jpg



That's just frightening ! :o

That's just frightening ! :o


It looks like the punchline of a Jeff Foxworthy joke that Jeff decided he ought not to tell!
8-P

The only reason I would watch, would be to laugh at those mothers acting like idiots. I can't stand what they do to those kids, it's disgusting. Who are they trying to portray? Adults? i'm an adult and I don't dress like that or wear that much make up. I've never been a fan of kids or adult pageants. I just don't get it.

Gosh, I didn't think that there would be so much negative response to the show.  :( I watched the show last night and I liked it. I didn't think that the mothers were crzy and I thought the little girls were cute and looked like little dolls. I see I'm in the minority here, but I did like the pageants and glitz and glitter and everything. And I thought the UniversalRoyalty pageant was ochestrated in a pleasant manner. I've even been approached to do that particular pageant since it is Texas-based and I live in Texas. I haven't had time to compete there, but I might. And one day, should I be blesed witha daughter that likes pageants, we might do that one.  :)

I've learned grace and poise from pageants. I've had people, even strangers tell me I have a lot of grace and poise. But I do respect everyone's opinion.

There's another pageat next week, maybe the response will be better. I just wish they'd show a naturals pageant, because every pageant out there does not have the little girls looking like JonBenet Ramsey clones.

I know you're into the pageants and all and I think it's okay for a young adult, but the little kids with the makeup, spray tans and overbearing mothers are absolutely revolting to me.  The only time I ever watched this show, there was this one girl who was screaming her head off and was so not into it.  I just wanted to slap her mother down and tell her to find her glory somewhere else because her daughter did not want to be her trick pony.
 

You took the words right out of mouth!  This is what Jean Bonnet Ramsey's( sp?) life was like before she was killed.