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1. The breasts of Barbie, those peaks of American merchandising, acquire their because of in tonights report around the captivating minor pass up -- now forty several years aged, although you wouldnt realize it -- who revolutionized international dolldom. Delving into The Secret Life of Barbie, Robert Krulwich goes to Barbies creator and developer, Ruth Handler, for an account of how she beat down the resistance of prudish male executives at Mattel, the massive toy business that she and her husband Started, and created all of them wealthy. Our engaging correspondent talks to middle-aged women who cherish memories of their Barbie collections also to deconstructionists of her design, noting alongside the best way how Mattel has played hardball with rivals bent on imitating the inimitable. All of it commenced on a trip to Europe when Ms. Handler arrived on a intercourse toy, known as Bild Lilli; Mr. Krulwich calls her a slutty doll from Germany, but Ms. Handlers vision of pulchritude for youths and many weighty tv advertising carried the working day. When becoming the preferred and lucrative toy of all time, Barbie gave two generations of academics anything to acquire their tooth into; tonight you could fulfill a girl that is determined for a Barbie scholar. Exegetes concur that Barbie is about intercourse. Shortly she was joined by Ken, explained in this article like a palpable idiot with the hint of a bump wherever his genitalia ought to be. Camille Paglia, often very good for just a quotable observation, sees Barbie as foremost the motion towards woman liberation: knowledgeable female with glamour. (But why does my three-yr-previous granddaughter, Rebecca, insist on removing her hair?) Regardless of the basic attraction, the marketeers kept rate with fashion. During Camelot, Barbie experienced a Jackie Kennedy hairdo. Because the civil rights motion gained guidance, Barbie received her initially black friend, sad to say named Colored Francie. Irrespective of these kinds of signs of social awareness, gross sales dipped since the nineteen sixties was the seventies, when Barbie appeared away from move with liberation actions and Mattel got into authorized issues with the Government. But she discovered favor once more as a Reagan-era go-getter, the queen of conspicuous consumption, an individual crowns her. Geared up with all life like sex dolls manner of outfits, she was also the New Woman who may be anybody and do just about anything. With sales approaching $two billion a yr, Barbie turned, in Mr. Krulwichs a little blended image, the Coca-Cola of toys. Critics like Dr. Ruth Westheimer however dont like These breasts, which, they alert, may well stir ladies anxieties about their particular imperfectly proportioned bodies, but no person is picketing; one hundred million Barbies are more likely to be bought world wide this year. The interesting guarantee of 1998 is usually a refigured Barbie: will she be fatter or flatter? A glimpse tonight reveals no spectacular variance, besides, be confident, to college students of her variety. This system finishes which has a scene of youngsters producing up stories showcasing their Barbies and Kens: an admirer notes contentedly the children are in charge of this minor piece of world commerce. Other Grownups, who are actually browsing toy retailers and viewing tv commercials, might occur absent with a distinct take on that's controlling these younger controllers. ABC Information THURSDAY Night time The key Lifetime of Barbie ABC, tonight at 10 (Channel seven in The big apple)

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