Barbie is going to be 50 next month. Gasp! And while it is true that acrylonitrile butadiene styrene ages better than collagen, plastic surgeon, Dr. Timothy Neavin, argues that Barbie is far less from perfect than Mattel and her neighboring East Coasters would have you believe.

Last week in New York, Barbie made her Fashion Week catwalk debut in 50 outfits by the country's top designers. This week Los Angeles, California, is going to be tearing it up in celebration of a superior American icon, the Oscar. New York City or Los Angeles? Plastic or gold plated britannium? You decide...

Barbara Millicent Roberts was born on March 9, 1959, as the Barbie doll was launched by Mattel, Inc. under the influence of Ruth Handler. But did you know that Barbie was inspired largely from what some consider a German sex doll? Lilli Bild was her name, and she was marketed to adults in bars and tobacco shops as a gag gift, commonly referred to in brochures as ‘always discreet' and ‘the star of every bar'.

Barbie attended Willows High School in New York City, and 50 years later she still hasn't graduated. And while Barbie has been a powerful player of the toy fashion doll market for nearly fifty years, she has also been a wild child inciting numerous controversies and lawsuits.

For one, the Barbie Doll is 11.5 inches in height. On a 1/6 scale, this represents 5 feet 9 inches with a 36 inch chest, 18 inch waist, and 33 inch hips. Biologically speaking, she would lack the 17 to 22 percent body fat required for menstruation. To achieve her unrealistic weight and body proportions, a young woman would likely have to become anorexic or undergo radical plastic surgery.

Oscar on the other hand will be celebrating his 81st birthday bash this Sunday, February 22, in Hollywood, California. Oscar stands 2 inches taller than Barbie at 13.5 inches. He depicts a knight holding a crusader's sword standing on a reel of film with five spokes, each representing the original branches of the Academy (actors, writers, directors, producers, and technicians). He is a complex alloy favored for its silvery appearance and smooth surface, consisting of approximately 93% tin, 5% antimony, and 2% copper, all smothered an a rich, gold coat.

Although the origins of Barbie are clear, Oscar's birth name is somewhat nebulous and has been contested. Some theorize that he was named after Bette Davis' first husband. Others suggest that he was titled after the Academy's Executive Secretary's uncle, Margaret Herrick's.

Whatever origin you choose to use, make no mistake. Oscar is a true class act. He represents the Academy Award of Merit, and remains one of the most sought out entertainment awards in human history. Stay tuned in this Sunday as Hollywood and the Academy's gold plated statuette proudly represent the West Coast in real style and elegance. New Yorkers and Barbie lovers of the world stare at their television in envy. This is Los Angeles, California, and it is home to the Oscars.

Story by Dr. Timothy Neavin.

Timothy Neavin is a plastic surgeon at Beverly Hills Body in Los
Angeles, California. He has written and lectured nationally on the
topics of plastic surgery's influence on one's sex life, body
sculpturing, and lectured nationally on the topic of injectables, and
the safety of outpatient surgery.

www.BeverlyHillsBody.com
310.276.3183
9201 Sunset Blvd, Suite 202
Timothy.Neavin@gmail.com

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