Little Miss Sunshine

[DeeDee249]

You know, if there have to be pageants for little girls, at least ban make-up and hairpieces and exaggerated hairstyles. Focus on the natural beauty and the talents these kids have. I dislike the forced "talent" of the pageants. These kids train for the pageant itself, not to learn arts of dance, music or voice for it's own benefit.
Showcase the kids who can really sing, dance and do things OUTSIDE of the pageant world.
In 1987 when my daughter was 10, she BEGGED to enter a "Miss NJ Pre-Teen" pageant. She had been taking ballet since age 2 (her idea after seening her first "Nutcracker") and began dancing professionally age 8. She studied only ballet, with a Russian teacher, and there were no "recitals" or things like that. It was classical ballet, and they had a junior and senior performing company to give the dancers a way to get stage experience. She went on to dance with Boston Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet, and several other regional companies. But in that pageant, she was the only classical dancer there. Her performance was by far the most technically superior of them all. But she didn't stand a chance against these slick performers and their stage moms. I also refused to let her wear make-up and she wore her waist-length hair in a simple braid or bun. She wore a pretty( but definitely NOT a pageant) dress.
Needless to say, she didn't win. Nor was she a finalist. But she had a good time and I wasn't sorry I gave in and let her do it. She made some nice friends, and for her it was really about having fun there. I could see right through the slick pageant operators. They really know how to work the parents, too. The whole thing was unpleasant, though this particular pageant didn't seem sleazy to me. (odd for New Jersey- we're known for sleaze).

 

[feddup]

dee dee: I was thinking the same thing......I dont see anything natural in their beauty or their talent unlike your daughter.
The fake hairpieces, even fake teeth and that horrible masklike makeup, its a joke!! oops, forgot the hair dyeing..
I saw the documentary on child pageants on cable and I was astounded at the amount of money those Mothers spend on these pageants. (one had spent 70K) Think of the money that couldve went into something worthwile like ballet or piano lessons. (or college fund)
I guess considering what happened to your daughter, they should just knock out the talent part, it seems like a joke.

 

[JMO8778]

I agree feddup..."Miss America",if that's what most of these girls are shooting for,should be wholesome and natural,talented,humble,honest,kind and caring.She represents all of us in the USA.Being fake has no place in it.I guess we all need to speak up ?!

 

[Solace]

Solace, if you didnt think the "surprise" ending was good I am thinking you have no sense of humour

I think you missed the whole point of the movie, it wasnt just about childs beauty pageants but a dysfunctional family. But has some very funny scenes in it.

I think it is pretty obvious it was about a dysfunctional family. I presented it here because of the pageants.

The movie was just okay. But I don't think we are here to debate that. To each his own, as I understand it.

 

[KT Can]

I thought this movie was BRILLIANT and would actually say it one of my top favorite movies EVER. :clap: :clap: :clap: However, if your sense of humor doesn't lean towards black comedies, satire, sarcasm, etc. as mine does, then this just isn't the movie for you, no offense. :blowkiss: This movie is one of those movies that you either get or you don't because its not about the beauty pageant and about so much more than just a dysfunctional family.....

Just reading the reviews alone for the movie are a good time .....

 

[Ames]

dee dee: I was thinking the same thing......I dont see anything natural in their beauty or their talent unlike your daughter.
The fake hairpieces, even fake teeth and that horrible masklike makeup, its a joke!! oops, forgot the hair dyeing..
I saw the documentary on child pageants on cable and I was astounded at the amount of money those Mothers spend on these pageants. (one had spent 70K) Think of the money that couldve went into something worthwile like ballet or piano lessons. (or college fund)
I guess considering what happened to your daughter, they should just knock out the talent part, it seems like a joke.

Oh, and lets not forget the spray tans. The documentary that I saw, showed 4-5 year olds, getting a SPRAY TAN, so that they would look better in their swimsuits. I am surprised that they didn't stuff their dresses and swimsuits, to make them look like they had breasts.

 

[Solace]

I thought this movie was BRILLIANT and would actually say it one of my top favorite movies EVER. :clap: :clap: :clap: However, if your sense of humor doesn't lean towards black comedies, satire, sarcasm, etc. as mine does, then this just isn't the movie for you, no offense. :blowkiss: This movie is one of those movies that you either get or you don't because its not about the beauty pageant and about so much more than just a dysfunctional family.....

Just reading the reviews alone for the movie are a good time .....

No offense taken at all. I happen to love Alan Arkin. His "In Laws" was one of the funniest movies ever made. I just don't happen to think this movie was one of the funniest movies ever made and hilarious. It had some good lines in it, true, mostly said by Arkin. But it was no where near anything such as the In Laws where pretty much every line was very funny. And yes I realize it is a different movie. I got the movie and laughed at some parts. Just did not think it was hilarous. Because one does not think it is a great movie does not mean that one does not "get" the movie. The end was very cutesy, not my thing. It was fun to see the brother get up and join in. But hilarious is not something I would call it.

I agree it is not about pageants, but I have said that, I believe, about three times now.

Anyway, have a good one.

 

[DeeDee249]

I LOVED "The In-Laws"! It was a truly hilarious movie.
I've always liked Alan Arkin, and I liked "Little Miss Sunshine" a lot. But I didn't like seeing him as a -addicted grandpa. There was something about his seeming love for and attention to Olive that was cheapened by his "hobby". And I was also disturbed that he taught that little girl "stripper moves", because it made me think he was fantasizing about her in that way. Am I alone here? I am no prude, but when it comes to children and sex I am hypersensitive.

In my daughter's (only) pageant experience, there were NO swimuits. Why that should be a part of a competiton for CHILDREN is beyond me.

There was talent (it was optional) and fancy dress. There were "personal interviews". But that was it. What it really was ? A HUGE moneymaking deal for the pageant coordinators. The entry fee, the cut from the hotel where it was held (for all the parents who booked rooms), the fee to be in the "official program", the shorts and T-shirts the girls wore for their group dance numbers, etc. And it was a cash deal up front.

 

[JMO8778]

I LOVED "The In-Laws"! It was a truly hilarious movie.
I've always liked Alan Arkin, and I liked "Little Miss Sunshine" a lot. But I didn't like seeing him as a -addicted grandpa. There was something about his seeming love for and attention to Olive that was cheapened by his "hobby". And I was also disturbed that he taught that little girl "stripper moves", because it made me think he was fantasizing about her in that way. Am I alone here? I am no prude, but when it comes to children and sex I am hypersensitive.

In my daughter's (only) pageant experience, there were NO swimuits. Why that should be a part of a competiton for CHILDREN is beyond me.

There was talent (it was optional) and fancy dress. There were "personal interviews". But that was it. What it really was ? A HUGE moneymaking deal for the pageant coordinators. The entry fee, the cut from the hotel where it was held (for all the parents who booked rooms), the fee to be in the "official program", the shorts and T-shirts the girls wore for their group dance numbers, etc. And it was a cash deal up front.

that's it! IA.
I thought the heroin or whatever gpa was supposed to be sniffing was a cheap shot,too.I know the family was supposed to be dysfunct,but you'd think they could have at least left drugs out of it.

 

[Squishified]

I'll bet John Ramsey has never seen this movie.

 

[DeeDee249]

Oh, I don't know...I think it'd be hard for the family and friends to resist. If I were in their shoes, I wouldn't be able to stay away from the books or PMPT either.

 

[JMO8778]

Oh, I don't know...I think it'd be hard for the family and friends to resist. If I were in their shoes, I wouldn't be able to stay away from the books or PMPT either.

right,I think it's like Queen E. and the royal family...they want to know what's being said about them...they NEED to know what's being said so they can attempt to turn it around.

 

[DeeDee249]

I think most people in the public eye do the same. It's too hard to resist seeing what people are saying about you. I read that Princess Diana (one of my OTHER favorite topics- I read every book out about the Royal Family) used to be fanatical about reading every single thing written about her.

 

[JMO8778]

I think most people in the public eye do the same. It's too hard to resist seeing what people are saying about you. I read that Princess Diana (one of my OTHER favorite topics- I read every book out about the Royal Family) used to be fanatical about reading every single thing written about her.

she's interesting to read about.I'm not sure what to think about some of it though.there have been a lot of contradictory things written.what did you think of Paul Burell's book,may I ask?

 

[DeeDee249]

I liked Paul's book. I didn't think he sold her out, and what he had to say rang true to me. Nothing unflattering was said that hadn't already been said, but I found his version to ring true. I have read many, many books on her- including the 2 newest ones, as well as books written BY and about the Duchess of York (Sarah Ferguson) and Prince Charles. In every book, I find something I never knew before. The book "The Day Diana Died" was excellent, too.

 

[JMO8778]

I liked Paul's book. I didn't think he sold her out, and what he had to say rang true to me. Nothing unflattering was said that hadn't already been said, but I found his version to ring true.

I got confused by some of his comments though.Like when he said he she hadn't really even wanted to go to Paris,and that he suspected her heart had really remained with someone in England.I can't think of whom he would have been talking about,and I'd thought she was head over heels in love with Dodi.

I have read many, many books on her- including the 2 newest ones, as well as books written BY and about the Duchess of York (Sarah Ferguson) and Prince Charles. In every book, I find something I never knew before. The book "The Day Diana Died" was excellent, too.

I haven't read that one,I want to though.Do you mean Ken Wharfe's book? I got it at the library,but I haven't read it yet.Which other one is out? thx.

 

[UKGuy]

I think most people in the public eye do the same. It's too hard to resist seeing what people are saying about you. I read that Princess Diana (one of my OTHER favorite topics- I read every book out about the Royal Family) used to be fanatical about reading every single thing written about her.

DeeDee249,

Maybe you like conspiracy theories? The Death of Diana, particularly if she was pregnant is compelling reading for many people, e.g. why was she embalmed in France, why was there no Coroner's hearing, why was she flown to a private facility in the uk, why did the Royal Family not want to be associated with her corpse, what role did the intelligence services play, was the driver's blood sample switched, what did Paul Burell tell the Queen that overrode his allegiance to Diana, or was he simply still working for the Royal Household, at a distance, he certainly accepted all the gifts, storing them with no qualms?


.

 

[JMO8778]

Maybe you like conspiracy theories? The Death of Diana, particularly if she was pregnant is compelling reading for many people, e.g. why was she embalmed in France, why was there no Coroner's hearing, why was she flown to a private facility in the uk, why did the Royal Family not want to be associated with her corpse, what role did the intelligence services play, was the driver's blood sample switched, what did Paul Burell tell the Queen that overrode his allegiance to Diana, or was he simply still working for the Royal Household, at a distance, he certainly accepted all the gifts, storing them with no qualms?


.

sounds interesting,do you think it's mostly true? I was just reading Wharfe's book and he outlines specifically what he thinks went wrong,or rather,what was DONE the wrong way,with security,protocol,etc.,and why he thinks there was no conspiracy.

 

[Solace]

sounds interesting,do you think it's mostly true? I was just reading Wharfe's book and he outlines specifically what he thinks went wrong,or rather,what was DONE the wrong way,with security,protocol,etc.,and why he thinks there was no conspiracy.

FWIW,

I just think the paparazzi were out to get what they wanted and they did not care how fast anyone was going. I think Diana was angry and wanted the driver to go as fast as possible to get away. Did I read that he was drinking also - the driver?

She had gone out of her way to elude them that night, going out a different door, etc. I just dont' think it was a conspiracy, more like a tragedy perpetrated by the paparazzi - who are fairly low in my opinion.

 

[UKGuy]

sounds interesting,do you think it's mostly true? I was just reading Wharfe's book and he outlines specifically what he thinks went wrong,or rather,what was DONE the wrong way,with security,protocol,etc.,and why he thinks there was no conspiracy.

JMO8778,
It appears to me as if there is a conspiracy, whether its criminal or simply an attempt to manage the media is the question?