Painted Babies..not to be confused with Manger Babies

I admit it. I love beauty pageants. As long as I can remember I have been watching them on TV. Most of the time is spent mocking them--it's so easy, especially with the state pageants since they include the talent portion (at least they do in Texas--I don't think I've ever watched a state pageant that took place anywhere else). But secretly, I've always wanted to enter one (I wouldn't make the finals, that's for sure, but I would love to see how bitchy it gets backstage). Here is where I stand on national beauty pageants--Miss America is the really the only one worth watching--but lately they have ruined it trying to make it into a reality show. Miss USA has been perverted by the force of Donald Trump and girls gone wild. I also get a kick out of the Mrs. America pageants and was horrified when the other day I realized that I would only be eligible for that pageant. And I, like the majority of Americans, am both horrified and fascinated by child beauty pageants.

My fascination led me to watch "Painted Babies" many years ago when it first came out. It profiles two families competing in a creepy pageant. It is both sad and hilarious, heartbreaking and exciting. Here is a clip.

Well, all these years later, they caught up with the 'Painted Babies'. They are now 17. It is interesting to see how they turned out.

In summation, Brooke is no longer participating in the pageants but looks back on them fondly. She has a little brother who has a speech disorder. During the documentary she was attending her senior year at a Boarding School, Baylor. She went on to attend the University of Tennessee. Her family seems to be fairly normal. Brooke seems like a really nice girl--I feel bad for her that she was portrayed so poorly in the first 'Painted Babies'. But really it just made her look like she didn't want to do the pageants anymore, and in reality, she didn't for much longer--she quit pageants at age 7. Asia, on the other hand, is still participating in pageants--her Mom and Grandma are still obsessed. Now she has 6 siblings, the youngest of which is named Treasure. I'm sorry, but that is just an awful thing to do to a child. And her Dad ran off on their family a couple years ago and married another woman 10 months later. They rarely talk. That part was really heartbreaking. Asia seems like a really nice girl as well, although I see that her voice hasn't improved much in the last 12 years. But seriously, I love this stuff. If I could watch nothing but documentaries I would be a happy girl. I don't care if they are on beauty pageants, behind the scenes at hospitals, large families, people with rare medical disorders--bring it on. I love it all.

I know you're wondering,

Where's Rob?

It's easy to lose track since he's such a jet-setter these days. Rob has made it to my favorite big city, New York, New York. And he's wearing his beanie just to make girls cry. He's gotten bored with the screaming and he's moved on to crying. Rob's in the Big Apple for a bunch of press events. Last night he went to the Apple Store with Catherine for a Q&A. Today he went to Z-100 for an interview, will be making an appearance at Planet Hollywood to put his hands in cement and on Thursday he will be appearing on TRL. Rob was his usual charming self last night at the Apple event.

He also did a phone interview with several different Harry Potter and Twilight websites asking a question each. It sounds dorky, but it made me really happy to hear Kaleb Nation's voice speaking to Rob. I feel like I know Kaleb-if you haven't already checked it out, I highly recommend clicking on the link to your right for the Twilight Guy website. Click here to listen to that interview!

In other news, I got the soundtrack last night on iTunesit is now the #1 selling album on iTunes! So far, my favorite songs are definitely the tracks from Rob, Paramore and the one from Iron and Wine. According to my Twilight Movie Guide, Kristen Stewart suggested that song for the Prom Scene (the song is Flightless Bird, American Mouth). It is so beautiful and makes me so excited for the movie!

Have a great day and don't forget to vote!!!

Love,

Elle Bunny