Barbie Dolls vs. Bratz Dolls

This week in The Lab, Daddy Clay and Daddy Brad ask the important question - What the heck has happened to dolls? These days review the two biggest brands, Barbie and Bratz? Are you okay with your daughter playing with these fashion dolls?

Clyde: As any dad who’s been to a toy store can tell you, in the doll aisle these days, you can find a lot of sassiness. And not all of them makes us really comfortable. Well this whole segment, this huge doll industry has been taken over by two primary brands, there's Barbie, and there's the Brattz. So the question of the day is, do you feel comfortable with your daughter playing with these kinds of fashion dolls? If you got an opinion, please share it with us, drop us a comment, let us know how you feel about Barbie versus the Brattz. Brad, how do you feel? Barbie, you're going to let your daughter play with Barbie? Brad: It’s a tough decision. Barbie, probably yes. Because Barbie has been around forever. I remember my sister playing with Barbie. Clyde: Right, but a lot of parents feeling comfortable with Barbie because of her, shall we say, her dimensions. May cause problems with girls defining their body image. Do you want them creating an unrealistic expectation of themselves because of Barbie and her hair? Brad: Yeah, her hair is very long. And that might create some int. Clyde: That’s teacher Barbie, do you think your daughter’s teacher going to look like that? Brad: Not my daughter. Clyde: Okay, so would you buy a Barbie? Brad: I wouldn’t buy a Barbie, but, I'm not banning Barbie from the house. Clyde: Okay, Barbie’s not banned. I feel the same way, actually this Barbie belongs to my daughter. It was given as a Christmas present, and fine. Okay, same question, Brattz. Brad: Brattz, she's got longer hair, if you know what I mean? And she looks a little. Clyde: Obviously, there's a number of features. She could stand up. Brad: But Barbie can too. Clyde: She features eye makeup and it looks good. Lots of bling. So how would you feel about this with your 5 year old girl? Would you let her, would you buy a Brattz? Would you let her play with them? Brad: Probably not. I don’t want my 5 year old thinking that this skirt is appropriate. Clyde: Not only would I not buy, I probably would not, would you be willing to fight the battle. I mean, if she opens that up at her birthday party, would you be willing to go get that and say, no honey, that’s really a trash. Brad: That’s tough. Clyde: That would be a tough battle and fight. So for those of you who are invited to my daughter’s next birthday party, please, no Brattz. Please. Brad: But you know, you might have to go there, because it’s a huge industry. Barbie, which is a Mattel product, is 3-4 billion sales. And then Brattz, which is MGA Entertainment, 2 billion. The home is crawled up. So lots and lots of parents are buying these. Maybe they start putting thongs? Clyde: You know these dolls, they don’t like each other very much. As a matter of fact, Barbie is suing the crap out of the Brattz, because Mattel, the owner of Barbie contends that the designer working for Mattel designed the Brattz and then give them away. So there's a huge legal battle, cat fight. Brattz: Bitch. Barbie: Slut. Brattz: Whore. Barbie: I'm nice. Brattz: Nice silicon there mistress. Oh my legs, my legs. Clyde: If you're uncomfortable with these two dolls. There is an option, this is an American girl doll. Brad: Cute. Clyde: Obviously very wholesome. She has hair. A nice white outfit that goes all the way down. She comes with a book. Any doll that comes with a book is got to be a good thing. Brad: No makeup. Clyde: No makeup. And the only issue here is that this baby is $85. So, you definitely have alternatives, fashion dolls that are wholesome, that we all feel good about the girls playing with as long as you're stinking rich. Brad: She's got some split ends. Clyde: I think that's all for us with Dad Labs. Happy shopping.