Toddlers and Tiaras On TLC

TLC is The Learning Channel. If I didn't know anything about this channel and thought about the TV shows that I would expect to see on The Learning Channel, Toddlers and Tiaras is not what would come to my mind. TLC's website describes Toddlers and Tiaras as what follows below...

"On any given weekend, on stages across the country, little girls and boys parade around wearing makeup, false eyelashes, spray tans, and fake hair to be judged on their beauty, personality and costumes. Toddlers and Tiaras follows families on their quest for sparkly crowns, big titles, and lots of cash.

The preparation is intense as it gets down to the final week before the pageant. From hair and nail appointments, to finishing touches on gowns and suits, to numerous coaching sessions or rehearsals, each child preps for their performance. But once at the pageant, it's all up to the judges and drama ensues when every parent wants to prove that their child is beautiful." (http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/tv/toddlers-tiaras/about-toddlers-and-tiaras.htm)

If Toddlers and Tiaras is defined by that definition then I don't think it belongs on The Learning Channel. I've only watched Toddlers and Tiaras maybe five times, but each time an episode gets done, I find myself questioning why I spent a whole hour watching such a disgusting show. I disapprove of many aspects of the show including the preparation process, some of the little girls' attitudes and some of the mothers' intentions but those are their individual choices. The thing that I disapprove of even more, is the fact that such an atrocious show can be aired on TLC. 


I have been upset that Toddlers and Tiaras has been on TLC for awhile so I decided to look up and see what TLC's mission statement was. The original mission statement spelled out by Founder and Chairman John Hendricks in 1982 is...

"To satisfy curiosity and make a difference in people's lives by providing the highest quality content, services and products that entertain, engage and enlighten." (http://corporate.discovery.com/leadership/)

The show Toddlers and Tiaras does not fit the mold of what TLC has stated they want airing on their channel.  Let's break down the mission statement and see if Toddlers and Tiaras is a good fit for TLC...


"To satisfy curiosity-" I'll give this one to them; Toddlers and Tiaras does satisfy curiosity. Although some viewers (like me) are appalled when they watch the show, it gives viewers a chance to see what the life of a little pageant queen is like. You get to see all of the time and effort that goes into making these young girls look like teenagers.


"And make a difference in people's lives-" This show does not make a difference in my life. I don't know about you, but the only thing that is has taught me is that if I have a daughter some day, I don't want her involved in pageants.


"By providing the highest quality content-" I don't think this is quality TV! It seems to be another kind of reality show and I don't consider reality shows to be quality TV.


"Services and products that entertain-" I have to give them this one too. Toddlers and Tiaras is entertaining. Whether you agree with it or not, you find yourself staring at the TV. And you probably won't turn it off until it's over...right?


"Engage-" Like entertaining, it's engaging. You get hooked.


"And enlighten.-" I don't find anything about this show enlightening. I don't find myself gaining knowledge from that show.


Besides the fact that Toddlers and Tiaras does not belong on TLC according to its mission statement, I found out that TLC knows and acknowledges the fact that the show is controversial. That is probably a good thing that they're aware of this but they flaunt it. Right on their website, they have two video tabs labeled "Oh No They Didn't!" and "Top 10 Most Controversial Parents." Under these tabs, you can find almost an hour worth of video clips on controversial parents and moments during the season where the viewer's jaws have dropped and they think, "did they really just do that," or "are you kidding me?" 


I watched some of these clips and here are some facts that I learned about the show and the people involved in it...

• Most girls (and some boys) competing in pageants get spray tans, their eyebrows waxed, fake nails, a flipper for a better smile, new outfits for each pageant and they shave their legs. Specific examples include...

1. Alaska's mom convinced her to dye her eyelashes because they were too lightly colored naturally.
2. Peyton's mom started spray tanning her daughter when she was 11 months old.
3. Paisley dressed up like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. She plays a prostitute.
4. Maddy's outfit of choice was a Dolly Parton outfit. It included fake breasts and a fake butt.

• The parents get very involved and have strong and persistent opinions.

1. Carley's mom admitted to spending nearly $30,000 on pageants in one year.
2. Hayden and Maverick's (two boys) mom said, "these are my girls that I never had so I'll just turn them into girls."
3. Paige's dad is a chiropractor and adjusts her back before every pageant.
4. Cassidy's mom described her child as a nasty little brat.

• It affects the girls mentally and emotionally.

1. Morghan said that when she doesn't win, she feels guilty. (http://tlc.discovery.com/videos/toddlers-tiaras-unforgettable-moments-videos/)

All of those examples were aired on TLC and were placed on the TLC website. The fact of the matter is, I personally believe it's wrong to have toddlers dressed like pageant queens but what I think makes it even more disgusting and inappropriate is that it's on national television. A new episode is aired each Wednesday and I'm sure repeats are played more often. With all of those chances for viewers to watch it, it creates an ethical issue. 

The ethical issue of Toddlers and Tiaras being on television is the content of the show being shown in 210 countries and in 40 languages. (http://corporate.discovery.com/our-company/locations/)That provides many opportunities for people to take a false message away from the show. By TLC broadcasting Toddlers and Tiaras, I believe they are sending four bad messages to their viewers.

1. It is hurting those toddlers who are in beauty pageants physically, mentally and emotionally. Physically by waxing their eyebrows and doing other things to create outer beauty. Mentally because these girls are disappointed and guilty when they lose. It is also influencing the children to think that their appearance is all that matters. And emotionally because they often fight with their parents. This is promoting these ideas.
2. It is displaying to girls that they need to look like that in order to be a "winner" in peoples eyes. When that's what girls see, that's what they'll do. We strive to fit in and be excepted so little girls would be influenced by what they are seeing on TV. It is focusing on outside beauty not inner beauty and inner beauty is what counts.
3. I question if this show is making boys expect girls to look like that. Is it raising the expectation on what a "beautiful" girl looks like to boys?
4. Lastly, is it putting the idea of pageants into new mom's heads? Are they wondering if they must put their daughters in beauty pageants for them to be considered a cute little kid?

Even though I occasionally find myself watching Toddlers and Tiaras and you probably do too, does that make it okay to air it? Does it match what The Learning Channel is trying to provide to their viewers? Where does ethics come into play when profit is the main goal? Should our toddlers look like the girls below? 

(http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/tv/toddlers-tiaras/toddlers-and-tiaras-pictures.htm)

Personally, I don't think so!