By Michael Miner
In the beginning Dubin thought he had a free hand. But early last year Mattel began suggesting changes to the essay Exhibitions International had commissioned him to write for the catalog of the show (which opened last month in the World Financial Center). Trims were negotiated, particularly over a passage that began, “The company has been slowly blending a gay sensibility into its product. In 1993 Mattel introduced Earring Magic Ken, replete with pierced ear, faux-leather vest, and lavender mesh shirt.”
Live and learn. Dubin went on, “And what was it that stuck in Mattel’s corporate craw? In the world o’ Barbie, sex, death, and lawsuits don’t exist. Or, more accurately, they’re not discussed openly, betraying a corporate philosophy based upon an oddly outmoded sense of prudery. As several of Mattel’s margin notes on my essay plaintively asked, ‘Do we have to mention this?’ Was it important, for instance, to point out that children add nipples to Barbie’s prominent breasts?”
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“Oh yeah, it was Mattel sponsored,” says David Hanks, head of Exhibitions International, “but our understanding was that we were organizing it. And that’s how the credit reads. And in fact it ended up Mattel organized it. So I suggested changing the credit to read ‘Organized by Mattel.’”
What went wrong? I asked.
Three years ago Hill was one of those residents. She felt exploited and didn’t keep her feelings a secret. Wanting to cover the CHA, she was instead ordered up to Lake County, and when her year was up she was sent packing. Today she works for the Des Moines Register.
