‘Human Barbie’ defends her plastic surgeries, parenting

Video: ‘Human Barbie’ gives daughter liposuction voucher

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   >>> back now at 8:21, with a british mom who admits that she's addicted to plastic surgery . now, she's come to this country to enter 8-year-old daughter in a beauty pageant . here's nbc's michelle kosinski .

   >> reporter: cambridgeshire, england, home to the best university in the world. and the so-called human barbie.

   >> some people don't simply get me.

   >> reporter: admitted plastic surgery addict sarah burgess . this video is from a promotion for her reality show the entire family is trying to make. sarah bemoans all the negative press you've gotten.

   >> you could say this is the [ bleep ] that i put up with every day.

   >> reporter: but shock value seems to be a well-loved part of the family. sarah , whose spent what she says amounts to a million dollars on dozens of surgeries, is seen injecting her own face with poppy , her youngest child turned 7, her supposed christmas and birthday presents included vouchers for future lipo section and breast implants . this is who sarah used to be.

   >> how i never want to look.

   >> reporter: she says her cosmetic streak started when she was the victim of brutal domestic violence that disfigured her face. she brands herself as everything from a public figure to a pinup girl .

   >> believe you me -- looking like a middle aged matron.

   >> reporter: in the british press the criticism has been districted at her. especially over pictures like these, of poppy . and now here comes another stage for her, and mom. big hair and bigger personalities, american style . sarah plans to start poppy in beauty pageants , calling her little girl a diva, age 8. for "today," michelle kosinski .

   >> sarah burgess is joining us along with her 8-year-old daughter poppy . good morning to both of you.

   >> hi, poppy . good morning.

   >> first of all, let me let you talk, clarify, this part of the reporting that we've heard from overseas that is incorrect. i want you to set the record straight . first of all, a lot of parents will be watching this and wondering why would you teach your young child how to pole dance ?

   >> i mean, i really do wish the media would concentrate more on my professional side rather than this absolute baloney that they're dishing out continuously.

   >> you --

   >> i am not a pole dancer . this was for a reality show that i was doing a pole was ele erected in my house. my daughter came home from school and any child seeing a pole in the middle of the room would just go swing round it. she just climbed up it like a monkey and came down it. it was actually for a -- we actually decided to make that into a little bit of a comedy act.

   >> and the idea that you gave vouchers to your daughter for -- gave poppy vouchers that she could use for future enhancements if she may want. you want to clarify that?

   >> it's actually a tax-free gift that she can cash in at the age of 18 years old, we take herself to become the professional that she wants to be. poppy actually wants to be a plastic surgeon when she's older. and i think what to me just getting all hyped up and this sensationalism which is coming from the brutal press in england, i actually helped thousands of people every year follow the correct path to plastic surgery , through accident, disease and disfigurement. and most of them are from america. because they don't have an nhs system out here and i put them to the right surgeons for the job. i have e-mails from people who are desperately, desperately saddened by gunshot wounds, from their children, and everything. and i help these people, and i'm shocked that the media want to portray me in such a negative light when all i do is help millions of people. we're raising --

   >> you're emotional about it.

   >> i am. we are raising money for charity in this beauty pageant . poppy is going to sell all her clothes to raise money for our charity, which is called don't mess with me. which is very appropriate, i think. and so we can actually help thousands of people.

   >> and, and, you know, i think that part of this is tied with this idea that when you have your child in a beauty pageant or when you encourage this kind of thing, that you may be sending a, a wrong message. i think that's the kind of judgment that people have.

   >> uh-huh.

   >> what do you want to say about that?

   >> well, i think we're wanting to take beauty pageantry back to its traditional, sort of time. and that is, not about, particularly about beauty. it's about grace. it's about poise. and it's also about raising money for charity, as well.

   >> sarah . thank you. poppy , thank you so much for being

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