A reader by the name of "O" tipped me off to this post on the howtheylooknow LiveJournal that's dedicated to my homegirl Swan Brooner (of Living Dolls). Apparently, this is how she looks now, at age 13:
No idea what the source is, or if this is even real, but I'd love to believe that it is. She's cute. People on that LJ thread compared her to Shanna Moakler and Candace Cameron, but you know who she looks like the most to me? Cristy from my favorite episode of Intervention! Really, it's all about those eyebrows and that hair color/texture. I really hope that this doesn't mean that Swan's on meth.
Oddly, an email from someone requesting to remain anonymous who didn't seem aware that this Swan shot leaked yesterday, wrote me just a few hours after that email from O. The subject of anon's email? "update on swan brooner." Two shots of Swan in one day? My soot-covered, page-boy-cap wearing, "Where-hair-hair-hair is love" singing heart could barely take it. Anyway, the email covered most of the post Living Dolls stuff any rightful obsessive already knows: Swan's mom died soon after the documentary was released. Swan went to live with her dad in Alaska, and then he died, as well. Swan's doing well in Alaska -- she's a cheerleader and on the honor roll. I'm not sure how accurate this is because someone posted on that LJ thread that Swan's sister Silva has custody of Swan, and Silva's now-private MySpace lists her as living in Virginia. Hmmm.
Anyway, the real dirt of the email came from a supposed conversation with Swan's brother, the lovable mischief magnet, Bubba, who said that Swan's mother, Robin Browne, was bipolar "which manifested on Swan." No idea what that means, but it sounds unfortunate, as does the added tidbit that none of the money that Swan won went to her (but fair enough, probably: it all, I guess had to funnel back into paying for the pageants, as Robin spent like $70,000 on that shit, per Dolls).
So that's what I know. Take it with the normal grain of salt you would with any "reporting" you see on a blog. It strikes me that I'm pretty obsessively invested in these strangers' lives, but I think that's just testament to the film's effectiveness. I can't think of anyone on earth (not even Mariah Carey!) that I'd want to interview more than Swan. If anyone has connections, hook it up!
Oh, and finally: also per that LJ thread, it seems that someone has reupped Living Dolls to YouTube. It lives even though my account does not. Anyway, this is awesome news -- to watch it, check out KayOhhBabyy's videos. She has a ton, so you'll have to look through them, but all nine parts of Living Dolls are up. Now you can fall in love all over again. Here's Part 1:
Is it possible for fans to set up a bank account for a college fund for Swan? Any suggestions.
Posted by: Karen V. Stefanini | May 25, 2007 at 06:41 PM
I can't think of anything I'd like to READ more than you interviewing Swan.
Posted by: liz | May 25, 2007 at 07:08 PM
i am in tons of pageants. i am in the national american miss pageant and love the videos a lot. i think swan looks better with her makeup off. but she is still adorable.
Posted by: summer | May 26, 2007 at 10:08 AM
The "13 year old girl" is actually Tami Lynn Leppert, who disappeared in the early 80s. She was 18. Google her. You'll see that same photo as well as others. There are several articles about her and she's on many missing persons forums.
Posted by: Kelly | May 26, 2007 at 02:58 PM
Oh, sweet Jesus. If God loves me at all you will get an interview with Swan and post it complete with photos and video. Then all will be right with the world.
Posted by: Ramsey | May 28, 2007 at 05:43 PM
oh i put all 9 vids up on my buzznet as soon as i read yer post about living dolls.
Posted by: raymi | May 31, 2007 at 07:27 PM
First off, that's NOT Swan in the now picture. Her family is trying to keep her life extremely private since her parents passed away.
He mother Robin died shortly after the documentary was made and Swan and Devon were sent to live with their father in Alaska.
Just last year, Swan's father died as well.
Very tragic for the 2 children but they are doing well and being raised by family members.
They still see Silva often.
Please just let them be. They've been through enough.
Posted by: Siohban | June 01, 2007 at 05:08 PM
that is NOT Swan Brooner. That is Tammy Lynn Leppert, a known missing person. Whoever started the rumor that it was swan is sick
Posted by: annie | June 03, 2007 at 02:46 PM
That picture certainly does bear an uncanny resemblance, but the people in that particular LiveJournal community honestly need to check their sources better. I'm sure Swan's no stranger to publicity, but if I were her, I wouldn't want to have my resemblance to a probable murder victim. It's fairly ironic that Tammy was a model/beauty queen, and one of the prime suspects in her case is sometimes known as the Beauty Queen Killer. FYI, Tammy can be seen briefly in Scarface and Spring Break. Also, as a heads up, should they try to be passed off as such, the following pictures are also not Swan:
http://www.charleyproject.org/images/l/leppert_tammy.jpg
http://www.charleyproject.org/images/l/leppert_tammy2.jpg
http://www.charleyproject.org/images/l/leppert_tammy4.jpg
http://www.charleyproject.org/images/l/leppert_tammy5.jpg
http://www.charleyproject.org/images/l/leppert_tammy6.jpg
http://www.charleyproject.org/images/l/leppert_tammy7.jpg
Posted by: Simone | June 08, 2007 at 07:07 PM
That photo is not of swan brooner it is of a girl named tammy who went missing, go to this website to find out more!www.charleyprodject.org/cases/l/leppert_tammy.html
Posted by: mariah | June 13, 2007 at 11:24 PM
if u go to myspace and search for swan brooner there is some one pretending to be her, and using that pic. of that girl.
Posted by: mariah | June 13, 2007 at 11:29 PM
if you google swan brooner you wil see she lives in Alaska. Her local paper lists her recently as being on the honor roll for middle school.
Posted by: stina | July 21, 2007 at 09:46 PM
Posted by: | July 31, 2007 at 10:55 AM
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/l/leppert_tammy.html
Posted by: | July 31, 2007 at 10:56 AM
The above photograph is of a girl that's been missing since 1983.
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/l/leppert_tammy.html
Posted by: | July 31, 2007 at 10:58 AM
that's terrible... how could someone post a picture of a missing girl like that? it's very misleading. i have been researching swan for some time now. on one of the fan videos on youtube, a user posted a comment claiming to be a friend of swans's. i private messaged them to get more information but she didn't tell me anything really - only that swan doesn't like to talk about her pageant days because it reminds her too much of her mom. i would really love to see what she looks like nowadays and what she's been doing. bless her.
Posted by: april | August 15, 2007 at 10:53 AM
is she still alive???!!
Posted by: cortney | August 22, 2007 at 12:20 AM
Swans mother and father are dead now, and that is not her real picture. I belive it would be disrespectfull and hurting to her if she ever read all the trashy posts about her and the bad talk about her parents.. I feel sorry for her, she is an orphan..... And if you were orphaned would you like it if somone talked bad about your parents and you? She may already want to commit suicide!
Posted by: samone pascasieo | October 08, 2007 at 01:57 AM
This is not the real Swan Brooner. This picture of her at 13 is fake and circulating the internet. This is Tammy Lynn Leppert. Visit TheCharleyProject.com and you will see this picture when you type the name. This poor girl went missing when she was 18 in 1983. Also if you compare this pic with Swan's, Swan didnt have a left lazy eye. Come on people...dont believe what you read...
Posted by: Melissa | October 15, 2007 at 11:01 PM
http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/stories/031207/people_0312peo007.shtml
This seems to be the real deal.
Posted by: Yubi Shines | December 25, 2007 at 06:58 AM
That actually is not Swan..It is a girl named Tammy (the newer pic)
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/l/leppert_tammy.html
Posted by: | January 24, 2008 at 10:47 PM
That's not a picture of Swan, it's a picture of an 18 yr old girl that went missing in 1983.
Here's the link:
http://doenetwork.org/cases/211dffl.html
Posted by: Tracey | August 06, 2008 at 03:31 PM
That is not a current picture of swan at 18, but strangely it is a picture of a girl who has been missing since the 1980s. Here's the link
http://doenetwork.org/cases/211dffl.html
Posted by: Taylor | October 27, 2008 at 10:47 PM
I hope Swan & her little brother are doing okay.
It's horrible that they lost both their parents.
I only hope that Silva is doing a better Job at raising them than Swan's mother did.
Posted by: Megan | January 09, 2009 at 09:19 PM
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