“Come on Barbie, let’s go party” used to mean something else entirely…
Our gal is now a movie star. She has also been a surgeon, an astronaut, a news anchor, President of the United States, the Duchess of Cambridge, every member of Destiny’s Child and on and on…
The girl whose name is on everyone’s lips today, had a semi-sordid past. This is something I first discovered and posted about seven years ago.
Barbie had a rather steamy start. It turns out that her original design was based on a German adult gag-gift, an “escort” doll named Lilli.
In the late 1940s, a cartoon character was created by artist Reinhard Beuthien for the Hamburg-based tabloid, Bild-Zeitung in Germany. She was known as “Bild Lilli”, a post-war gold-digging gal who seduced wealthy male suitors. (Sounds like our former First Lady, no?)
Lilli was so popular, the newspaper decided to market a three-dimensional version in 1953, which was available at bars, tobacco kiosks and adult toy stores. She was given out as bachelor party’s and hung from your car’s rearview mirror if you were a guy in the know, and on the go.
Lilli had all sorts of outfits and accessories that you could buy for her too, so eventually little girls wanted her too.
Ruth Handler, one of the founders of Mattel was traveling to Europe in the 50s and bought some Lilli dolls to take home to the states.
Ruth had a bright idea. She began to re-work the design of the doll and she debuted the first Barbie doll at the New York Toy Fair on March 9, 1959.
Yep, Barbie started out as a German, good-time gal.
Everybody puts their past behind them, kinda like everybody forgets that Pretty Woman and Breakfast at Tiffany’s were both about lovable hookers.
Barbie, the movie, starring Margot Robbie, opens in theaters tomorrow. To coin a phrase,
You’ve come a long way, baby!”
