In 1959, a doll of anatomically impossible proportions named Barbie was introduced to the public. Although Barbie has been called an anti-feminist icon, blamed for causing eating disorders and was even called "filth" by a Christian group, there is no question that Barbie has become a cultural icon. (I suppose one hasn't arrived until one has been called "filth" by a fundamentalist Christian group, so go Barbie!)

Barbie is also about to turn 50, which means that even our mothers and some of our grandmothers used to perform amputations on her and giggle while placing her in dirty poses with Ken (or with other Barbies).

To celebrate this upcoming milestone, I have compiled some side by side comparisons of Barbie and other cultural icons who have recently turned 50. Enjoy. … continue reading

Barbie vs. Michael Jackson

Barbie	Michael Jackson
Went to the moon	Invented a dance move called the moonwalk
Has had more than 43 pets including 21 dogs, 12 horses, 3 ponies, 6 cats, a parrot, a chimpanzee, a panda, a lion cub, a giraffe and a zebra	Ran a zoo at the Neverland Ranch
Made of plastic	Reconstructed with silicone
A plaything of little girls	I'm not going to go there

Comparing siblings is never fair, is it? But here goes. When it comes to the Jacksons, I'd have to say I prefer Janet.

But that's a recent phenomenon. Back in the more innocent days of 1983, long before the freakish media obsession and allegations of child abuse, it was Michael all the way. That's the year Thriller hit the record stores, bringing a slew of hit tunes to the radio and red pleather jackets to the retail market. I didn't own the jacket, but Mary J. Blige and Beyonce did, or so they confess over at Amazon.com. Amazon is promoting the 25th anniversary re-release of the Thriller album, which includes special collaborations with current artists.

I'm pretty sure I have the dusty vinyl tucked away somewhere in storage, but I'm seriously tempted to get this album. Not for Michael, but because of the collaborations. Truthfully, if you could imagine Michael Jackson collaborating with any current artist, would this woman be the one?

Fergie. That's just weird enough that I might spend money to hear it. She's on the track for “Beat It,” and reviews I've read online suggest that if you are a Michael purist, you'll hate it, but if not, it's kind of fun. … continue reading