Thrall resident competes for tiara

Janene Alcalar, 5, plays around between segments while a crew shooting an episode of The Learning Channel’s reality show Toddlers in Tiaras, a show spotlighting child beauty pageants, prepares for the next shot. Photo by Philip Jankowski

By Philip Jankowski

Producers from The Learning Channel’s reality show Toddlers in Tiaras were at Hutto Family Dental Center in Hutto Thursday to shoot a segment for an upcoming show spotlighting Thrall resident and 5-year-old child beauty queen Janene Alcalar.

Toddlers in Tiaras is “very simply a documentary-style show about kids in beauty pageants,” the show’s producer said between takes.

The segment shot Thursday illustrated the extent to which parents and contestants will go to help ensure victory at an upcoming pageant. Family Dental staff fit Alcalar for prosthetic teeth designed to create the perfect smile.

The non-invasive but expensive procedure is not something typical to family dental, co-owner Mark Feldman said. But creating an impression of Alcalar’s teeth was something staff was able to perform with ease. The impression was then sent to a lab in California who will create a denture-like set of teeth for the child beauty queen so she may impress judges with a perfect set of pearly whites.

Toddlers in Tiaras staff said it is common for child beauty pageant contestants to get a set of fake teeth for a competition.

Alcalar began participating in child beauty pageants earlier this year, her mother Jeannie Alcalar said. Already her daughter has won four pageants.

Last weekend Alcalar participated in the in a two-day pageant in Austin, where she won Miss Ambassador. This weekend she will compete in another pageant in Houston, the Stars Across the U.S. Nationals.

Competitions consist of posing, runway walking and a talent competition. Pint-sized competitors will don elaborate gowns while taking a turn on the runway.

Alcalar’s talent is Mexican Folklorico dancing.

Alcalar’s father John said so far his family had spent $5,000 preparing his daughter for the pageant with tutors and purchasing elaborate gowns.

Alcalar can be seen in action next year when TLC airs the third season of Toddlers in Tiaras. The new season begins January.

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Are Child Beauty Pageants Ugly?

Anyone who's seen the spray-tanning, trowel makeup application, and Aquanet bangs on Toddlers in Tiaras knows that child pageants are an abuse of beauty products, but are they child abuse?

Susan Anderson, the photographer who shot High Glitz, a new book of pageant portraits, says her project isn't her personal answer to that question, but a collection of facts. Still, Salon wonders if the photos aren't just another way to objectify these little girls, who for most of their young lives have been judged by their looks. And then Salon posted a slideshow of the photos for millions of people gawk at.

We understand where the Salon editors are coming from. There is something fascinating about the images—and the whole kiddie pageant scene in general. Last year, Allure interviewed drag star RuPaul, and found we shared an obsession with child pageant documentaries. We vividly recall HBO's Living Dolls, while Ru likes to quote Painted Babies—and calls the doc his "sickest obsession."

But we still have to wonder if any good can come of child competitions. Judges and parents say the pageants are character building, and there are certainly parallels between them and school talent competitions—for both you need preparedness, poise, and drive—but the latter rarely involves slowly turning around in a bikini.

What do you think? Are pageants showcases for outgoing kids who love to play dress up? Or is the over-the-top glitz a sign of the ugly beauty standards set for American girls?

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