Someone tell me this?

[jhameia]

Why the hell do the Bratz dolls seem so much more popular than Barbie? And why is Mattel following the Bratz in pumping out stupid DVD movies and just dumbing down Barbie with countless fashion bullshit?

Where is the Barbie I remember? You know, the independent woman who has had a gazillion career changes, proving that even though you're an older woman you can still have game? The one who actually HAS careers? With the ultra-hot boyfriend? With great friends and cute little sister? What's with all these countless reincarnations / spinoffs of the franchise?

I mean, LOOK at the Bratz dolls. They're fugly. Okay, they started out okay, you know? Barbie was sophisticated and suddenly girls couldn't relate to that anymore, and went with the street smarts of Bratz. That's fine. I like street-wise. I like attitude. But as trends progress, the Bratz just regressed into Paris Hilton wannabes. You seen the Petz they have lately? Did you want to slit your throat (or at least the throats of the people producing Bratz)?

Barbie brought up serious issues with girls who wanted to have her proportions, whereas there's no problem like that with the Bratz (because they're stupid ugly anyway). Understandable! I can perfectly understand that having a nicely proportioned model to measure up to is bad for the kids today who probably don't even understand that THEY ARE TUBS OF LARD IN FRONT OF THEIR TVS! Shit, even Barbie has gone some changes so her proportions are more realistic. That's incredible work, people! Look at Bratz! Big heads, skinny waists, big booty... yeah, this is the physical model you want your kids to imitate?

Barbie supposedly didn't do her independent woman image justice with her wanting to get married to Ken all the time. And Bratz is better how? Shit, even looking at them makes me want to slap them... they have this stupid smirk on them all the time, and just promote this smartass, disrespectful attitude that teen rebels without causes always have. Barbie? She had several careers. She has a social life that isn't self-involved. I think the girl deserves a break and she deserves a good man (or woman) who'll take care of her. This whole sass-bullshit is just that - bullshit. How do the disrespectful Bratz expression compare to the cheerful smile of Barbie?

So Barbie broke up with Ken, and it was a huge news splash when she got together with the Australian surfer dude. What's happened then? Didn't she get back with Ken or something? Even then - forty years of a relationship with the same guy who's commitment-phobic... that's commitment there. That's special. Where's that kind of commitment today? People are breaking up for the littlest provocation instead of trying to work things out and talk things together. People aren't even getting together for the right reasons.

Give me a break, people. This girl's independent, beautiful, and has been a career model forever... they're just letting her go to seed by focusing solely on her fashion. She's always been a glamourous character. She's got the best clothes in the universe. There are special Barbie museums dedicated to her. She even has a Mid-Eastern version of her which is more modest... Bratz won't have that kind of influence like that. I hope not, anyway.

I hope this is just a trend though. And I hope Mattel picks up on the fact that Barbie is regressing and that they better pick up their asses soon. I'm no Barbie owner myself, but watching Bratz and Barbie fairy commercials is making me gag.

Comments

[prayers-forrain.livejournal.com]

...kids today who probably don't even understand that THEY ARE TUBS OF LARD IN FRONT OF THEIR TVS!

I love that!

[yiliang.livejournal.com]

Oink!

[sparklemagpie.livejournal.com]

I wanted them to make Reptile Farm Barbie! XD

The first Barbie I had came with a Ken and a camping gear set. I begged my parents for Babysitter Skipper when I was a kid so I could get the teenage Barbie girl and some adorable babies to have a family unit. I played with those dolls to the ends of time.

Yeah, barbie used to be cooler. <3

[castusalbuscor.livejournal.com]

Thats one BIG rant!
But I agree two summers ago when I worked in the toy store, the boss was the sole importer of Mattel shit, and he also imported the Bratz crap, I hated the Bratz, they just look ugly, and as you said the whole idea behind them is faulty!
Its in the name bratz! Its says it all!

[eiko82.livejournal.com]

Bratz dolls SUCK!! They're ugly with their Botox-lips. They really are mini Paris Hiltons!!

I've always liked Barbie eversince I was a little girl. She was so cool and you could do almost anything with her. Sure, she wasn't a hip teen but that's what you had Skipper for.

BRING BACK BARBIE!!

[yiliang.livejournal.com]

Heh. You should post that little mockumentary/comedy bit you had on the worship of the pagan goddess Barbi and her male consort Kendoll.

That was so funny.

All in all, cheers for pointing out the unassailable, irrefutable devolution of, shall we say, consumer culture?

[xavior2180.livejournal.com]

Jaymee must watch a lot of the cartoon channel.. that's the only place I've ever seen the commercials! Yaaay! cartoons!

[nolan-ash.livejournal.com]

I like how you make Barbie out to be some sort of role model. I would have described her better as the lesser of two evils.

BRATZ

[(Anonymous)]

BRATZ is the first doll brand to give barbie real competition. This is because they are made edgier and more in-line with todays young women's fashions. The BRATZ line had good marketing and did an awesome job advertizing with all the right tools to rope kids in.