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1. The breasts of Barbie, Individuals peaks of yankee merchandising, receive their due in tonights report within the hot minor skip -- now 40 many years outdated, although you wouldnt understand it -- who revolutionized global dolldom. Delving into The key Life of Barbie, Robert Krulwich goes to Barbies creator and developer, Ruth Handler, for an account of how she defeat down the resistance of prudish male executives at Mattel, the massive toy firm that she and her spouse Established, and designed all of them prosperous. Our engaging correspondent talks to middle- aged Gals who cherish Recollections in their Barbie collections also to deconstructionists of her building, noting alongside the best way how Mattel has performed hardball with competition bent on imitating the inimitable. It all began on a trip to Europe when Ms. Handler arrived on a sex toy, referred to as Bild Lilli; Mr. Krulwich calls her a slutty doll from Germany, but Ms. Handlers vision of pulchritude for children and some significant tv promotion carried the working day. Even though starting to be the most well-liked real sex doll and successful toy of all time, Barbie gave two generations of lecturers a thing for getting their enamel into; tonight you could satisfy a girl who is recognized like a Barbie scholar. Exegetes concur that Barbie is about sex. Shortly she was joined by Ken, described right here like a palpable idiot With all the hint of the bump where his genitalia should be. Camille Paglia, usually excellent for the quotable observation, sees Barbie as leading the motion towards feminine liberation: an expert woman with glamour. (But why does my three-calendar year-aged granddaughter, Rebecca, insist on removing her hair?) Whatever the fundamental charm, the marketeers stored speed with manner. Throughout Camelot, Barbie experienced a Jackie Kennedy hairdo. Given that the civil rights motion obtained assist, Barbie obtained her 1st black Good friend, sadly named Coloured Francie. Irrespective of these kinds of indications of social consciousness, product sales dipped because the sixties became the nineteen seventies, when Barbie appeared from step with liberation movements and Mattel got into lawful trouble with the Government. But she found favor yet again as a Reagan-era go-getter, the queen of conspicuous use, anyone crowns her. Geared up with all method of outfits, she was also the New Girl who may be any one and do something. With gross sales approaching $two billion a calendar year, Barbie turned, in Mr. Krulwichs somewhat mixed image, the Coca-Cola of toys. Critics like Dr. Ruth Westheimer however dont like Those people breasts, which, they warn, could stir ladies anxieties over their unique imperfectly proportioned bodies, but no one is picketing; a hundred million Barbies are very likely to be marketed world wide this 12 months. The fascinating guarantee of 1998 is usually a refigured Barbie: will she be fatter or flatter? A glimpse tonight reveals no dramatic big difference, apart from, be confident, to students of her form. The program finishes having a scene of youngsters building up tales that includes their Barbies and Kens: an admirer notes contentedly that the kids are in command of this minor piece of worldwide commerce. Other Grownups, who happen to be checking out toy outlets and observing tv commercials, may come absent with a special take on that's controlling these youthful controllers. ABC Information THURSDAY Night time The trick Life of Barbie ABC, tonight at 10 (Channel 7 in Big apple)

2. Robert Krulwich, correspondent; Janice Tomlin, govt producer of ABC Information Thursday Evening; Rudy Bednar, senior broadcast producer; Jon Meyersohn, senior producer; Betsy West, executive-in-charge; Lisa Jackson, producer of The key Life of Barbie. WITH: Mr. Krulwich, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Paula Poundstone, Camille Paglia and Ruth Handler.