Jezebel
tweenage wasteland
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tweenage wasteland
leftovers
Barbie Goes Green; Berlin Sets Up Stalker Center
• From Anya Hindmarch to Barbie, the trend of "Green" handbags has officially run its course. • Prep author naturally turns to Laura Bush for new book. • Juno is on top of the DVD-sales charts, those Hills ads work! • Did you know that we ascribe gender stereotypes to women and men? Groundbreaking! • Norman Mailer's former mistress dishes on sex life for 50 pages. • Lovers too poor to wed cozy up on bridge in Cairo. • India to increase penalties in aborting female fetuses. • Berlin set up a walk-in clinic to help stalkers. • Saudis are slow to accept working women. • Reflecting on meals can curb overeating. • Two fatal accidents at Indian weddings leave 43 dead.
toy stories
Barbie Sales Flatten Worldwide -- Are Bratz & Miss Bimbo To Blame?
Several financial news outlets are discussing Mattel's falling first-quarter results, and most place the blame squarely on the slim shoulders of a certain doll named Barbie. Barbie, which was introduced in 1959, is now first-runner-up for the under-12 set, in part because of competition from edgier, increasingly-popular brands like Bratz and Hannah Montana dolls and in part because of the emergence of web-based toys. According to Portfolio, "Children want Web-based toys, and they want them at younger and younger ages" the magazine cites the success of interactive toys like Webkinz, and let's not forget the potential pleasures of Miss Bimbo). But the real reason Portfolio believes that Barbie is no longer the reigning beauty queen in toy world is because "at 49, Barbie is becoming obsolete." More »
living dolls
Barbies (And Barbies On Booze) Are Big Business
The Barbie 2-in-1 party Plane & Ship, marketed for girls ages 3 to 8, comes with martini glasses, bar stools and a disco scene, notes the Packaging Girlhood blog. The blog makes the argument that unlike the Bratz, who also have a party plane, Barbies are adults; they may drink and go clubbing, but little girls understand that these activities are for grown-ups, not children. But is pushing drinks to 3-year-olds going a step too far? Meanwhile, despite its massive recalls last year, Barbie parent company Mattel is reporting that fourth-quarter profits are up 15%, according to The New York Times. The company has huge tax benefits to thank, but people continue to buy this stuff, especially internationally. (Barbie sales are down in the United States by 12%, but up 4% globally.) And guess what? Profits in the wholesome American Girl division are down 2%! More »
These Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Barbies sure do make great role models for little girls! Not only are they clad in hot pants and go-go boots, but their thighs are roughly the circumference of matchsticks. They're even skinnier than regular Barbie, most likely because Mattel is using something called the "Model Muse" body to construct these dolls as opposed to the run of the mill Barbie bod. Barbie's probably too fat to be a cheerleader anyway. Merry Christmas and a lifetime of self-loathing, courtesy of your local Wal-Mart. [With Leather]
My Scene Barbies, Mattel's skanky answer to the highly successful Bratz dolls, are being given away as part of McDonald's Happy Meals, and the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood is not happy about it. "It's bad enough that McDonald's continues to use toys to sell kids on junk food," said CCFC's head honcho, child psychologist Dr. Susan Linn. "But to lure young girls to its restaurants by promoting the worst sexualized stereotypes is reprehensible." McDonald's spokesbitch Heidi Barker retorted with this pat answer: "Barbie has been a familiar and fun toy enjoyed by millions of families for decades. That's why it continues to be a popular Happy Meal Toy." [MediaPost]
living dolls
The Unsluttification Of Bratz?
When MGA Entertainment launched Bratz dolls onto the toy market six years ago, the dolls' huge bobble heads, giant anime eyes, pouty lips and tacky-wacky fashion choices made them instantly popular and instantly controversial. Earlier this year, the American Psychological Association cited concerns over the dolls' "sexualized clothing such as miniskirts, fishnet stockings and feather boas." Now the Bratz movie is slated to hit theaters August 3rd, and its producers are telling the New York Times it's, uh, good clean fun!'The goal is to broaden the appeal by demonstrating to parents and children alike that there is more to these characters than what they think,' said Steve Beeks, president of Lionsgate. Mr Arad, who until recently served as chief executive of Marvel Studios, added: 'The one thing we didn't want is for this movie to be sassy.'More »
living dolls
