There's a lot worse than that going on. I recently ran across a beauty pageant that featured girls from age 3 through about 6 years old, all dressed up in "sexy" costumes, provided by their mothers.
Bimbos in training? Their parents should be prosecuted for child abuse.
Occasionally, Mrs WBill and I used to watch "The Soup", a 30-minute program that made fun of all these reality TV shows.
I know the program that you're talking about (no idea of its name, though). You're absolutely correct. The parents who make their kids participate aren't right in the head.