Alana Thompson

A Southern firecracker-turned-child star, Alana Thompson charmed audiences with her "redneck pride" while also upsetting critics who worried audiences were laughing at Thompson and her family rather than with them. Born Aug. 28, 2005 in McIntyre, GA, Alana Thompson became a pop cultural sensation with her unforgettable appearance on "Toddlers & Tiaras" (TLC, 2009- ). Hyper-quotable, hyper-charming and just plain hyper, Thompson stood out from her more refined competitors with such pronouncements as "Ain't nobody gonna beat me, Honey Boo Boo Child!" and "A dollar make me holler, Honey Boo Boo!" Enthusiastic, upbeat and self-confident even after she lost the pageant, Thompson and her mother June Shannon became a YouTube phenomenon. One of the biggest, sweetest personalities to ever emerge from "Toddlers & Tiaras," Thompson landed her own series "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" (TLC, 2012-14), which showcased the entire Shannon/Thompson clan. An instant ratings smash, the series attracted criticism for allegedly glorifying ignorance, vulgarity and poverty, but defenders countered that the family demonstrated admirable love, optimism and self-acceptance. All the controversy only helped boost the show's ratings, and the ever-precocious Thompson continued to make headlines, whether she was publicly endorsing LGBT rights and Barack Obama or earning the praise of famous fans such as Anderson Cooper and Rosie O'Donnell, who compared Thompson to a modern-day, slightly redneck Shirley Temple.

By Jonathan Riggs