Polarising world of America's child beauty pageants | 60 Minutes Australia
Summary
TLDRThe script delves into the lucrative yet controversial world of child beauty pageants, worth $5 billion annually. It showcases the glitz and glamour, alongside the tears and tantrums, as young girls are groomed for stardom. Highlighting stories like Eden Wood, a 5-year-old pageant celebrity, and the tragic murder of JonBenet Ramsey, the script explores the industry's impact on children, parents' motivations, and societal perceptions of child beauty pageants.
Takeaways
- 💸 The beauty pageant industry for children is worth $5 billion a year, indicating its significant economic impact.
- 👧 The script describes young girls being prepared for pageants from a very young age, with some starting as early as six years old.
- 🎭 There is a competitive and commercial aspect to these pageants, with families investing time and money for a chance at stardom and prizes.
- 😢 The script reveals the stress and pressure behind the scenes, including tears and tantrums from the children involved.
- 👸 The portrayal of young girls in pageants often involves heavy makeup and adult-like styling, which some argue sexualizes children.
- 🏆 Winning pageants can lead to significant rewards, including prize money, merchandise deals, and opportunities in entertainment.
- 👠 The script features Eden Wood, a prominent child beauty queen, who has won numerous pageants and has a significant following.
- 👨👧 The involvement of parents is highlighted, with some viewing pageants as a family activity and others seeing it as a path to success for their children.
- 🚫 The script mentions the negative impact of the JonBenet Ramsey case on the pageant industry, which saw a decline in popularity following her death.
- 💬 There is a debate over the appropriateness of child beauty pageants, with some viewing them as harmless fun and others as exploitative.
- 🏆 Despite controversies, pageants have made a comeback, with parents and children alike pursuing the dream of victory and the associated benefits.
Q & A
What is the current worth of the beauty pageant industry for young girls?
-The industry is worth $5 billion a year.
What was the impact of JonBenet Ramsey's death on the beauty pageant industry?
-After JonBenet Ramsey's death in the mid-90s, the beauty pageant industry lost a lot of its shine and many pageants went out of business.
How is the pageant industry described in terms of family activities?
-Andrea M Claus, who has organized pageants for 25 years, describes it as just another family activity, comparing it to baseball or soccer for other families.
What are some of the pressures faced by young girls participating in beauty pageants?
-Young girls face pressures such as the need to perform well on stage, maintain a pageant smile, and undergo makeovers including heavy makeup and styled hair.
Who is Eden Wood and what is her significance in the beauty pageant world?
-Eden Wood is the reigning princess of the pageant scene in America, having been winning pageants since she was 18 months old and is considered to have 'The X Factor' that makes her stand out.
What are the costs associated with participating in beauty pageants for a child like Eden?
-The costs include professional coaching, hair, makeup, and a showgirl wardrobe. It is mentioned that one family has spent close to $100,000 since their child started participating.
How does the script address the issue of child beauty pageants possibly sexualizing young girls?
-The script presents differing views, with some arguing that the heavy makeup and costumes are not sexualizing the children, while others express concern that the pageants make the children look like living dolls beyond their years.
What are the potential rewards for children who excel in beauty pageants?
-The potential rewards include prize money, opportunities for stardom, and the development of confidence and a strong bond between the child and their parent, as experienced by Ranna, a former pageant star.
How does the script portray the comeback of child beauty pageants after a period of decline?
-The script shows that despite past controversies and negative publicity, the pageant industry has made a remarkable comeback, with parents investing heavily in their children's participation.
What is the script's perspective on the competitive nature and the lessons of winning and losing in child beauty pageants?
-The script suggests that the competitive nature of pageants is similar to team sports, where children learn to win and lose, and that it can be a life lesson on handling success and failure.
Outlines
👑 The Return of Child Beauty Pageants
This paragraph delves into the world of child beauty pageants, highlighting their resurgence despite past controversies. It discusses the industry's significant worth, estimated at $5 billion annually, and the competitive nature of these events. The narrative follows young girls like Eden Wood, who has been winning pageants since she was 18 months old and has become a celebrity within this sphere. The paragraph also touches on the preparation and pressures faced by the children and their families, including the rigorous training, the cost of participation, and the emotional toll it can take on the children. It contrasts the glitz and glamour of the pageants with the behind-the-scenes struggles, such as temper tantrums and the stress of competition.
🌟 The Life of a Pageant Star and the Industry's Impact
Paragraph 2 explores the life of Eden, a young pageant star, and her mother's dedication to her success. It details the financial investment in Eden's pageant career, which is close to $100,000, and the rewards that come with it, including prize money, media appearances, and merchandise deals. The narrative also includes the perspective of other pageant mothers and the debate over whether the pageants sexualize children. It contrasts this with the positive experiences of former pageant participants, like Ranna, who credits pageants for boosting her confidence and strengthening her relationship with her mother. The paragraph also revisits the tragic death of JonBenet Ramsey and its impact on the pageant industry, suggesting that the pageants were unfairly blamed for the tragedy.
🏆 The Pageant Comeback and Its Effects on Children
The final paragraph discusses the remarkable comeback of child beauty pageants despite the negative publicity they received. It emphasizes the importance of pageants as a family activity and an opportunity for children to develop confidence and learn valuable life lessons. The narrative follows Brooklyn and Sophia, two young girls competing in a pageant, showcasing their performances and the reactions of their families. It also touches on the financial aspect of pageants, with the winners receiving significant cash prizes. The paragraph concludes with a reflection on the mixed feelings of parents and children regarding the pageant experience, acknowledging both the joy of victory and the disappointment of defeat.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Beauty Pageants
💡Toddlers and Tiaras
💡Sexualization of Children
💡John Benet Ramsey
💡Eden Wood
💡Pageant Moms
💡The X Factor
💡Grand Supreme Winner
💡Pageant Circuit
💡Professional Coaching
Highlights
The beauty pageant industry for young girls is worth $5 billion a year and has seen a resurgence in popularity.
Toddlers and Tiaras showcases the competitive world of child beauty pageants with thousands of participants.
Parents are heavily investing in their children's pageant careers, with some spending close to $100,000.
Eden Wood, a 5-year-old, is a reigning princess in the pageant scene, having won pageants since she was 18 months old.
The pageant industry has been criticized for sexualizing young children through heavy makeup and adult-like performances.
Despite controversies, some former pageant stars, like Ran de Her M, believe that pageants built their confidence and close family relationships.
The death of 6-year-old pageant queen JonBenet Ramsey in the mid-90s had a significant impact on the industry's reputation.
Pageants are now making a comeback with a renewed focus on talent, personality, and the overall package.
Winning pageants can lead to significant prize money, media attention, and opportunities in Hollywood.
The preparation for pageants involves rigorous training, professional coaching, and extensive wardrobe planning.
The pageant culture is compared to team sports, where children learn to handle both winning and losing.
Some parents view pageants as a family activity and a hobby, similar to participating in sports.
The pageant industry has been criticized for promoting unrealistic beauty standards for young girls.
The pressure on children to perform well in pageants can lead to stress and tears behind the scenes.
The documentary explores the dichotomy between the glitz and glamour on stage versus the reality of the children's experiences.
The pageant world's comeback is attributed to a shift in focus towards a more wholesome and family-oriented approach.
The documentary features interviews with pageant organizers, parents, and children, providing diverse perspectives on the industry.
The impact of pageants on children's self-esteem and future ambitions is a topic of debate within the documentary.
Transcripts
let's be honest it's a little unnerving
young girls their faces painted like
grown women desperate to be told they're
the prettiest in the room six-year-old
beauty queen John benay Ramsey belonged
to that world and after her bizarre
death in the mid 90s those Kitty
pageants lost a lot of their shine but
now they're back big time in fact the
industry is worth $5 billion a year and
I can tell you it's as glitzy and as
over the toop as ever and beneath those
tiar
there's temper tantrums and pouting are
plenty so
cute Here We Go On Any Given Sunday
right across America little girls Prim
and
PR CL and P she's not shy at
all at beauty pageants like this one
thousands of tiny princesses are paraded
by their doting moms and dads we are so
excited to be here today
some can barely walk or talk but in the
rarified world of Toddlers and Tiaras
the dream starts early and her goal in
life is to grow a full head of hair
these are cute little babies getting up
in their little outfits and their pretty
headbands and bows and mommies and
daddies are proud and they want to show
off their babies and that's there's
nothing more wholesome than that showing
off your baby in a wholesome way it's
competitive very
competitive it's big business there's
money to win and a shot at stardom but
according to Andrea M Claus who's
organized pageants for 25 years in the
state this is just another family
activity you know you have your baseball
you have your soccer moms then you have
your pageant moms so we all kind of hang
together and it's just a great hobby
turn like this right and then you look
back and go like that but for pageant
moms it's a hobby they take to heart we
go like this just ask Robin du and her
seven-year-old daughter Sophia pretty
feet is it like this remember you're
standing right here or AIA arrogant and
5-year-old Brooklyn and you're going
like
this and you do your
P why are you
crying I don't want to do it oh my gosh
you don't want to smile as we discovered
behind those pageant Smiles are more
than a few tears and
tantrum oh you're Sophia it can be a
stressful couple of days before Showtime
how are you going to go down the catwalk
at the pageant if you're locked in a
Cupboard do you have to push her um not
too often I mean like at home
here sometimes I do but when she gets to
the pageant she's she knows what to do
now when you get ready for the pageant
over at the aragan household not even a
pageant professional like Andrea M Claus
can coach a smile out of young Brooklyn
and when you get up on that stage I want
you to smile smile smile cuz I'll be out
there watching you can I see your
pageant smile babe no on stage what she
like sometimes she hesitates and other
times she just blows me away she just
goes for it she can't wait to get on
stage all the little girls are all lined
up and Mom when is it my turn so it she
does
Welling but before they even set foot on
stage the makeover must begin for
Brooklyn it's off to the nail Spar and
Sophia may not be in the mood for
pretend Smiles but she's happy to get a
fake
[Music]
T and this is what our young ladies are
aspiring to Eden Wood is the reigning
princess of the pageant scene in
America beneath the fluttering eyelashes
and all those feathers is a 5-year-old
girl fig smile big smile a point siiz
Superstar who between shows signed
autographs for her fans thank you she's
been winning pageants since she was just
18 months old look at this one here I
can barely lift it it's that heavy
oh look at me it's bigger than you it's
taller than you she's uh quite the
little celebrity it's not that Eden is
the Supreme pageant Diva of America it's
the fact that when she steps in front of
an audience or on stage you her face
it's just something about her um her
agent calls it The X Factor he
walks managing Eden has become almost a
full-time job for Mom
Micky but Eden's Fame is their ticket
out of
town
[Music]
home is Taylor Arkansas population
566 and from this tiny rural Town Mickey
and Eden packed the truck with pageant
props and hit the road in the all day if
Eden's not competing she's
rehearsing girl look at that keep doing
it keep doing it keep doing it just stay
there and keep doing
it watch Perfection doesn't come cheaply
you wink at them like sassy okay and
flirt there's hours of professional
coach get it girl a lot of hair a lot of
makeup Smiles twist and that showgirl
wardrobe but are you telling me that
Eden has more clothes than you oh my
gosh yes she's five oh my gosh but she
is a little star how much do you think
you've spent well I would probably say
close to $100,000 since she's been in
the
world but for all moms spent Eden's won
almost as much in prize money and it
seems there's more rewards ahead Eden
are you ready yes maam Eden became a
star on the American TV show toddlers
inana she has her own book what do you
think she looks like me an Eden doll a
line of merchandise and an offer to go
to Hollywood there's definitely
opportunities out there and um yeah
we're going to yeah we're going to grab
them are you living vicariously through
Eden though I think I think we're living
through each
other I think Eden and I have a very
unique relationship no I don't think
vicariously I think together but you're
not doing it for your own reward what
reward would I be getting from my
5-year-old winning
pageants
and far away from the Sparkles and the
secrets Eden does have another light
Hold Your Hand hanging out on the farm
with her dad W who CHS the spotlight and
her Chihuahua baby junior do you like
going to the farm or going to the
pageants going to the pageant going to
the pageants going to the pageant baby
baby baby baby baby junior where's that
pageant smile cheese
oh get really don't you you're so proud
of yeah she's the joy of our life I mean
she's just a special little girl and she
just seems so grown up well she does
like that doesn't she yes she's so made
up look grown up big big ass huge she
just takes directions so well
and when she gets her picture she can't
wait to see him like Mommy Mommy let me
see let me
see now when you look at these photos
remember Eden's only five the pageants
allow them to be heavily photoshopped
they look like living dolls far beyond
their years and for some that's
sexualizing these children people seem
to think that we're some kind of
weirdos uh because we put the hair and
the makeup and and put them on stage in
these outfits they're not too
provocative they're not too risque no I
don't I don't see it that way at all
it's no more risky than letting your
child run up and down the beach in her
bikini but it's a lot of makeup the
girls are very made up they're looking
much older beyond their ears aren't they
are they being sexualized by wearing all
that makeup I don't see that either I
don't see that either at all it has
nothing to do with sex I I just don't
understand it call me naive call me a
country bumpkin call me what you want
but I just don't see
[Music]
it but when six-year-old pageant beauty
joh Ben Ramsey was murdered in 1996 the
crime was widely believed to be sexually
motivated her death remains a mystery
but the damage to the pageant circuit
was enormous she moved to college former
pageant star ran de her M lived through
that time and were close friends with
John Benet and her family did you know
her well we were with her the
Thanksgiving before everything happened
yeah we had met them a couple times at a
pageant and uh she had bought some um
used pageant clothes from us and um she
was actually buried in um a pageant
dress that they had bought from
us and this is that dress ryanna wore it
on 60 Minutes 15 years ago when we met
her as the Undisputed pageant Queen of
the time Johan's death changed
everything and soon after many pageants
went out of business I think pageants
just got blamed for something that they
had
absolutely nothing to do with if you
look at a child in a swimsuit and you
see sex you've got a problem it's not
with a child it's with
you Ranna retired as a beauty queen at
the grand old age of
13 now 21 she's studying to be a sports
teacher at Sanford University in Alabama
she believes far from causing damage
pageants enhanced her younger years
what's what do you think is the best
thing you got out of doing the pageants
I'm a lot I have a lot of confidence in
myself I know I can do anything if I
want to and like I don't feel like me
and my mom would have been as would be
as close as we are if it hadn't started
with the
pageants after more than a decade of bad
publicity pageants have made a
remarkable comeback moms and dads are
digging deep for their DS making it a f
billion business in
America I know that just because they're
being judged on beauty is a controversy
in itself but in our pageant system it's
Beauty personality it's the overall
package it's what they look like that
day today we're in Orange County and the
pressure is really mounting some little
girls find it all too
much good luck here in Brooklyn it's the
moment of truth you going to give us a
great big smile when you're on
stage
yes how are we going today Mom good
nervous but I think she looks pretty
good
yeah she's going to do
well Sophia 7 years old from SEI Valley
and she has brown hair and brown eyes on
stage Sophia certainly knows what could
do the transformation is
[Applause]
dramatic brookly doesn't quite manage a
smile but she does get her steps right
her Sugar Plum Fairy is up against some
tough competition in the talent
[Music]
division R while it may not be American
Idol it's still all about wooing those
judges and the winner is Morgan CER
Brooklyn's Nutcracker performance
doesn't win her the crown but she is
named best cover really
happy the overall grand supreme winner
ladies and gentlemen goes to Sophia
to and sopia not only won all her
categories she scoop the day with the
grand title and a handful of 50s
$1,000 do you think you're going to do a
few more of these pageants now every
single one you'll be very successful
smell the money I smell it smell the
money
but for every winner there's a loser and
that's tough when you're being told
you're not the prettiest young girl in
the world what about the kids you lose
yeah it's well it's just like team
sports you you have to teach your child
to win and lose and it's just like a
life lesson and anything that we do you
know you're going to win some and lose
some hello I'm Tara Brown thanks for
watching 60 Minutes Australia subscribe
to our Channel now for brand new stories
and exclusive Clips every week and don't
miss out on our extra minutes segments
and full episodes of 60 Minutes on
.com. and the N Now app
Browse More Related Video
Inside the Day JonBenet Ramsey Was Found Dead: Part 1
15 Weirdest Beauty Standards Around The World
Worth of a Girl: hope and survival of child brides
The K-pop Dream Factory | Unreported World
Child Marriage in Bangladesh: Too Young to Wed | 101 East | बांग्लादेश में बाल विवाह
Podcast: In Machines We Trust - The AI of the Beholder
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)