Jezebel
There's a new game in England and France for girls ages 9 to 16, and it's so raunchy it makes Bratz dolls look positively Pollyanna-ish. Called "Miss Bimbo", the game is essentially an online competition in which each registered player is given a "Bimbo" all her own to take care of — sort of like those Tamagotchi pets, but, well, not. According to Miss Bimbo rules, the goal of the game is to make your Bimbo the " the hottest of hot Bimbos," which involves dating "that famous hottie," becoming a "socialite and skyrocket[ing] to the top of fame and popularity," and even resorting "to meds or plastic surgery", because girls should "Stop at nothing to become the reigning bimbo!" According to CNN, "Breast implants sell at 11,500 bimbo dollars and net the buyer 2,000 bimbo attitudes, making her more popular on the site."
Parents are understandably up in arms over the game, which, after a launch last month, has, at the time of this writing, 204,714 "registered Bimbos." Bill Hibbard, a member of the parents' rights group ParentKind, tells the Guardian, "It is one thing if a child recognises it as a silly and stupid game. But the danger is that a nine-year-old fails to appreciate the irony and sees the bimbo as a cool role model. Then the game becomes a hazard and a menace. Children's innocence should be protected as far as possible. It depends on the background and mindset of the child but the danger is that after playing the game some will then aspire to have breast operations and take diet pills."
Miss Bimbo, at first glance, is free for registrants, but when players run out of virtual bimbo money, they are given the option to buy Bimbo text messages which cost £1.50 ($2.99) per message and give players extra dollars to spend on their Bimbos. A French man has already sued Miss Bimbo's Gallic sister site after his daughter ran up a text message bill of over £100 ($199).
As for the creators of Miss Bimbo, well, the game's 23-year-old creator Nicolas Jacquart tells the Times of London, "The game is structured in such a way that it simply mirrors real life in a tongue-in-cheek way. It is not a bad influence for young children. They learn to take care of their bimbos." He continues: "The missions and goals for the bimbos are morally sound and teach children about the real world. If they eat too much chocolate in the game, it is bad for their bimbos' bodies and their happiness levels compared to if they eat fruit and vegetables, which reinforces positive healthy eating messages.The breast operations are just one part of the game and we are not encouraging young girls to have them." Maybe we should teach Jacquart a lesson through the patented Jezebel justice system. Perhaps some time cleaning bed pans on an eating disorder ward would do the trick?
Alarm As Dolls Get Breast Implants In 'Miss Bimbo' Game [CNN]
Internet Miss Bimbo Game For Girls Attacked By Parents [Guardian]
Miss Bimbo Website Promotes Extreme Diets And Surgery To 9-Year-Olds [Times of London]
Comments
schadenfreude
Of for the fuck of shit are you fucking kidding me?
FUCKING DISGUSTING
[head explodes]
And the winner gets a role in a "Girls Gone Wild" video.
this must be a joke. this HAS TO BE A JOKE RIGHT
My only hope is Bimbo means something different in Europe. Like fanny does in America? No? Well then this guy needs a beating, and someone needs to teach 204,714 parents how to block internet sites.
This shit makes Mall Madness look educational.
Woo! I emailed this in! Although Im sure it wouldve been picked up anyway! Seriously though, this sort of shit makes me weep for future Jezebels and scared of having a daughter. And since when do 9 year olds understand tongue-in-cheek humour?
Augh. Terrible. The mission/goal of becoming the reigning bimbo is morally sound? Right. I can't wait until they add the option to release a sex tape for instant fame!
Oh Christ. Ladies & gentlemen, the world is about to implode under the weight of it utter fuckeduppedness.
Okay, this reminds me of the Paris Hilton/"Stupid Spoiled Whore" episode of South Park...anyone remember that one?
And despite all the crazy things you see out there, I am having a really hard time with the fact that this game is actually real and produced by a company for sale to children, this has to be an elaborate, tongue in cheek performance art piece or something, please...i'm thinking this has to be fake, omg!!!!
@CindiAnnabelleTucker: Hahahaha!
Did my grandfather invent this game? He's the only one I've heard use the word "bimbo" in forever.
Bimbos: La clique, c'est chic!
Never though I'd say this, but can't they just play with barbies or something?
I am too hungover for this.
@hortense: You madam, are hilarious and 100% right.
@cuteasabutton: And since when do 9 year olds understand tongue-in-cheek humour?
Yeah. If this were some lame ironic game marketed to hipsters, that would be one thing. But to little girls? No. Not cool.
I swear that if I lived near this man's home/office, I'd be already rallying people for weekly (daily?) protests.
I was waiting for The Hills boardgame to come out! I wanna be Whitney!!
I usually point to Europe for culture and sophistication, but apparently they are starting to catch up to the U.S. in dim-wittery.
Christ, I haven't even had coffee yet...
@myrtlebeachbum: Hahahaha, gramps.
@VEGAFEM: He lives in the suburb next to mine. I'll start collecting Jezebel vigilantes!
Bimbos don't menstruate which is why chocolate doesn't make them happy.
BTW, note to parents: DON'T LET YOUR CHILD ON THE SITE! Monitor your kids' Internet usage! Take some responsibility! The only reason there are so many "bimbos" on this site is parents who don't spend any time monitoring their children and what they are doing.
Positive healthy eating messages? Is he fucking KIDDING? What an utter douchebag. As if young girls didn't have enough pressures from all sides to contend with. Jesus Christ. Faith in humanity lessening with every single day.
"If they eat too much chocolate in the game, it is bad for their bimbos' bodies and their happiness levels compared to if they eat fruit and vegetables, which reinforces positive healthy eating messages.The breast operations are just one part of the game and we are not encouraging young girls to have them."
Whaaa? I give up on life.
What the fuck?!!
@zivah: I never thought playing with Barbies could be so wholesome. Even if barbie is acting like a dirty ho, being encouraged to treat "bimbos" like wayward children seems way worse.
BOOOOOO (hiss)
"The missions and goals for the bimbos are morally sound and teach children about the real world."
Now Suzy, remember, if you're going to get anywhere in this world, it's a good idea to get plastic surgery, make your breasts as big as possible, and then marry a rich hottie so you'll never have to work a day in your life.
@AthertonMerriweather: OOOOOH! I wanna be Krisitin C!
Why didn't someone stop these guys before this game came to fruition? Now their homes will be burned to the ground, their crops will be destroyed, and a plague will be delivered unto their people.
Why did I get up today?
Was just watching that on BBC news - they interviewed the two makers of it from their shitty little apartment, biggest douches I have ever come across. They reasoned that their site reflects the reality of what it is to be a female in society. That shit made me want to bobbit them both.
@NefariousNewt: No he has to be an ugly rich guy.
There's part of me that is both not surprised and secretly relieved it's a man who put out this game. I guess I expect misogyny--and bimbo glorification--from men (especially French men). If a woman were marketing this game, I'd feel so much worse.
Anyone?
I am going to go against the tide here and say that I could see a lot of older girls, in their early to mid-teens, who would play this ironically and for fun. The kinds of girls who hate Paris Hilton and her ilk, and loved watching her go to jail, and there are a lot of those girls. They are the silent majority. At least in my world, they are.
@cuteasabutton: Oooh, count me in. He's on the bus route that leaves from outside my door...I'll bring tea and sandwiches!
@violetbeauregarde: Yeah, they're "not encouraging young girls to have [breast implants]," unless by "encouraging" you mean GIVING THEM EXTRA POINTS. Nimwits. I hate nimwits.
If I get a Bimbo, will she have Juicy written on her ass?
@mepo: They reasoned that their site reflects the reality of what it is to be a female in society.
There's some truth to that logic, but it's a depressing reality. Change it, don't reinforce it!
@hortense: I was just about to say this makes me miss Mall Madness!
@gherkinfiend: Oh what number? So its settled the London Jezebels will dish out Jezebel Justice on this twat post haste! After a nice cuppa and cucumber sandwiches of course...
If this game was marketed to adults in a tongue and cheek way and not being played by children, would you all still be so upset? Because I have to admit, some of the quotes made me laugh and I get the feeling this game could have been hysterical if it was an SNL skit rather than an internet game.
@cuteasabutton: Rule Britannia!
I KNEW jez would do a post on this as soon as I saw it on the train this am.
I would have been crap at this game- I would have spent all my plastic surgery money on chemistry sets and cricket bats.
@cuteasabutton: I'm in. London Jezzies, we will fight them in the malls, we will fight them in the plastic surgeons, we will never give in!
@cuteasabutton: the good old 333.
I'll dig out my stout shoes and sensible winter woollies and give him the fright of his life!
I'm guessing since he's aimed this at children rather than managing to create a game that could be played tongue in cheek by growed-up ladies, he's somewhat spineless and is easy to scare...
Oh, look, it's Mystery Date for the new millennium. Gross.
@cate3710: I take issue with that line of thinking also. This is not a reflection. This is an active endorsement, and of a very specific sort of "reality" that doesn't need to become more general, but through sites like this, will. I really detest the the abuse that the word "reality" takes these days.
WHAT THE SHIT IS THIS FUCK. Like, really?
Barbie seems so innocent now. She at least had LOTS of different things to do - she owns a sports car, she's been a doctor, a veterinarian, a teacher--Barbie has at least done some things that did not involve pink, makeup, weightloss, plastic surgery, or shopping.
Check your local toy aisle - stuff like legos, model kits (not moddle kits), and sports-related gear are so much more heavily marketed to boys. Sure, there are crappy toys that are marketed at boys, but at least SOME of them have merits. Exercise and creative endeavors are constructive outlets that are good for the brain and the body.
Then check the stuff that's marketed at girls. I get the creeping feeling that the toy aisle is telling little girls that the only things they have to aspire to are strictly appearance-based. It's all clothing, makeup, jewelry, shopping. (Have you guys seen the emphasis placed on shopping lately in the toy aisle? It's absurd! Bratz play-money and credit card kits! Bratz mall funtimes! Jesus.)
Little girls: Forget things like talent, humor, having a good vocabulary, spatial perception, skill, and quick wits. Those things are for squares because they can't be encrusted with pink rhinestones. All that matters is your appearance!