No, I'm not making any of this up.

Of course, this isn't the first time this has happened: that inadvertent ascension to fame and fortune via a whimsical audition for an unknown TV series at the local mall, or a brief appearance on a reality show, or some producer merely spotting someone and seeing the much-ballyhooed "star quality."

In fact, what follows is a list of folks who have entered the public consciousness via one of those very ways.

Bing: More about Honey Boo Boo Child | 'Here Comes Honey Boo Boo'

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(TLC)