'Toddlers & Tiara': Latest Controversy Over Toddler in Julia Roberts' Hooker Costume (Video)
After receiving a lot of criticism over its presentation of kids,Toddlers & Tiaras this time got a backlash from The Parents Television Council (PTC) for a promo spot which features a 3-year-old girl, Paisley, dressing as Julia Roberts' prostitute character in Pretty Woman.
The reality series that debuted on TLC in 2009 follows the controversial world of child beauty pageants, looking closely at the pageant contestants and their families as the children prepare for their pageant shows.
We have a serious problem when The Learning Channel (TLC was previously addressed as this) features a toddler, who probably hasn't even learned to read, dressed as a prostitute showing off her sexy strut. There's no question, TV executives are complicit in robbing these small kids of their childhood, Aceshowbiz quoted Melissa Henson, director of communications and public education for the PTC as saying.
For years we've seen adult sexuality being inappropriately and aggressively foisted on innocent young children, but children today are being sexualized at younger and younger ages, she continued.
The promo shows Paisley wearing a variation on the garb donned by Roberts' character, including a white and blue dress and thigh-high black patent-leather boots.
No comments have been made by TLC on PTC's statement yet, but the toddler's mother, Wendy Dickey, defended her act of dressing up the kid in that costume for the pageant.
Well, at this pageant there was an option to do celebrity-wear, Dickey says. And we thought about what we could wear with her being a brunette and Julia Roberts is my favorite actress of all time. I thought it was real cute to do Julia. She's 3, if she was 10 I never would have considered this. But as young as she is I thought it was very comical, according to Aceshowbiz.
Dickey explains that she made the skirt longer than what Julia Roberts wore in the film, and also said in her defense that the costume is less revealing than the outfits of gymnasts and swimmers.
An upset Dickey expressed surprise over the reaction which she is getting from the public and critics, adding that the judges loved the costume. Dickey said that it was the cutest thing ever and was innocent.
She said she takes her child to the church every week and that she was clueless why people were over reacting for a pageant, when there are more harmful things that people let their children do, the report said.
Check out the video of the promo below.
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