Evil-baby-glare-off-mommy-shorts

The time has come for the 3rd Evil Baby Glare-Off! Remember the Glare-Off? It's like the most fun thing to ever happen to Mommy Shorts! All regular posts stop, evil babies glare at us, prizes are distributed, and ultimately one winner earns the right to scare the crap out of his or her parents for years to come.

But before I tell you more, I want to address a little matter that has come to my attention. Over the last month or so, an ad agency representing a well-known lollipop brand has been emailing many past Evil Baby Glare-Off contestants requesting use of their glare-off photos for a similar contest.

Several people have emailed asking if I am involved in their contest and I feel the need to let you all know, I AM NOT. 

If you were contacted and released your photo to them, don't worry— I won't hold it against you. Just depending on the language of the release you signed, I may not be able to use your photo in any future book I might publish, which makes me a little sad. 

Anyway, this October, as I have done for the past two Octobers, I will be conducting The One and Only Evil Baby Glare-Off. I'm taking submissions starting today— just post your baby's best evil glare on the Mommy Shorts facebook fanpage with your child's first name. You can also tag #mommyshorts_evilbabyglare and @mommyshorts on Instagram.

I don't know what the prize will be yet, but there will be an AWESOME PRIZE, even if I have to pay for it myself.

The prize package will also include an Evil Baby Glare-Off onesie, a framed tournament bracket and of course, a Mommy Shorts Mug (shameless plug ahead…) as seen on The Mommy Show

Mommy-shorts-glare-off-products

Now, before I get into the rules for the Glare-Off, we need to talk about my new policy regarding photo submissions. You can find the official policy at the bottom of the post. I will also be sending release forms to the 32 final contestants once they are selected for the tournament.

The purpose of my new policy is threefold.

1) More and more often, other news outlets pick up my photo contests and it becomes a full time job getting everyone to give me permission to use the photos each time. If you submit your photo, please do it with the understanding that it might appear somewhere besides my blog as coverage of the contest. For instance, last year's Glare-Off appeared on the Huffington Post, MSNnow and The Today Show. Although, if you remember, Al Roker called me Mommy Pants and I almost tore my hair out, but it was still pretty cool.

Evil-baby-glare-off-today-show

2) At some point, I may decide to write a book. In my dreams, my book will not just be words, it will include a lot of the photos from my various photo contests. I'm assuming you wouldn't mind being in my book, which would obviously be FABULOUS and something you would want to show all your friends. If you do not want your baby to glare at you from the inside of my imaginary book, please don't submit a photo to the contest.

3) I need to protect myself from lollipop brands or agencies representing lollipop brands who might feel compelled to do similar content. No, it is not illegal to be inspired by someone else's idea but at the very least I'd like to make sure we are not using the same photos. In the future, if a lollipop wants to do something with evil babies, they will have to find THEIR OWN DAMN BABIES.

On the flip side, my policy also promises that by giving me permission to use your photos, I will not sell them to any third party. Like, for instance, if a lollipop offered to pay me $50 to use your child's evil glare, I would say "Sorry Lollipop, NO CAN DO."

I will be taking photo submissions on my fanpage from now until Friday, October 25th, when I will announce the 32 finalists competing in the Evil Baby Glare-Off bracketed tournament. That tournament will take place over the course of one week on Mommy Shorts, with each day narrowing the pool until the final two go head-to-head on Friday, November 1st.

The winner will be announced on November 4th.

Photos should be of kids 0-5 years old and as close-up of their faces as possible.

I sincerely hope the new policy doesn't inhibit anyone from entering. It really isn't any different than what I've already been doing and I probably should have done this a long time ago.

I can't wait to see your evil looking babies. For the first time since I started the contest, I've got an evil baby of my own!

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Before you submit a photo as
part of the Evil Baby Glare-Off event, please make sure you have read and agree
to the following grant of rights.
  If you do not agree, please do not submit your photo. Additionally, please do not submit any photo
unless you are the owner of the photo or otherwise have the express right to
submit it for use in accordance with the below. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions!

You
understand and agree that by submitting your photo to MommyShorts.com, you are
hereby granting me (Ilana) and MommyShorts.com permission to use the
photograph(s) submitted by you in connection with the Evil Baby Glare-Off
event, in perpetuity, in any manner and
in any media now known or hereinafter developed, throughout the world. You
agree that you will not grant the right to anyone else to use the same
photograph(s) for any purpose; and likewise, I agree not to authorize anyone
else (other than on my behalf) to use your photo without your prior
consent. You also understand and agree
that by submitting your photo to MommyShorts.com, you waive all rights to
inspect and approve the finished product (in which your photo is used). You further understand that I may need to
alter, modify, edit or crop your photo, and you agree that I do not need
further consent to do so.