AThe family makes it to the Redondo Beach Hotel at 3:03 PM, three minutes after the registration desk has closed for the Little Miss Sunshine contest. However, one of the employees kindly adds Olive to the list and allots her a number. As Olive gets into her costume and does her hair and makeup, Richard contacts a funeral home to collect his father's body, and the 12 semifinalists begin performing their talent acts. Afraid that Olive is going to be laughed at when compared to the other acts, Richard and Dwayne attempt to convince Sheryl to withdraw Olive from the competition, but Sheryl insists that they must let her do this because it is who she is. After she is led onstage, Olive dedicates her act to her grandfather "who taught me these moves," and the music begins. A few seconds into the act, it becomes readily apparent that Olive is performing a burlesque act, dancing suggestively and tearing off her clothes. People in the audience begin to walk out. The emcee attempts to get Olive off-stage, but Richard jumps onstage and tackles him. The pageant officials order him to get Olive offstage, but Richard joins Olive in her act. Frank jumps onstage, too, followed by Dwayne and Sheryl. They all dance with Olive until the end of the song. The police are called, but they release the family on the condition that they never enter Olive in another beauty pageant in the state of California. They agree, begin pushing their VW, and head for home.
ALittle Miss Sunshine is based on a screenplay by American screenwriter Michael Arndt. Interestingly, Arndt was fired because Fox Searchlight wanted to change the script, but he was rehired four weeks later after the new writer quit. Arndt went on to win the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Little Miss Sunshine at the 79th Annual Academy Awards.