Anybody can tell you that the sole purpose of reality television is to entertain. In a society obsessed with outrageous lifestyles, it’s only natural that TLC’s Toddlers & Tiaras showcases, nationwide, the adventures in young pageantry. Quit giving the show a child exploiting persona, people. This show isn’t harming anyone. Note: if you’re picturing giggly infants in tutus, you’re definitely missing the big picture of the show’s premise.

While fanatic stage moms and the combination of “pageant crack” and “special juice” may turn some viewers off, these are just some of the things I think make Toddlers a hit. It’s no doubt that the show has received a wide range of criticism for condoning young children to look like Barbie dolls. Nonetheless, the entertainment value at hand here definitely outweighs the questionable content. The interactions between the toddlers and their parents are priceless, and the pageant moms sending cues to their onstage kiddos from behind the judges are a riot.

While these stage moms’ behavior is not quite sociably acceptable, why can’t all of the flashy costumes and cosmetics be seen as more plausible? Though I may be biased having invested several years in the theatrical world, my experiences have allowed me to be more optimistic towards the enhancing of onstage appearance. When the art of pageantry practically revolves around being judged by looks, it’s an obvious assumption that a contestant should go all out to make their best impression on the judges. Think about the fall musical The Wizard of Oz: if Dorothy didn’t have brown braids and the Winkies’ faces weren’t painted just right, the makeup department would have been judged negatively. Now parallel it to the pageant children; if gigantic, platinum blonde hair and flipper teeth are what it takes it to score high with the judges, let them be.

Regardless of your opinion on this topic, it’s undeniable that the show won’t be coming to a halt anytime soon; the entertainment industry is all about the money. Just like contestant Alana once said, “A dollar makes me holler honey boo-boo!”