# Toddlers and Tiaras **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 4, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-tiaras/591416 "2011-08-04T02:53:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-tiaras/591416/62 "2011-08-06T06:43:45Z")
I think that it’s very unlikely that the “audience is … crammed full of pedophiles” Most of what I’ve seen from the aired child beauty pageants is that they’re actually quite small affairs, and most of the audiences seem to be parents and their assorted hangers-on (Mom & dad, siblings, maybe grandparents and a “pageant coach”). I think anyone who is there, and who isn’t visibly attached to an entourage, would be asked to move along quite swiftly. It doesn’t mean that pedophiles wouldn’t use footage of child beauty pageants for prurient means, but the same can be said of gymnastics competitions, swim competitions and other “innocent” pursuits. I find it disturbing because it puts the stress on “being sexy” from an early age, and associates “being sexy” with being rewarded, getting lots of attention and gifts/prizes. That and the drive that some of the mothers have, where they push a young child well beyond their tolerance in terms of long days, complicated routines, physically painful primping and preening - all for a cheap trophy and perhaps a couple of hundred dollars. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-tiaras/591416/63 "2011-08-06T08:33:10Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Say what you like about pedophiles, at least they slow down when driving past schools. Ha! That made me do a spit take (or however that’s spelled). ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-tiaras/591416/64 "2011-08-06T21:44:56Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Say what you like about pedophiles, at least they slow down when driving past schools. :eek: SNerk! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-tiaras/591416/65 "2011-08-07T13:34:44Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > But . . . but . . . you didn’t leave any percentage points for captive audiences on airliners. 9% people on life support, 1% people on planes. > [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > _Storage Wars_ is a good example - they have 5 or 6 folks on contract to the show to act like loons, but there are always a big group of people in the back who are bidding and wining lockers that don’t get put on the show because they’re not on contract and they’re boring. I find this show, and the other slightly better one with the two guys, one of whom is named ‘Ton’, strangely soothing, like watching golf when you don’t know the rules. ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-tiaras/591416/66 "2011-08-07T17:21:00Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > They show the dad’s pretty frequently actually. Most dads fit into one of two catergories: > > **The Closet Case:** This is the dad who is gayer acting than a Pride Parade- I mean, full on mannerisms, voice, etc. Dad is happily married to mom, who is usually very pretty. Dad then comes onto the camera and gleefully discusses how he makes all of his daughter’s costumes by hand himself, how he does all of her choreography, etc etc. [Ava’s Dad](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN-m5RhU5Nw) is a notable example. > > **The Man Who Hates His Life:** This dad is usually super quiet and macho seeming. He supports his wife and sometimes goes to the pageants, but you definitely get the feeling he’s just throwing money at his wife because the time she spends on pageants is less time he has to spend with her. Seriously seems miserable. Probably has a mistress or four. The episode I watched for class featured a dad who I called The Not-So-Great Santini… former military, very “disciplined,” wants his kid to be the BEST SHE CAN BE and PUT FORTH HER BEST EFFORT. I gave him credit for being involved in with his daughter just as he would be (stereotypically) with a son, but I think the lure was that it was competitive. He also favored his daughter over his wife in a way that made Freud very happy. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-tiaras/591416/67 "2011-08-08T01:58:30Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Say what you like about pedophiles, at least they slow down when driving past schools. This is alternately evil and hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-tiaras/591416/68 "2011-08-08T02:04:09Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Say what you like about pedophiles, at least they slow down when driving past schools. In the running for Post Of The Year. ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-tiaras/591416/69 "2011-08-08T20:24:40Z")
I like watching this show. Usually because of the unintentionally hilarious bits, but I can see why a little girl or boy would love to participate in this. Granted, most of the parents shown do it for their own reasons, but some of these kids love it. Brock is my favorite. You can tell he is having a blast. ---
**Author:** ![OneMissedPost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e7dd6/32.png) [@OneMissedPost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneMissedPost)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-tiaras/591416/70 "2011-08-08T20:32:25Z")
Who would want their kid on that show? ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-tiaras/591416/71 "2011-08-08T21:43:34Z")
> [@LurkerInNJ](#): > > I like watching this show. Usually because of the unintentionally hilarious bits, but I can see why a little girl or boy would love to participate in this. Granted, most of the parents shown do it for their own reasons, but some of these kids love it. It’s all fun and games until Mommy calls you fat. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-tiaras/591416/72 "2011-08-08T21:48:31Z")
> [@OneMissedPost](#): > > Who would want their kid on that show? Someone who desperately craves validation in the form of attention paid to their child, and can only see the “she’ll be on TV!” part without realizing everything that will be involved? Also, how many episodes were taped before the first one aired? They may not have grasped just how unflattering to parents it would be. (Not that it was not totally predictable, but we already know that we’re not dealing with people with the best judgment.) ---
**Author:** ![Tess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@Tess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tess)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-tiaras/591416/73 "2011-08-09T08:04:55Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > \ I cringe when I hear of a parent taking out a second on their homes and spending $33,000 last year on pageants. (as one did) That 33k would have made a nice contribution to a college education. \ Pfft! Only _ugly people_ need college, Morgenstern. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toddlers-and-tiaras/591416.md?page=3)