Tuesday, July 15, 2008

What's The Difference ?

Please tell me how this is any different than parents pushing their children into modeling, acting or beauty pageants. Many of these children are placed into a situation that they do not choose or want but are there because they have parents that have their own agenda. It appears to me that all the same issues that people are bringing up regarding the filming of Jon and Kate plus 8 would be in place with children that are in beauty pageants. So should we try to stop the pageants until the kids are 18 and can think for themselves? How about no TV shows or commercials with actors under the age of 18?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do kids in beauty pageants get the kind of exposure that the Gosselin children do?

Anonymous said...

Both things are wrong. How does the one thing make the other thing less wrong?

Nancy said...

Exactly, Anon. Beauty pageant kids don't get filmed on the potty or in the shower.

Anonymous said...

I think it's possible to say that something isn't ideal, or something that I would do with my kid, without making it the outrage of the century. Which is definitely how I feel about beauty pageants, and to some degree child acting - though the latter depends a lot on how much the kid is actually the one who wants to act, and how much it's the parents pushing him or her.

I think the J&K haters have done a disservice to their "cause", such as it is, with their extreme hyperbole, mostly directed at Kate. I've heard her called a monster, psychotic, a bitch (that one over and over). I've seen her compared to a woman who murdered her children. I've seen it posted over and over that (as a FACT, not even an opinion), that she doesn't love her kids. Most of the negative stuff is just so incredibly over the top and outrageous, it's not even possible to have a discussion. That's what shut down the TWoP thread, really.

I get sick of the droning about filming the kids semi-nude. Nothing much is shown, and these are toddlers. Are there perverts out there who might get a thrill out of seeing this? I don't know; maybe. But I don't think we should sexualize little naked kids just because a small, sick portion of the population sexualizes them. What's next, no "provacative" sundresses for the girls? Maybe it'd be safer just to swathe them in burquas, just to be sure they don't incite anyone's lust.

iluveeyore said...

Kids in commercials are covered by child labor laws... and it is absolutely true that kids in beauty pageants are not filmed in their homes.

Anonymous said...

Coogins law is in place for films, tv, and modeling, but not for reality shows. Why is this?? The laws must be updated to protect all kids in this format.

In addition to limiting the hours being filmed, it also protects the child financially for their future. Currently there is nothing to protect reality star kids from their stage moms & dads.

Google Dionne Quints sometime. They have lived through much of what the Gosselin kids are experiencing, and have spoken out against it.

Why repeat history. Learn from it!

Anonymous said...

No, what the Dionne Quints went through is not analogous to what we see from the Gosselins. This is just the same hyperbole that makes people called the GWoP folks whackjobs.

Anonymous said...

There are similarities between the Dionne Quints and the Gosselin 'tups. Some which I think need to be taken seriously. However the stories are not exactly alike. The G 'tups are not in an exhibit where they can hear the millions of people staring at them and talking about them or being exploited by the gov't. They are somewhat "protected" by the camaras and production crews in that sense. However, IF the G 'tups are being exploited by J&K then those children may have a long bumpy road ahead of them (only time can tell). I am not a "sheeple", i am not a "hater". I do not agree with some of the politics of the show or the way J&K have conducted themselves with regards to being open about thier present situation (I do believe that they now have enough money to sustain themselves with out all the "freebies" or love offerings). I do enjoy thier show, the honest emotions that they are not afraid to show the world,and the kiddies are just precious.
I only hope that J&K keep the childrens best interests at heart.