Barbie: Rosie O'Donnell

Last week, Barbie announced some significant changes regarding its fashion doll line.  Already the hardest working doll in the toy business with a wealth of cultures and nationalities deeply embedded in the collection, they are further diversifying the brand by including a new line of dolls with an expanded range of eye colors, skin tones and even body types - the latter garnering the most attention.  In addition to Barbie's traditionally lithe, model-esque body shape, the Fashionistas Line will also offer a tall, petite and curvy version of the beauty.  It's a move that left many shocked and surprised (pleasantly), but I wasn't.  I knew that these were waters that had been previously chartered.  Long before "curvy" Barbie, there was Rosie - a Barbie made in the likeness of well-known "funny girl" Rosie O'Donnell.  Full-figured with her signature smile to match, she was a perfect replica of the star... and a welcomed visual departure from its usual celebrity iterations.        

Best known as the brash "wise-cracker" Doris in A League of Her Own, Roseann "Rosie" O'Donnell has quite the entertainment resume.  With prominent roles on both the big and small screen, the Long Island-born comedienne even helmed her own talk show - a snapshot in time that has been dutifully captured with this doll.  From her signature pantsuit and sneakers to her microphone and additional accoutrements, every detail has been provided and accounted for.

Even the back of the box has been recruited for the sake of authenticity, displaying a full mockup of the set of her talk show to serve as a backdrop during playtime.

Keeping in line with the raven-haired entertainer's simple approach to aesthetics, Rosie's makeup is kept to a minimum; her brown eyes are lightly lined in a burnt sienna, allowing her lips to take center stage in a bright cherry-red.

So there you have it!  When they made the Rosie O'Donnell Barbie, they broke the mold... and defied convention.  Long before all the hubbub over "Curvy", there was Rosie - a doll that lauded the comic's achievements as well as her physical attributes.  It's a doll that acknowledges and celebrates the fact that women come in all sizes.  It's a doll that served as the precursor of what was to come...  And I'm so glad to have her in my collection!