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.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
