There is now an actual “News Anchor Barbie.”
Of the 124 previous careers that Barbie has had in her 51 years (she actually look so much younger) this is perhaps her best look yet. (You can insert any Fox News jokes that you’d like here, but never forget the gals on Fox News are not just stunning, they are competent as well.)
Truth be known, there are actually few blonde haired, blue eyed female anchors left in the TV news business, but that’s another story for another day. Diversity is a good thing and it long ago hit the TV news business. Many news anchors like to change their last names to sound more ethnic, but still, I don’t think News Anchor Barbie will get away with using “Gonzalez” or “Chan” as a surname.
Fortunately, I never worked with any gals who will fit the stereotype that will undoubtedly follow this latest creation by Mattel, in fact, the news anchors I worked with would find News Anchor Barbie as amusing as NASCAR Driver Barbie that came out in 1998, but probably not as amusing as Babysitter Barbie from 1963 (a lot of female anchors feel—rightly so—that they have to baby-sit their male counterparts.)
There will be plenty of fun jokes about News Anchor Barbie and the teleprompter and HD make-up accessories that will probably follow, in fact, I’m guessing that these dolls will begin showing up on certain desks in newsrooms across the country, or used as props at holiday parties and a visit to the HR department will follow (TV news departments are very sensitive environments.) I would suggest that they be used to replace Emmys at TV news awards banquets. The doll should retail at about $12.95 (sans the box used to make her the same height as her male counterpart) and at that, will be worth more than the Emmy.
I should mention a disclaimer here, since there are small parts attached to the News Anchor Barbie (the mic, I’m assuming) the doll comes with a warning that there could be danger to children under three years old who might play with Barbie and swallow the parts. I can’t wait until a real news anchor Barbie does that story, “Barbies That Kill, Tonight at 11!” Might there be a conflict of interest problem? Let Ken read that story.
There are great possibilities for the future of News Anchor Barbie. I’m seeing a visit on The View upcoming and a guest host spot next to Regis before too long, perhaps also a report from a flood-ravaged hurricane zone and interviews with Environmentalist Barbie (coming soon–she just needs a few more votes online) or Vegetarian Barbie (2008) and the three can work together to Save The Planet.
Actually, truth be known, News Anchor Barbie beat out Environmentalist Barbie this year. Somewhere, Al Gore and Ron Burgundy can’t be happy about this.
You’ve come a long way, Barbie.