Elise Nersesian
Are Moms Unsexy?
Just For Moms, Celeb Parenting
This week on "The View," the ladies discussed actress Julia Roberts' wavering popularity and whether being a mom (or not) is what makes a woman sexy. Julia Roberts, 42, is often photographed with her three children, pushing a stroller and looking frumpy. "View" co-host Sherri Shepherd compared her to the ever-popular Jennifer Anniston, 40, who is single, just two years younger than Julia, and a box office hit -- and rarely photographed looking anything but fabulous.
So what makes one celebrity mom sexier than another?
Does giving birth zap a celebrity's sex appeal in the eyes of the public? That's not the case with Angelina Jolie, 34 (mother of six), who is hailed for her exotic beauty and as Shepherd mentioned, has given birth twice, just like Roberts.
Perhaps a star mom's sexiness is dependent on her ability to make headlines. Jolie consistently graces the covers of weekly tabloid magazines for her scandalous romance with Brad Pitt, while Roberts (who also started dating camera man Danny Moder while he was still married) seemingly makes a concerted effort to stay out of the limelight when she's not working, and focuses on family life.
Could age determine sexiness? One would be hard pressed to argue that Jolie's beauty is greater than Roberts'; after all, Roberts was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People by "People" magazine in 2002 – when she was roughly Angie's age.
And consider Reese Witherspoon, a beautiful mom of two who makes a point to avoid the spotlight when it comes to her personal life. No doubt she is equally as gorgeous as mom Kate Hudson, yet Hudson is portrayed as a sex symbol far more often than Witherspoon, and appears in the tabloids on a regular basis for her fickle romance with Owen Wilson. Witherspoon, on the other hand, seems to have settled down with boyfriend Jake Gyllenhaal.
What do you think – does age, motherhood, or plain old controversy determine sexiness?
Beauty After Motherhood
Angelina Jolie
The actress and her partner Brad Pitt have three adopted children -- Maddox, 7, Pax, 4, and Zahara, 3 -- and three biological children -- Shiloh, 2, and baby twins Knox and Vivienne. "I know this is going to sound corny, but I first became happy with the way I look when I became a mother."
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Halle Berry
Berry and boyfriend French-Canadian model Gabriel Aubry have one child, Nahla Ariela, born on March 16, 2008. It was her role in the film, "Things We Lost in the Fire," that convinced her motherhood was for her. "I think it validated that I was meant to be a mother because every day I dealt with the character as a mother and thinking as a mother...It let me know that I must be a mother."
Getty Images / FilmMagic
Gwyneth Paltrow
Has two children, Apple, 4, and Moses, 2, named after a song her husband Chris Martin. "It's like being the most in love you've ever been...but mixed with the worst heartbreak...because one day you're not going to be together anymore."
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Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts and her husband Danny Moder, have 4-year-old twins, Hazel and Phinnaeus, and a boy Henry, 17 months. She told Vanity Fair: "At this point I'm having so much fun with them. You only have so much energy and you want to put so much energy into each child. I wouldn't know how to have five kids. And they're a really good trio, these three."
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Jennifer Lopez
her twins with husband Marc Anthony, Emme and Maximillian, were born 2008 by C-section. According to People, "Jennifer described it [motherhood] as the most magical time of her life. She said, 'You know what? You can win an Oscar, you can win a Golden Globe, and as an ambitious artist you strive for those things. But when you have a kid, all of that is irrelevant."
WireImage.com
Gwen Stefani
She says that Zuma Nesta Rock and Kingston have brought her closer to husband Gavin Rossdale. Also, "I've gotten a little more feminine over the last few years. "As the years go by, you get more comfortable with looking more like a woman."
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Uma Thurman
She's says she's open to the possibility of having more children. "If it's meant to happen, it will. I love and adore being a mother." Thurman has two children with ex-husband Ethan Hawke, Maya, 10, and Levon, 6.
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Thandie Newton
The British actress, most recently starring in "W" as Condoleezza Rice, has two daughters, Ripley, 8, and Nico, nearly 4. "So many people thought I was a really cold person, but I was just painfully shy. But having a kid made me explore how I was going to guide another beautiful being in this world. I was released -- it doesn't happen for everyone, but it happened for me."
WireImage.com
Feeling Fat Can Lead to Suicide
We all know dwelling on your weight is a downer. But did you know that thinking about being fat can lead to suicide? Researchers at Georgia State University have found that the mere perception of being overweight among girls raises the probability of suicidal thoughts by 5.6 percent, the probability of a suicide attempts by 3.2 percent and the probability of injury causing suicide attempts by 0.6 percent.
That's scary. How can you prevent your daughter from becoming a victim of bad body image, especially in a culture that emphasizes thinness? ParentDish spoke to author and self-esteem expert Jessica Weiner on how to build your daughter's body confidence.
What can parents say to kids to encourage healthy body image?
Building a child's self esteem isn't just about what you say. It's how you eat, relate to your own body, and whether you as a parent apply media influence on beauty standards to your own life. It isn't enough to tell your kid, "You are beautiful." You must act as though you feel beautiful yourself. Girls look to parents for how to model a s realistic relationship with their bodies. The first step is to stop talking negatively about your body ("Ugh, Mommy feels fat") and don't be hyper critical of her body either ("Should you be eating that?"). A conversation about body image should be ongoing and frequent, not just an off-hand conversation. Use everyday activities such as passing a billboard with a racy ad to talk to your teen about what she thinks of the message it sends.
Family of Four "Too Fat to Work"
One British family, who reaps more than $30,000 a year in benefits because they are "too fat to work," says they want -- and deserve -- more money, according to London's Daily Telegraph. Philip Chawner and his wife, Audrey, weigh 336 pounds each. Emma, 19, weighs 236 pounds and Samantha, 21, weighs 252 pounds. The family, who live in Blackburn, England, have a combined weight of 1,160 pounds.Philip Chawner has Type 2 diabetes and was eligible for gastric band surgery until he developed a heart condition. Audrey has epilepsy and asthma as a result of being overweight, and says her family's obesity is "genetic" and they can't afford healthy food. "What we get barely covers the bills and puts food on the table," says Philip. "It's not our fault we can't work. We deserve more."
What's more, the Chawner parents haven't worked in 11 years.
Each member of the Chawner family consumes 3,000 calories each a day. (The recommended maximum intake is 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men.) "We have cereal for breakfast, bacon butties for lunch and microwave pies with mashed potato or chips for dinner," says Audrey.
"All that healthy food, like fruit and veg, is too expensive. We're fat because it's in our genes. Our whole family is overweight," she adds.
"I'm a student and don't have time to exercise," says Emma. "We all want to lose weight to stop the abuse we get in the street, but we don't know how."
What do you think – is this family making excuses for their extremely unhealthy lifestyle and taking advantage of the government?
School Principal Accused of Locking Students in Cages
Most parents would agree that our schools need to step up the discipline, particularly when it comes to kids and fisticuffs. But there's a point where discipline goes too far: A Texas high school was accused of locking kids in steel utility cages to battle out disputes with their fists and without head protection. According to The Dallas Morning News, the staff at South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas was under a 2008 investigation by the school district's Office of Professional Responsibility because school officials "knew of the practice, allowed it to go on for a time, and failed to report it."
The cage fights reportedly occurred in the boys' locker room between 2003 and 2005, and it's unclear exactly how many fights took place.
Top 10 Teacher Meltdowns
Sleeping With Students
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Teacher Claims to be Impaired by Baldness
Impaired from what exactly? READ MORE
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That's Just Gross
A Texas band teacher had a very unique (and nasty) punishment for one child who forgot his instrument. READ MORE
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Caught on Camera
If you're going to freak out at the kids, make sure the security camera isn't taping your every word. READ MORE
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Sleep, Or Go to Jail!
One 4-year-old was handcuffed at his preschool for refusing to nap. READ MORE
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Suspended for a Cell Phone Call
...to his dad, who was stationed in Iraq. Not exactly supporting the troops. READ MORE
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Bomb Threat!
A student teacher faked a bomb threat to get out of class. READ MORE
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Teacher Accused of Being a Wizard
Sounds like a Harry Potter plot, but JK Rowling had nothing to do with this one. READ MORE
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Teacher Fired for Branding Students With a Cross
Ouch! READ MORE
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Teacher Sued for Calling Teen "Ugly"
And on Valentine's Day to boot! READ MORE
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In one case, a school hall monitor tried to fight a student in the cage, but then-principal Donald Moten broke up the fight. However, in a separate incident, Moten reportedly told staff to put two teens (who were already fighting with each other) in the cage to "let'em duke it out." Moten denies the charges.
"I don't even know what you're talking about," says Moten. "That's barbaric. You can't do that at a high school. You can't do that anywhere."
But one middle school counselor has a different take on the incident: "It was gladiator-style entertainment for the staff," says Frank Hammond. "They were taking these boys downstairs to fight. And it was sanctioned by the principal and security."
Imaginary Friends - Normal or Not?
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have another kid under their roof: daughter Shiloh's imaginary friend Amy.
Reportedly two-year-old Shiloh's best friend is a make-believe little girl. "Shiloh says she likes Amy more than Knox and Viv," says a source close to Brangelina. And during dinner, Shiloh pushes away her plate and says, "Amy's not hungry." And although Brad and Angie have tried to reason with their daughter, Shiloh insists Amy is real.
Is this typical, or is it a Hollywood kid thing?
"It's totally normal for children ages three and four to have imaginary friends," says child psychologist Fran Walfish, Psy.D. "Often times kids invent a pretend playmate because they don't know how to relate to their parents – or their parents can't relate to them – so they create a 'friend' who understands them unconditionally."
According to Walfish, not only are imaginary friends a normal stage of development, it's also common for kids to create playmates when they feel lonely. In large and busy families where communication is scarce, a child may conjure up a buddy to keep them company or to comfort them when they're upset. In other words, a child may pretend -- or create -- someone who understands them.
Another reason kids invent friends is to avoid accountability. In Shiloh's case, pushing away her plate and saying "Amy's not hungry" is likely her way of expressing that she doesn't want to eat. "A child may fear his parents will be angry if he tells them how he feels, so he might say, 'So and so made me do it' or 'So and so wants a cookie,'" Walfish says.
Reportedly two-year-old Shiloh's best friend is a make-believe little girl. "Shiloh says she likes Amy more than Knox and Viv," says a source close to Brangelina. And during dinner, Shiloh pushes away her plate and says, "Amy's not hungry." And although Brad and Angie have tried to reason with their daughter, Shiloh insists Amy is real.
Is this typical, or is it a Hollywood kid thing?
Jolie-Pitt Clan
Girls' Day Out
Zahara and Shiloh enjoy a shopping trip with mom Angelina Jolie in New York. They look like typical little girls -- comfortable and warm and ready for fun with their mom.
Bauer-Griffin
Just when it seemed you'd read every sappy tidbit about the picture-perfect Jolie-Pitts and their nigh-on-holy parenting prowess, it turns out these immaculate specimens are even more flawless than originally assumed. But no matter what they tell reporters, the Hollywood power couple don't exactly practice what they preach.
James Devaney/WireImage.com
Brad recently told Hello! magazine that he and his family are too cool for fancy Christmas presents, saying: "We do exchange gifts, although we don't feel any pressure to make them big or expensive gifts."
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And not only that -- the reason the kids don't ask for the latest cheap, plastic, Elmo-inspired gadgets is because they don't watch American cartoons, thereby avoiding all the "manipulative" ads run by toymakers.
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Which, to be fair, is nice to hear. After all, in tough economic times, it's refreshing that even the wealthiest families are taking a sensible approach to the holiday madness.
Or, it would be, if the Jolie-Pitts weren't just spouting off about their holier-than-thou approach to child rearing. 'Cause, as it turns out, Angelina can be quite the spendthrift.
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Angie recently ordered a 2009 Ducati 1100s Monster for her hunky hubby's 45th birthday. The bike isn't available yet for us mere mortals, but when it is this hot ride will set you back $12,000.
Ducati
And you may remember in September of last year, when blogs were buzzing with the news that Angelina had bought daughter Zahara a mini Valentino braided leather shoulder bag (to match the grown-up version she was carrying at the time -- then worth $1695).
INFphoto.com
Not that the Jolie-Pitts are horrible people (I mean, what else would you do with hundreds of millions of dollars to spend?) -- but next time you're bummed because your family doesn't live up to Brangelina's unattainable standards, remember that their squeaky-clean celebrity image is just as much PR spin as it is reality.
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Angelina Jolie with Shiloh, Pax and Zahara walking in New Orlean's French Quarter in 2008.
Chris Wolf, FilmMagic
Brad Pitt carrying Shiloh and Zahara at the Lenval Hospital in Nice, where Angelina gave birth to twins Knox and Vivienne in July 2008.
Lionel Cironneau, AP
"It's totally normal for children ages three and four to have imaginary friends," says child psychologist Fran Walfish, Psy.D. "Often times kids invent a pretend playmate because they don't know how to relate to their parents – or their parents can't relate to them – so they create a 'friend' who understands them unconditionally."
According to Walfish, not only are imaginary friends a normal stage of development, it's also common for kids to create playmates when they feel lonely. In large and busy families where communication is scarce, a child may conjure up a buddy to keep them company or to comfort them when they're upset. In other words, a child may pretend -- or create -- someone who understands them.
Another reason kids invent friends is to avoid accountability. In Shiloh's case, pushing away her plate and saying "Amy's not hungry" is likely her way of expressing that she doesn't want to eat. "A child may fear his parents will be angry if he tells them how he feels, so he might say, 'So and so made me do it' or 'So and so wants a cookie,'" Walfish says.
Oprah - "Love Doesn't Hurt"
Teens & tweens, Behaving Badly, In The News
Last week Oprah Winfrey and Tyra Banks teamed up for an hour-long discussion about domestic violence inspired by the Chris Brown and Rihanna February 8th domestic assault case now before a Los Angeles court. The question on everyone's mind is: Can Brown overcome his anger problem? Well, according to Oprah, "If a man hits you once, he will hit you again...Love doesn't hurt."
"Rihanna reconciled with Chris because she doesn't think she's worthy of being with someone who won't hurt her," says Oprah. "If you were raised with self esteem, to think you're a worthy person you won't tolerate abuse."
And the same principal rings true for the abuser. Oprah says when a child grows up witnessing domestic abuse, violent behavior becomes ingrained. And the abusive cycle perpetuates because the child doesn't have an alternative coping mechanism for his anger.
Shauna Sand - Mother of the Year?
Celeb Parenting, Behaving Badly
Actress, former Playboy model, and mother of three Shauna Sand is no stranger to controversy. From performing public stripteases for the paparazzi, getting into physical brawls with former hubbies Romain Chavent and Lorenzo Lamas, and donning high heels on the beach, one thing is clear: This woman spends a lot of time in the public eye -- and not nearly enough time at home.
Recently, TMZ caught Sand out with her daughters, Alexandra, Victoria, and Isabel. In the video -- which you can see here -- Sand asks Alexandra if she would like to pose for Playboy (just like Mommy!). The girl rolls her eyes and replies, "No, Mom ... Yeah, a little girl on a magazine with stripper shoes and a bathing suit."
Hmm. Maybe Sand's not such a bad mom after all -- her daughter seems to be pretty savvy. Still, we think Sand could give could give Dina Lohan a run for her money in terms of parenting skills. And we don't mean that as a compliment.
Recently, TMZ caught Sand out with her daughters, Alexandra, Victoria, and Isabel. In the video -- which you can see here -- Sand asks Alexandra if she would like to pose for Playboy (just like Mommy!). The girl rolls her eyes and replies, "No, Mom ... Yeah, a little girl on a magazine with stripper shoes and a bathing suit."
Hmm. Maybe Sand's not such a bad mom after all -- her daughter seems to be pretty savvy. Still, we think Sand could give could give Dina Lohan a run for her money in terms of parenting skills. And we don't mean that as a compliment.
Celebrity Moms We Love to Hate
Gigi Levangie-Grazer
Hollywood producer Brian Grazer has been paying his ex-wife Gigi, who penned "The Starter Wife," $75K monthly, but she wants nearly $1 million per month for child support for two kids. Come on, Gigi.
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Pamela Anderson:
We applaud Pam for refusing to allow her kids to be filmed on her short-lived reality show Pam: Girl on the Loose, but Pam, your sons can still see you prancing around naked and your partying antics in Hollywood-as long as they have television and the Internet.
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Denise Richards:
At first we gave Denise Richards the benefit of the doubt when her reality-show Denise Richards: It's Complicated premiered-maybe she wasn't as bad as she seemed. But shortly after the first episode, it was clear the show was nothing more than a public forum for her bitter divorce from actor Charlie Sheen. From screaming the C-word to perpetuating the feud between her and her ex, Denise was quoted as saying, "The gloves are off. When I keep my mouth shut, [Charlie] continues to fuel [the feud] anyway, so I'm not gonna sit back anymore." What about staying classy for your kids?
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Christie Brinkley:
We admit we couldn't stop watching the very messy-and public-divorce between model Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook. But at the heart of the drama was a mom who seemingly had no qualms about humiliating her ex at the expense of her children. Do kids ages 13 and 10 really need to know about their dad's porn addiction and penchant for underage girls? Christie decided to keep their divorce a media circus and as a result, came off as an unfit mom.
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Courtney Love:
We all know Courtney is an unconventional mom. But in 1992, Vanity Fair shocked the world by claiming the rock star took heroin while unknowingly carrying daughter Frances Bean, and as a result, she had to fight for custody. And in 2003, she was arrested for breaking and entering at her ex-boyfriend's home. She was hospitalized for a drug overdose and Frances Bean was placed with the Department of Children and Family Services for over a year. Never mind a month-long stint in rehab in 2004, followed by six months in lock-down rehab, then house arrest. After publicly claiming she was suicidal when late husband Kurt Cobain's ashes were stolen from her home, and a constant battle with yo-yo dieting, we have to wonder how her daughter feels. Courtney, will you ever pull it together?
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Dina Lohan:
From late drinking and clubbing right alongside daughter Lindsay, it's a miracle Dina Lohan was voted a "Top Mom" by "Mingling Moms," a group for new mothers in Long Island, New York. Sure, Dina could have used Lindsay's mistakes to ensure younger sister Ali didn't follow suit, but this stage mama shocked fans during the premiere of Living Lohan when she enjoyed online porn-with Ali in the next room. When Ali walked in she asked, "Oh, is that Lindsay?"
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Linda Hogan:
Newly divorced Linda Hogan, 50, can certainly play the field, but she's dating a 19-year-old child-who's two years younger than her daughter Brooke. Despite the fact that Brooke has told the world her mom's actions are damaging their relationship ("I'm totally freaked out!"), and she's tired of the media attention, Linda seems oblivious to her daughter's pleas. Shouldn't she re-focus her priorities?
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Kate Moss:
Being pregnant didn't stop supermodel Kate Moss from posing nude in a life-size photo spread called "Naked Portrait 2002" Later that year, Kate gave birth to daughter Lila Grace-but she also continued her partying ways. During New York City's 2005 Fashion Week, London's Daily Mirror printed a photo of then 31-year-old Moss, mother to then two-year-old Lila, cutting lines of cocaine on a CD jewel box.
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Kathy Hilton:
The mother of heiress Paris Hilton says she's unfairly portrayed as a gold-digging stage mother, but where was mom when daughters Paris and Nicky, then 16 and 14, were hitting the New York club scene? In 2007 when a judge ordered 26-year-old Paris to serve 45 days in county jail for violating probation on a reckless driving case, Kathy laughed and said, "May I have your autograph?" And according to a Hilton biography, Kathy is proud of Paris's sex tape, painting her daughter a "victim." Maybe it's unfair to blame Paris's uncontrollable ways on her mom, but does the apple really fall far from the tree?
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Sharon Stone:
When earlier this year actress Sharon Stone lost physical custody of her 8-year-old son Roan, we were shocked. And while Sharon is known for creating controversy (suggesting the 2008 earthquake in China was the result of "karma") and for her extreme parenting style (pushing Roan to have Botox injections in his feet to cure foot odor), we had no idea how out of control this mom really was.
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Are Stay-at-Home Moms Taking Advantage of the Recession?
No doubt about it, hard economic times have women entering the work force in droves. Some are struggling to make ends meet after a divorce or the death of a spouse, while others are driven by the pressure of a husband's job loss. But for some women, there's more to it than that. In an article published by "Forbes" last week, writer Heidi Brown makes a subtle (but powerful) point about women who re-join the work force: The recession is just an excuse for stay-at-home moms bored by changing diapers and baby talk, to reinvent themselves. For some women, the recession is a time to clear up ongoing dilemmas and regain independence. For others, it's a time of survival.
Amy Keroes, an attorney and creator of the website Mommy Track'd, says there has been a huge increase in women entering the job market. According to her, those clamoring for work are educated, wealthy women who had the advantage of leaving their jobs, but are now experiencing an existential crisis (Who am I without a career?) and for these women, the recession came at the perfect time.
"These women were struggling with their identities because they weren't working," says Keroes. "I think 'having to' has made it easier for lots of women who were already struggling with whether to return."
Her point subtly implies that women aren't working out their personal struggles, but are instead using the recession as an easy-out for being dissatisfied with their lives. What's more, Keroes claim emphasizes the idea that staying at home is a decision commonly wracked by guilt -- but the guilt works both ways: Many working moms struggle with their decision to work and feel guilty about not spending "enough" time with their kids. And many stay-at-home moms also second-guess their decision (Am I not setting a good example for my daughters?). However, some women simply aren't career oriented and are fully satisfied by caring for their families full-time.
Women move in and out of the workforce for many reasons -- for those who left, perhaps they need to stay at home to care for a special needs child or aging relative, maybe they can freelance from home, while others may just need time off from the daily grind and have the resources to do so. The point is there are legitimate reasons for staying at home – and most certainly reasons for going to work.
Isn't it time to stop judging women for being breadwinners or breadmakers and cut everyone some slack for their choices?
Barbie Turns 50!
Sure, Barbie's wrinkle-free with impossibly perky boobs (after all, she's never breastfed) -- however the iconic blond turned 50 on Monday. Barbie has been a busy girl these past 50 years.
She's a career woman: Holding 108 different jobs including surgeon, teacher, veterinarian, news reporter, and UNICEF ambassador, Barbie is one ambitious lady. She's even served in the military and has run for President three times.
She's a property owner: Barbie owns a three-floor mansion in Malibu, a jet, a cruise ship, and of course, countless convertibles.
She's independent: After a 43-year romance with Ken, Barbie dumped him in 2004 for Australian surfer Blaine. Word is she and Ken made up, but her fling was fun while it lasted.
She's endured more bad press than Paris Hilton: For five decades Barbie's been criticized for her Waspy looks, shapely figure, and incessant shopping habit. She's been banned in Iran for her sexy "Western lifestyle" and blamed for poor self-image, even eating disorders among tweens. But...
Barbie: Victim of Violence?
Did you ever abuse your Barbie doll? We don't mean just putting the buxom blond in compromising positions with Ken. We're talking real "abuse" -- baking her, melting her, shaving her head, burning her, twisting her arms off -- even driving a nail through her heart. Well, if you're guilty of inflicting such torture on the beloved icon as a child, the good news is, torturing Barbie is completely normal.
When researchers at England's University of Bath conducted a study of children's play habits, they discovered that Barbie was used to the abuse.
"The types of mutilation are varied and creative, and range from removing the hair to decapitation, burning, breaking and even microwaving," writes Dr. Agnes Nairn. "The girls we spoke to see Barbie torture as a legitimate play activity, and see the torture as a 'cool' activity in contrast to other forms of play with the doll."
Experts surmise that Barbie is a "hate figure" among 7- to 11-year-old girls -- and that's got people talking.
