Toddlers & Tiaras Top 5 Contestants
"Toddlers & Tiaras" is television junk food for many -- a weekly glimpse into the life of crazed parents, attempting to live vicariously through their tots, who compete in beauty pageants in hopes of securing crowns, trophies, and cash.
Sparkle, Baby!
Even casual viewers of the TLC series know that the wee contestants must "sparkle, baby!" But some of the kids have prettier feet - or more memorable parents - than others. Here are our top 5 most memorable "Toddlers & Tiaras" contestants.
The Sterling Twins - and their Mom
Twins AshLynn and BreAnne Sterling, along with their 3 sisters, all compete in pageants. But mom Jamie seems to be the most competitive of the bunch. Viewers were unable to turn away as Jamie pitted the twins against each other: "BreAnne is probably the prettiest … AshLynn usually wins princess, but BreAnne wins queen!"
Pretty Woman
Even die-hard fans of the show wondered whether T&T had crossed a line when 3-year-old contestant Paisley Dickey was shown competing in a pageant dressed as Julia Roberts. The inspiration behind the tot's midriff-baring getup was Roberts' prostitute wear in the film Pretty Woman. The suggestive costume led to a People magazine cover story on the show: "Gone Too Far?"
Paisley's mom Wendy begged innocence. "I'm raising my child just as well as any mother does … I take my kid to church every week …Everyone in the room was laughing hysterically. It was meant to be funny, not sexual at all. I made the dress myself!"
Ava and her pageant-lovin' DadMany "Toddlers" contestants are famous (or infamous) based on their moms' behaviors, but Ava was memorable because of her dad, David. David rivaled any of the pageant-crazed moms with his devotion to sewing costumes, teaching his daughter routines, and cheering her on from the audience. He proclaimed himself "Super Dad of Pageants," and nobody's arguing.
Makenzie, Hard-Workin' LadyWhen it comes to personality, few pageant contests can compete with Makenzie. The four-year-old had a will the size of her poofy pageant hair, and we all watched in wonder as she pitched fits each time her beloved pacifier (nicknamed "ni-ni") was taken away. "Ni-ni is a hard-workin' lady," Makenzie dead-panned. "When I have my ni-ni, I don't care about nothin' else!" We were amazed by the things that came out of this pint-sized cutie's mouth.
The Incomparable Eden WoodIf there's any child (and mother) who have truly made pageants into a business, it's Eden Wood. Eden is pictured in the show's opening and ads, and her blonde hair and heavily made-up eyes have become synonymous with the kiddie pageant world.
Eden and mom Mickie have presided over a growing Eden business that features an Eden doll and even a music video. Summer 2011 saw Eden announcing her "retirement," but that was just from pageants. She (or perhaps her mom?) still aspires to be a "superstar," and Mickie muses: "If it leads to the Miley Cyrus status or the Selena Gomez or whoever, so be it. If it doesn't, that's fine, too. Why not see if we can't have a Hollywood contract? A reality show? A spot on a Disney program? Why not? It's the American Dream. It's almost like her destiny."
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Published by Susan Braun - Featured Contributor in Arts & Entertainment
Susan Braun is a freelance writer with special interests in education, the arts and music. She freelances for several sites, and is one of Associated Content s Top 1000 Sources for each year from 2008 to 201... View profile
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1 Comments
Post a CommentI had never seen this show until I was in Indiana and idly channel surfing one evening. It was a bit like a train wreck that I watched in horrified fascination. I admit I have not seen it before, but MacKenzie seemed like a royal brat, and her mom could do nothing but pacify her so that she'd compete. Then there was the little one who drank those power drinks three cans at a time... I actually thanked my daughter in law for the knowledge that she would never subject my beautiful little granddaughter to such a thing. (This is a good article, Susan, I just don't care for the whole idea of the childrens' pageants).