Little Miss Perfect, 9 P.M. Central Time, Tuesday Evenings, W.E. Channel
Not So Beautiful Baby Beauty Pageants
One of the major blessings in my own life is that as a child, either I was not a raving beauty or at least my physical appearance was not the primary thing my family valued me for. Apparently, there are thousands of heartbreakingly beautiful tots in this country who are not so lucky and are shoved into "baby beauty pageants" each year by parents who desperately yearn for the vicarious thrill of the chase, even if it means courting bankruptcy and driving their kids to distraction. Each one dreams of being the triumphant parent of a winner, especially if that victory results in the title of Little Miss Perfect.
An Irresistible Impresario
At the helm of the prestigious Little Miss Perfect Pageant is Michael Galanes, Pageant Director, a man who seems to radiate niceness, a sense of fun, a love of his fellow man, and especially an indulgent affection for the hapless children who are jostled into competing for the LMP crown. As far as he is concerned, all the kids are great and each one should be a queen but watching even a few shows clearly indicates that the parents of these kids harbor darker feelings about the intense competition.
Three Phases
From what I have observed, the contest is divided into three phases, all performed in front of judges and beginning with The Interview (during which each child fields a simple question such as "What do you like best?" or "What would you like to be when you grow up?"). This is followed in a few hours by the "Wow Wear" segment, (where each child displays talent in a singing or dancing performance augmented with special "wow" costumes and scenery).
The Interview and "Wow Wear" segments are actually not bad. To me the really offensive segment is the Beauty Competition in which innocent children are groomed, excessively made up, and dressed in vulgar over-the-top sequined and ruffled dresses costing thousands of dollars that most of their parents could ill afford. The kids have been carefully taught and rehearsed to mince around, smiling and making eye-contact with the judges, all the while cheered, coached and harassed from the audience by parents who are desperately hoping for a victory.
Not So Perfect
My main complaint is this - that girls this young should not have to be prancing around, worrying who is the most beautiful. These kids should be home, secure in the love and protection of their families, coloring with Crayolas, reading Harry Potter books, or outside jumping rope or dangling out of trees. There is enough for a young kid to learn and digest at that age without having to compete for a crown based on who is the most beautiful.
Don't Get Me Wrong
It's not that I don't like the idea of juvenile actors or other performers. Some people are incredibly gifted almost from the get-go. I can almost feel God's joy when I watch a talented performer of any age doing what he or she clearly loves so I have no problem with the idea of a pint-sized Mozart playing the piano for a royal audience.
No, what bothers me is the sinister image of Mozart's avaricious and parasitic father, watching anxiously from the wings and fully ready to whop little Wolfgang at the end of the day if the kid screws up during his performance. What bothers me about the Little Miss Perfect Pageant is that - even though all these kids are heartbreakingly beautiful - most of them are going home as empty-handed losers, entrusted to the care of parents who may be bitterly disappointed, broke, in debt, or angry. I am concerned that some of these tykes are going to end up getting whopped for that. We can hope for the best but if such a fate should befall even one child, then it may be that in a really perfect world there should be no Little Miss Perfect Pageant.
Published by Anne Bowen
I have lived in the Chicago area most of my life and am enjoying my retirement. I have always loved to write and have a special passion for history. View profile
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10 Comments
Post a CommentEntertainment Tonight comes on after our news and when we watched Jeopardy! earlier in the day, I leave it on the television.They have a short thing called, "Toddlers and Tiaras," which features the beauty pageant babies. Makes me so sick. So many of them are spoiled and the ones that aren't, the poor things are being pushed by their mothers to compete!
Anne, thanks for writing this. I agree with everything you've said.
I'm with Jennifer have never seen this but sounds alot like Toddlers & Tiaras I think it's horrid those mothers pushing their screaming crying little ones to do these pagenants - let them be kids while they can and keep the make-up, wigs, and false teeth for when they are old and may need them
Amen Anne!
Hi Anne, I enjoyed reading this article, and I couldn't agree more that these little ones are being pushed too far too soon.
Excuse me!!! But with all of the perverts in the world today, why would anyone want to put their darling daughter on this type of show! Children grow up too fast today. Let them be children! Sorry if this offends anyone. I don't watch the show and this is just my opinion.
I've missed this show. I've seen the Toddlers & Tiaras and it sounds a little like this.
A long time ago, I had two students (sisters) into this. They were not beautiful, but they had a tremendous amount of confidence. As I remember, their folks worked extra to cover the costs. Later, I heard their dad had died of a heart attack. Mmmmmml
My daughter and son-in-law had to pay an entry fee to get my granddaughter into a local pageant. What we discovered was that the more money you paid into the pageant, the more likely your child would win. Fortunately my daughter and her husband paid only the required entry fee and no more, but my granddaughter didn't understand the monetary aspect of the pageant. I was incensed! Not that she didn't win, but that in order to win, you had to buy it. I wonder how many of those types of pageants there are. As a result of that fiasco, my daughter and her husband will no longer enter my granddaughter into any more pageants, so I'm happy about that.
As a parent of a child that loves the camera and performing I can see how some parents can get caught up. I have considered it myself because it makes her happy. But maybe she is happy because she is secure in the knowledge we think she is perfect just the way she is.