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Telly addicts

Help!!!! 90's beauty pageant show

4 replies

Girlmama · 19/07/2026 22:30

I need help to identify a TV show before I go mad. It was an American documentary. I don't know whether a one off or a few episodes. All about young kids on the beauty pageant circuit in the US. I was OBSESSED with it. Had it recorded on VHS! Must have been maybe mid to late nineties I think. Definitely not Toddlers and Tiaras although all searches bring me back to this.
Loads of deep south Mothers raging at judges cos their toddlers were marked down in swimsuit/dance/beauty... It was bonkers!!!!! Someone please help. I'll be forever indebted!

OP posts:
OneSparklyGoat · 19/07/2026 23:03

Was it this:
Painted Babies (1995): Follows the fiercely competitive parents of two four-year-old contestants, Brooke Breedwell and Asia Mansur. The film famously exposed the rigorous styling, heavy makeup, and immense pressure placed on toddlers

Girlmama · 19/07/2026 23:17

Oh my goodness, I have agonised over this for years!!!! As soon as I saw the names I knew you had it right. Thank you!

OP posts:
OneSparklyGoat · 19/07/2026 23:29

Oh good!

MrsToothyBitch · 21/07/2026 17:49

I knew it would be Painted Babies! There is also a sequel - Painted babies at 17 catching up with Brooke and Asia. It's available on YouTube, if you fancy it, OP!

There's also another 90s pageant classic on YouTube- Living Dolls, which charts a little girl called Swan and her mum Robin trying to break into pageants.

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