<p>I saw this show come on and could not sit through more than a couple of minutes of it. </p>
<p>That poor kid is being exploited, and while she is probably more or less okay now, damage is accumulating. She will be extremely lucky to avoid the fate of her older sibling, and will likely have to overcome ridicule and pity wherever she goes as an adult.</p>
<p>The network is thoroughly exploiting the entire family, and should be ashamed - while there are good elements to the family, the show appears to accentuate and “glamourize” the bad elements, all in the name of profit. They do not care that they are trying to be a strong and loving family, they care that they are (or can be marketed as) freaks.</p>
<p>The family is stuck in the middle - they are being exploited by the network but are joining with them to exploit the kid. I think the long-term consequences will far outweigh the short-term gains, and that they will grow to regret ever getting involved in any of this.</p>
<p>I can’t seem to get to sleep tonight, so while flipping through the channels I came across Toddlers and Tiaras, and started to watch …because I had seen this thread about Honey Boo Boo, and it made me curious.</p>
<p>Yikes!</p>
<p>Even in the world of ridiculous pageants, she sticks out–badly. It seems like at least the other contestants at least try to have a few skills?</p>
<p>Just so depressing. The whole scene. Spending so much money…in a family that has so little…on what? The willful ignorance gets me too. The poor child would benefit immensely if any of that money was spent on actually obtaining a skill…maybe dance or gymnastics lessons, or karate, or something? Where she would learn a bit of discipline along the way?</p>
<p>I like only Toddlers and Tiaras, I do not like Honey Bo Bo, but good thing is that she makes money for a family, I like that part, since family is fine and positive about everything. Toddlers and Tiaras are entertaining and something that I can have on while doing something else, it is not boring to me, but it might be for others. Nobody did anything like this in my family, people who are familiar with pageants might be bored though, I can see that. I love the dresses, the make up, feel sorry for girls being tortured, feel happy when they refused sometime, anyway, not boring…</p>
<p>I too find this show disturbing but watch anyway. I see the love June has for her kids but it is so painful to watch how she is raising these four girls. I don’t hold out much hope for any of them to have a better life. Ten thousand dollars per child is not going to change their lives at all in any material way. Honey Boo Boo is very cute but just wait a couple of years and she will not be so cute anymore. I do think she is very funny and smarter than the rest of the family.</p>
<p>I do not think that she gets $10k, she probably gets more than that per episode. $10k is nothing, not worth doing anything, even pageants, their expanses highe than that. But TV episodes are usually paid much better than that. Why else family would agree to have cameras into their faces? This is my assumption, I do not know facts.</p>
<p>^You really think that all they got from all these episodes was $10k? I highly doubt it. The show is pretty popular, think about all sponsors who run commercials, they are into millions, and you are saying $10k for all of that? Where did you get this information?</p>
<p>You think it’s good that a 6 year old is making her family money? That’s a positive thing? Sorry, but I think she’s being exploited, badly, and she shouldn’t be the breadwinner for the family.</p>
<p>I believe I read that the family gets between $15K-$20K per episode. Originally they were only paid $5K-$7K per episode, but after a couple of episodes, TLC realized they had a hit, so increased the salary. </p>
<p>For this family I am sure they think they won the lottery with that kind of money. Hopefully they realize they have to pay taxes on that income and someone is helping them manage the money for Alana’s future.</p>
<p>"You think it’s good that a 6 year old is making her family money? That’s a positive thing? Sorry, but I think she’s being exploited, badly, and she shouldn’t be the breadwinner for the family. "
-Than Shirley Temple was exploited way beyond that. As tru as it could be, both seem to be enjoying the spotlight immensely. I do not see anything wrong with that, I wish her and her family the best! And how about all of us draggin our kids to various activities from the very early age. My own D. was in 5 of them at 6. I guess, I have exploited her hugely (thinking that she will earn something like scholarship later). Well as an adult, she thanked many times over for all opportunities that her busy life has offerred to her so far. I do not know any more than that. If all parties are happy, why we need to bring negativity into their lives.</p>
<p>I do not watch Toddlers and Tiaras or Honey BoBo. I do have more than a passing interest in Alternative Television. …realty shows. And I know far more than my share of child actors. </p>
<p>Reality shows and child actors have a strong component except for one thing. In realty shows the production house/networks pay everyone who participates in the show. Actors pay their agent and manager…the parent who takes the kid to audition are not paid…technically. Child actors have a long history (despite the Coogan law) of being cheated by their parents.</p>
<p>ellebud, since you’re so familiar with the industry, do you think it’s healthy for a kid to suddenly be the breadwinner? I can’t imagine that wouldn’t skew the family dynamic and make it impossible for the parent to be the boss anymore. But what do I know?</p>
The same is true of child artists of every type! There are certainly children appearing in “respectable” hollywood and stage productions who serve as the primary sources of income for their parents, and not all of them are being exploited. If a child wishes to do these things, and is being managed in a responsible manner that (as parenting always should) brings them to adulthood effectively and safely, I am not sure how the money really matters. The problem is that many parents neglect the child’s welfare to focus on the money, and I do think that this is occurring in this specific case even if the parents do not realize it.</p>
<p>zoosermom: Is it healthy? Generally no. My daughter was offered a role at 13 for a movie. A BIG movie. I can’t and won’t say what it was…so I am being hazy here. Due to the nature of the role it was very well paid…like two years tuition at a very expensive university. I said no. Another girl my daughter’s age took the role.</p>
<p>There is a reason that there are girls who at 20 can look 12. </p>
<p>My daughter was an actress because she wanted it. And she booked Disney and very benign things. And when she said she was done…we cheered. And trust me, she wasn’t supporting us.</p>
<p>The acting/actors process is fairly straight forward. Other than the multiple identical twins or triplets…really good for casting babies because babies can only work for a few minutes a day…mom or dad take pictures and send them to agencies with the hope that an agent is intrigued by the child’s face or the “something.”</p>
<p>Then you start with the photos (now online instead of the 8 by 10 glossies). Your child goes to audition houses after being submitted by the agent. There are acting classes, voice lessons…In certain groups (like the young pretty girl as opposed to the character child is watched for weight gain or loss. The former indicates the kid has to lose weight the latter…too much pressure. Try being 13, a size 2…and being told to lose weight.</p>
<p>Reality stars are serendipity. A producer gets an idea…Laguna Beach…sells it…casts it…what happens is not scripted, but there are “suggestion”. And the cast is vying for face time…so their behavior can be exaggerated.</p>
<p>Honey Boo Boo – I just realized that she is the one that her mom was giving <em>go go juice</em> to at the pageants – on Toddlers and Tiaras? Go go juice is Red Bull and Mountain Dew combined or something like that.</p>
<p>"If you read Shirley Temple’s autobiography, you find that she was indeed exploited. "
-From prospective of any working person, we are exploited. It is really reflection of how we label our lives. I absolutely love to be exploited, I feel priviliged to have a job, others might feel differently. It is too bad that Shirley looking back labels it “exploited”. If she feels that way, she deprives herself of positive energy coming from all these memories that very very few are priviliged and lucky to have in their lives. She choose to feel this way, it is her decision. I am very thankful and happy to have a job and be exploited, I feel very lucky.</p>