Not your Grandmother's Barbie...

They're a reaction to Bratz, which I despise. Great article about them in the New Yorker recently, looked it up a couple of weeks ago and wasn't online yet, will keep an eye out for it.

I've seen Bratz, they look more like cartoons but with no more class than these gals. You have to see the Bling Bling Spa (I couldn't get a good image), it comes with two half naked chicks and it looks like they are waiting for the photographer from Hustler Magazine to do a shoot.

No. You are not over reacting at all.

These dolls make it seem ok to little girls to look like dime store prostitutes.

Barbie may have been out of proportion, but she had a 'real' life, and real clothes.

She did not look like she was fashioned after the latest Hustler cover star.

(sigh)

Hey SheWolf, I think it's really funny that we posted at the same time and
we both thought of Hustler Magazine. These bitches don't even rate classy enough for Playboy.

Green Witch, you are such a prude. Get with the program, woman.

Hustler is for bottom dwellers..

A very skinny woman with big breasts... what could possibly be wrong with that? After all girls do need role models.

What program is that - Future Hookers of America?

Actually, Green Witch, I have the utmost regard for your opinon regarding most subjects, and especially the one of appropriate dolls for young girls.

Whenever such material comes to light, such as today at the diner, I always direct such questions towards you.

There were three of us sitting at the table, me, ol' George Jenkins, and Pete Brister, the young whiz mechanic from Wally's Garage.

George says, "Gus, whadda think of them new Barbie dolls with the bling and all that crap?"

I stared at my coffee for a second, then slowly raised it to my lips and took a long sip. Then I set the coffee cup down and noticed George and Pete both staring at me, both waiting for an answer to the Barbie question.

I said, "Don't know much about that stuff, George. I reckon you'd better ask Green Witch. She's pretty level-headed in that department."

"Thanks, Gus", said George as he got up and picked the bill up from the table, put his hat on and walked toward the cash register.

I glanced at Pete and said, "Looks like George is picking up the tab again, Pete."

Pete said, "Looks that way, Gus. I ain't gonna complain."

Gee Gus, I'm flattered that you are impressed by my expertise. Here, I've even found a doll for you:

Paris Hilton should file suit for some of the proceeds.

That article was so interesting! I thought the part about the focus group with the little girls playing with Bratz was so revealing-- despite the package blurbs about the Bratz and their all-night Vegas parties, what hip, rockin' trendy thing do the girls have them do? .........Tea party.

I also thought the bit about how girls are giving up toys younger and younger was interesting. Sad. I played with toys forever. Shoot, if I had someplace to put it I'd probably still have my dollhouse out!

Oh! I thought it was michael.

What I meant is that Bratz were seriously usurping Barbie's market share, so Barbie came out with a version (My Scene) that was an attempt to grab that share back from Bratz. (Mostly failing, so far.) The eyes/ makeup, wardrobes, and mileu (think rap videos) are all pretty much directly lifted from Bratz.

Meanwhile, Mattel (maker of Barbie) is huffy because the company that makes Bratz got the idea from a Mattel employee and Mattel insists that they were proprietary designs, yadda yadda. Lawsuits happening and everything.

Cyphercat, I have to revive that New Yorker thread, this is an article I really wanted to talk about. Lots of interesting aspects.

Soz, I would love to see the article if you can dig it up.

I've been informed by a 12 year old that Bratz does have a cartoon on Saturday mornings and that the cartoons are "stupid". I will take that criticism seriously and refrain from watching. Those big eyed bobble heads are rather appropriate for the cartoon format. And yes, they too are plenty trashy.

What gets me about my My Scene is they all look more like My Slut. Maybe it's because they look like Barbie dolls gone wild, really wild. Bad Barbies Bad. I know Barbies are controversial in general, but this just takes it to a whole new level.

Here's a stable of Bratz dolls so people can compare:

I haven't found the article online and I've LOOKED, durn it. Later I can just copy some out if you're interested. The main thing that was established is that "My Scene" Barbies exist because of Bratz, and are meant to get back some of the customers who abandoned Barbie for Bratz.

Here's an article from The Times (UK) about the history and it discusses the sexual aspect of the dolls and it's effect on little girls. Bratz are manufactured by a religious Jewish man- Oy!

How Bratz beat Barbie

I've just come back from the second-to-last emergency trek to the supermarket where I spotted a Real Bratz Babe manning/womaning the cash register in Aisle Seven. She had the hair, silver make up slathered on a tanning bed tan, silver fingernails and a magnificent pout.

On the register at Aisle Eight, was a Bratz wanna-be. Evidently she hasn't been a grocery clerk long enough to afford the tanning bed.

Both girls/women seemed very satisfied with their appearance.