Venezuela is known for killing it at beauty pageants, but have you ever wondered just how much work goes on behind the scenes? That's what this BBC special titled 'Secrets of South America: Extreme Beauty Queens' is attempting to find out.



One particular clip features 2013 Miss Venezuela First Runner-Up Wi May Nava describing the various surgeries she underwent just to compete in pageants. Besides getting her boobs and nose done (and nearly going broke in the process), she also revealed a piece of mesh that was sewn to her tongue to prevent her from eating solid foods. And yes, it is just as nasty as it sounds.



Another clip centers around Osmel Sousa, the president of the Miss Venezuela pageant who also hosts a local reality show in which women compete to be in the pageant.



Sousa is super brutal towards the contestants, zooming in to their flaws and criticizing a contestant (who had fainted for being fucking hungry) by telling her "If you faint like a beauty queen, get up like one." So if you think these wannabe beauty queens have a simple life, think again.