Second off I found this article which I shall now place here with annotated comments of my feelings about it.
"Can't a cartoon character at least be ageless? Answer: No. Nor can she just be a cartoon character. Next fall, Dora the Explorer may be trading in her androgynous bob and shorts for big hair, pumps and a miniskirt.Quelle Horruer! If I wasn't off of sarcasm right now...boy howdy would this paragraph get it. For now I'll have to settle for pointing out the obvious and using corny phrases...
An actual doll will be part of the new version that Mattel says it will create for tweens. The younger, more innocent version will still be around, however. (Search for "Dora grows up.")For some reason I don't think this marketing ploy is going to work. Cause back in my day, even IF barney had began to wear rappers clothes or something like that to get my affection as a 'tween' I still would not ever admit to my friends (half of marketing is word of mouth :P) that I admired the punked-out dinosaur in any way.
The only early evidence of what the new Dora would look like was a silhouette Mattel released as a teaser. That was all some needed to raise their voices. (Search for the silhouette.)A silhouette...those poor desprate parents...hanging on by the skin of their teeth to any new Dora information...I'll either understand this when I'm a parent or merely remember how many loops of love and affection my own parents patiently went through to give me a great amount of happiness via my new obsession toy. I love you Dad and Mom!
But just last week, the new Dora was revealed. (Search for more.)
Parents are PO'd. And a petition is circulating to pressure Mattel and Nickelodeon to reconsider. In it, petitioners ask, what's next: "Dora the fashionista with stylish purse and stilettos?"Is that how you say facist in Spanish? Cause that's what I get from that paragraph; overimaginative parents. And to see any cartoon character in stilettos will always remind me of the Bratz dolls (not even worth a google search to give you a link to what they are...sorry). Ok...maybe I'm being too hard once again. But a petition? Just don't buy it for you're kids! Let it be a lesson to them that you don't get everything you want, that there are other role models out there, and that you don't have to like whatever entertainment industry's throw at you. Kids are not so starving for entertainment that they will DIE because they can't have Dora the 'fashionista'.
It might not be so troublesome if the little Latina weren't seen as such a role model for kids. (Search for more.)Ok...with this in mind, I may be being too hard on parents...I lack emphathy as of yet. Please excuse my ignorance.
Among Dora's new features are some contemporary skills: shopping and makeovers. Plug her into the computer to change her hair length, jewelry and eye color. Gag...Gag....Gag...this must be what the parents are really protesting. Why buy the doll when you can do this for free on the internet!
Let's just hope Dora doesn't show up on one of those sites about bad plastic surgery.This is a bit extreme...
And don't forget, Dora isn't the only doll trying to enter the modern world.
An ageless Barbie celebrated her 50th by getting tattoos. (Search for more.)Considering I didn't like my barbie dolls very much...I'm going to have to say that I don't care too much about this one.
Strawberry Shortcake ditched the candy for fruit and a cell phone for a makeover described as "berry disturbing." (Search for more.)" This just makes me laugh and shake my head...*sigh* But Punny?
So there you have my severly overdone opinion. Why am I even concerned about this? Because I saw it on msn.com and it made me laugh sad, sad chuckles of remorse for the poor kids who like Dora the Explorer and who have to see her subjected to this change. Kids need good role models. I remember various make overs of cartoon characters that have caused me great remorse (example, the Sonic the Hedgehog series? Very sad day when it was bought away from American hands...one of my few beefs with Japan...)...I suppose it has to happen to every generation that's grown up with commercialized television.
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