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☆ Lego is cashing in big time on its adult fan base, doubling its revenue in the last decade
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Lego is cashing in on adult fans buying high-priced Lego sets. The $850 Millennium Falcon set is part of how Lego doubled its revenue in a decade. Lego knows that and is cashing in on its base of adult fans willing to dish out hundreds of dollars on elaborate sets. "Nowadays it's not so geeky," Sian Twynham, another adult Lego builder, told the Journal. AdvertisementWhether it's nostalgia or strategic marketing, toy companies are seeing big returns when they rebrand kids products for adult audiences.

Persons: —, Jonny Edmondson, We've, Julia Goldin, Lego's, Sian Twynham, Greta Gerwig's, toymaker Mattel, execs Organizations: Service, Star, Wall Street, Warner Bros, Hasbro, Associated Press

☆ Here's how I prepared for my 15-hour long-haul flight to Hong Kong
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Joi-Marie Mckenzie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Before I share how I survived my 15-hour flight, I have to let you in on my personal Q2 challenge: I'm determined to eat less ultra-processed foods. Now the city has reimagined itself as a tourist destination, with a waterpark, an artificial beach, and a golf course. According to one estimate, Americans actually have about four to six hours of leisure time every day. AdvertisementSee the full listMore of this week's top reads:The Insider Today team: Joi-Marie McKenzie, editor-in-chief, in New York.

Persons: —, you'll, Let's, Greta Gerwig's, Barbie, Jenny Chang, Rodriguez, Marielle, Marielle Descalsota, Daniel Chaney, Alexa Campbell, Henry Ammann, Alyssa Powell, Beyoncé, Carter, Buckle, Tanner Adell, who's, Javier Zayas, there's, Tyler Le, Ewan McGregor's, Lisa Frankenstein, Zelda Williams, Robin Williams, Joi, Marie McKenzie, Jordan Parker Erb, Dan DeFrancesco, Lisa Ryan Organizations: Service, Business, Canberra Airport, Getty, Art Basel, BI, Visa, Mastercard —, Mastercard Forest City, Paramount, Netflix Locations: Hong Kong, Australia, Johor, Malaysia's Forest, Forest City, Texas, Moscow, New York

☆ Wow, Elon Musk really hates the Oscars
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

"Winning an Oscar now just means you won the woke contest," Musk said on Sunday. Musk said the awards have been "diluted" and "no longer commands respect." "Winning an Oscar now just means you won the woke contest," Musk wrote on X on Sunday, as this year's award ceremony began. "When an award is diluted, everyone knows, including those who received it, and it no longer commands respect," he said in a subsequent post. Musk did not specify what exactly he thought was "woke" about this year's Oscar-nominated films, which include Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" and Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer."

Persons: Elon, Musk, —, Oscar, Greta Gerwig's, Christopher Nolan's, Oppenheimer Organizations: Academy, Service

☆ The 'Barbie' cast wore all-black to celebrate America Ferrera, not protest their Oscar snubs
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Anneta Konstantinides | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementBut these fans were ignoring the fact that one "Barbie" star was wearing Barbie pink — America Ferrera. America Ferrera attends the 2024 Oscars. It was a showstopping dress that finally gave Ferrera — who mostly wore black during the "Barbie" press tour — her big red-carpet moment. America Ferrera presenting at the 2024 Oscars with her "Barbie" costar Kate McKinnon. AdvertisementFerrera received her first Oscar nomination for "Barbie."

Persons: —, Margot Robbie, Robbie, strapless Versace, Mike Coppola, Barbie, Ryan Gosling, Kate McKinnon, Simu Liu, Issa Rae, Greta Gerwig hadn't, Jeff Kravitz, America Ferrera, Arturo Holmes, Ferrera —, Gerwig's snubs, Gosling, Hillary Clinton, Gerwig, America, Rich Polk, Ferrera, Rita Moreno, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Emma McIntyre Organizations: Service, Academy, Business, AMI, ABC, Hollywood, America, Variety, Latina

☆ Jimmy Kimmel called out Greta Gerwig's 'Barbie' snub and awkwardly came on to Ryan Gosling in his 2024 Oscars monologue
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Olivia Singh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read previewJimmy Kimmel took the stage at the 96th Academy Awards to host the show for the fourth time, and called out "Barbie" director Greta Gerwig's snub in his opening monologue. Then, Kimmel walked out on the stage to Dua Lipa's "Dance the Night," which is featured on the "Barbie" soundtrack. Kimmel then called "Barbie," which scored eight Oscar nominations, the "biggest movie of the year." After the uncomfortable moment, he pointed out Robbie and Ryan Gosling, who are nominated for best actress and best actor.

Persons: —, Jimmy Kimmel, Barbie, Greta Gerwig's, Kimmel, Margot Robbie's, Gerwig, Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Gosling, Ryan, who's, Eva Mendes, Christopher Nolan's, Oppenheimer, Robert Downey Jr, Downey, He's Organizations: Service, Dolby Theatre, Ovation Hollywood, Business, Marvel, Hollywood Reporter

☆ Barbie is the blueprint as Mattel seeks to revitalize American Girl, Fisher-Price
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

This is especially important for the company's Fisher-Price and American Girl brands, which have been in the midst of their own transformations for several years. In just the last year, net global sales for American Girl were down 9%. When it comes to to the American Girl brand, Kreiz admits that the challenges "were not product driven," but rather an issue with its commercial strategy. American Girl doll by Mattel Source: Mattel"We think there's some real opportunities to continue to grow the brand and extend the story that exists within American Girl thoughtfully, and we want to do it authentically," said Silverman. Mattel executives remained tightlipped about what to expect from an upcoming American Girl movie, which currently does not have a release date.

Persons: Barbie, Ynon Kreiz, Fisher, Price, Kreiz, He's, Greta Gerwig, Josh Silverman, Margot Robbie, It's, company's Fisher, Capital, Mattel, Silverman, Lisa McKnight Organizations: Warner Bros, Mattel, Barington Capital, American Girl, CNBC, Sinfonietta, Sunday's, American, Fisher, Disney, Paramount Locations: American

☆ Before 'Barbie', Oscar nominee Greta Gerwig was rejected by every writing program she applied to
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The 40-year-old multihyphenate has been nominated for four Academy Awards, once for directing "Lady Bird" and three times for her writing. "I got rejected from every graduate school I applied to," she once said in an appearance on the "Employee of the Month" podcast. The challenge of breaking into the industry also had another side effect: for years, Gerwig was hesitant to negotiate her salary. In a 2020 interview with CNBC Make It, she said she worried about asking "for too much." Regardless of whether she takes home a statuette for "Barbie", Gerwig isn't facing much rejection these days.

Persons: Greta Gerwig, Barbie, Frances Ha, Joe Swanberg's, Hanna, Gerwig, didn't Organizations: Yale, Juilliard, NYU, CNBC, Netflix Locations: Hollywood

☆ Here's what Barbie looked like the year you were born
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Talia Lakritz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The first Barbie doll hit shelves in 1959, making the iconic toy 65 years old in 2024. The "Barbie" movie, directed by Greta Gerwig, is nominated for eight Oscars. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" movie, which is nominated for eight Academy Awards, has also sparked a renaissance of the doll-inspired Barbiecore aesthetic, which includes vibrant shades of pink, chunky heels, and kitschy accessories. Here's a look at how Barbie dolls have evolved through the years.

Persons: Barbies, Greta Gerwig, —, Greta Gerwig's, Barbie Organizations: Service, Barbies

☆ Ryan Gosling says his version of Ken in 'Barbie' was inspired by '80s Sylvester Stallone and 'The Bachelorette'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Ryan Gosling says his Ken in "Barbie" was inspired by Sylvester Stallone and "The Bachelorette." The Oscar-nominated actor spoke to Variety about his portrayal of Ken in the film. AdvertisementRyan Gosling says his version of Ken in "Barbie" was inspired by '80s Sylvester Stallone and "The Bachelorette." The Oscar-nominated actor spoke to Variety about how he portrayed Ken in the film, including the inspiration behind Ken's outfits and behavior. That's a result of Gosling and director Greta Gerwig's mutual love for '80s Sylvester Stallone, the actor said.

Persons: Ryan Gosling, Ken, Barbie, Sylvester Stallone, —, Gosling, Greta Gerwig's Organizations: Variety, Service, Business

“There is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no ‘Barbie’ movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making, globally celebrated film,” Ryan Gosling said. Her first three films as a solo director — “Lady Bird,”“Little Women” and “Barbie” — have all been nominated for best picture. One likely factor: the increasingly international composition of the film academy. After Ben Affleck went unnominated for directing 2012's “Argo,” voters rallied around his movie, ultimately handing Affleck the Oscar for best picture. Whether the same effect could follow “Barbie" will be one of the biggest questions leading up the Academy Awards.

Persons: —, Barbie ”, Greta Gerwig's, Ken, Barbie, Greta Gerwig, Margot Robbie, ” Ryan Gosling, Hillary Clinton, Greta, “ Barbie, “ Oppenheimer, Jimmy Kimmel, “ Jimmy Kimmel, ”, Gosling, Robbie, Gerwig, “, Lady Bird, Kathryn Bigelow, Zhao, Jane Campion, Bird, Noah Baumbach, “ Barbie ”, Robbie didn't, ” snubs, Mary McNamara, Barbie ’, Robbie’s Barbie, Justine Triet, Palme, Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer, Martin Scorsese, Jonathan Glazer, Yorgos, — Gerwig, Alexander Payne, Lanthimos, Glazer, Celine Song's “, Shannon Watts, “ Oscar, Ben Affleck, Affleck, Oscar, Billie Jean King, Jake Coyle Organizations: Twitter, Academy of Motion Pictures Arts, Sciences, Gerwig, Los Angeles Times, ” Locations: Europe

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A look at notable facts, figures and curiosities from Tuesday's nominations for the 96th Academy Awards, which saw “Oppenheimer” lead with 13 Oscar nominations, with “Poor Things” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” also running up big numbers. Like her “Nyad” co-star Annette Bening, she got her fifth Oscar nomination for the based-on-a-true-story swimming drama from Netflix, and it's Foster's first in 29 years. Williams has been nominated a staggering 54 times — 49 for original score and five for original song, making him the most nominated living person. MORE 2024 OSCAR FACTS AND FIGURESThe best actor category includes three first-time Oscar nominees: Domingo, Jeffrey Wright and Cillian Murphy. And speaking of best original song, no running of the recent Oscar numbers would be complete without a nod to Diane Warren.

Persons: “ Oppenheimer, Oscar, Jodie Foster, Martin Scorsese's, Nyad ”, Annette Bening, it's, Nell ”, Foster, Emily Blunt, Danielle Brooks, America, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, isn't, Judd Hirsch, Henry Fonda, Helen Hayes, ”, Colman Domingo —, “ Rustin ” —, JOHN WILLIAMS, ’ John Williams, Indiana Jones, Williams, Walt Disney’s, WOMEN'S, WOMEN, Barbie ”, Greta Gerwig, Justine Triet, Celine Song, –, Margot Robbie's, “ Barbie ”, Robbie, “ Barbie, Gerwig, It's, Noah Baumbach, SPIELBERG, SCORSESE Steven Spielberg, Spielberg, “ Maestro, ” He’ll, Bradley Cooper, Scorsese, William Wyler, John Huston’s, “, Domingo, Jeffrey Wright, Cillian Murphy, Paul Giamatti, Cooper, It’s, Ken ”, Diane Warren, She'll Organizations: ANGELES, Netflix, Lambs, “ Airport, ”, nab Locations: La

☆ Women are making great films, but they're still getting ignored by the Academy
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Palmer Haasch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

But on a more disappointing (though not unexpected) note, only one of those women earned a nomination for best director. "Barbie," "Anatomy of a Fall," and "Past Lives" will all compete for best picture at the Oscars in March. The snubs for Greta Gerwig, who helmed the billion-dollar box-office hit "Barbie," and "Past Lives" director Celine Song are notable. Gerwig's first three solo films as a director — "Lady Bird", "Little Women," and "Barbie" — were all good enough to make the best picture cut. But to this day, only one has ever gotten her in the best director running.

Persons: —, Barbie, Justine Triet, Jonathan Glazer, Yorgos, Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer, Martin Scorsese, Greta Gerwig, Celine Song, Nolan, Oscar, Lina Wertmüller, Sofia Coppola, Emerald Fennell, Kathryn Bigelow, Chloé Zhao, Jane Campion, Campion, Zhao, Selma, Sarah Polley, Ava DuVernay, Barbra Streisand, Greta Lee, Gerwig, Margot Robbie, Gerwig's Organizations: Golden Globes

☆ Saoirse Ronan shares details on her scrapped 'Weird Barbie' cameo: 'I think I'd be the strange girl who talked to herself'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Eve Crosbie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

She told Variety she was going to play a Barbie "who talked to herself and always had her pet dog." It sounds an awful lot like she was supposed to play the recalled Barbie doll that came with a pooping dog. AdvertisementSaoirse Ronan has shared some details about the "Weird Barbie" role she almost played. "I don't know what he was going to be, but I was definitely going to be a Weird Barbie. Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie with Tanner the dog in "Barbie."

Persons: Saoirse Ronan, Variety, Barbie, —, Wonka, Chalamet, Ronan, Kate McKinnon, didn't, Tanner, Mattel, Jimmy Fallon, Hannah Khalique, Brown, Ken, Rob Brydon, Greta Gerwig's, Dan Levy Organizations: Service, Variety, US Consumer Product Safety Commission, Warner Bros Locations: Welsh

☆ Ryan Gosling's reaction to 'I'm Just Ken' winning a Critics Choice Award is so wholesome
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Eammon Jacobs | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

On Sunday, Ryan Gosling's "I'm Just Ken" won best song at the Critics Choice Awards. Advertisement"Barbie" star Ryan Gosling's stunned reaction to "I'm Just Ken" winning best song at the Critics Choice Awards was the wholesome highlight of Sunday's awards show. "I'm Just Ken" was a huge hit with fans, with over 100 million streams on Spotify alone, so it's not a shock that it won best song at the Critics Choice Awards. Ryan Gosling’s blank reaction to him winning the Critics Choice Award which should’ve gone to Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For” is just pure gold. — Minji Kang 🇰🇷🇮🇱 (@minjivkang) January 15, 2024Another joked that maybe Gosling secretly hates "I'm Just Ken."

Persons: Ryan Gosling's, Ken, Barbie, —, I'm, Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Greta Gerwig's, Gosling, Margot Robbie, it's, Ryan, “ I’m, Ken ”, o7EgopRYqJ, Ryan Gosling, I’m, ryan gosling, nk Ryan G Organizations: Service, Twitter, nk Locations: Barbie's

☆ Jo Koy mocks celebrities at the Golden Globes by comparing them to 'marshmallows' in first stand-up set after backlash
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Lauren Edmonds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AdvertisementJo Koy slammed the celebrity audience who gave him a lukewarm reception during the 81st annual Golden Globes Awards. During his opening monologue, Koy aimed at several celebrities, including "Saltburn" actor Barry Keoghan and the film "Oppenheimer." Advertisement"The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL? On the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift," Koy said. Rich Polk/Golden Globes 2024/Getty ImagesDuring his monologue, Koy said "Barbie" is based on "on a plastic doll with big boobies."

Persons: Jo Koy, Taylor Swift, —, Louis, Koy, Barry Keoghan, Oppenheimer, Taylor, Travis Kelce, Rich Polk, Swift, Greta Gerwig's, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Greta Gerwig, Jo Koy's, Sonja Flemming, Gerwig Organizations: Globe, Service, Variety, Globes, Los Angeles, Netflix, Kansas City Chiefs, Golden Globes, NFL, YouTube, CBS, Getty, BBC

☆ Why Jo Koy's Golden Globes Monologue Is Being Ridiculed and Memed
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-08 | by ( Andrew Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Many X users hit back at Koy's remarks, dubbing his performance " awful " and " unfunny ," and suggesting he had bombed as this year's host. Later in the evening, Koy turned his attention to Taylor Swift and her relationship with Travis Kelce. Taylor Swift takes a sip of her drink after Jo Koy's joke about her at the #GoldenGlobes. At the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift." "Jo Koy escaping the #GoldenGlobes to avoid seeing Taylor Swift or anyone in that audience after the show," one X user wrote , alongside a GIF of a man jumping through a glass window.

Persons: —, Jo Koy, Koy, Oppenheimer, Greta Gerwig's, Barbie, Margot Robbie, Jo Koy’s, pic.twitter.com, Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Swift, Jo Koy's, Danny DeVito's, Koy's clangers, Selena Gomez, Gomez, Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner Organizations: Service, Golden Globe, Business, NFL, Golden Globes Locations: Philadelphia

☆ Cillian Murphy says 'Oppenheimer' came out the same day as 'Barbie' partly because Christopher Nolan is superstitious
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Olivia Singh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" and Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" were released on July 21. Cillian Murphy told Margot Robbie that Nolan was "determined" to have a summer release. Advertisement"Barbie" star Margot Robbie and "Oppenheimer" actor Cillian Murphy discussed the pop-culture phenomenon known as "Barbenheimer," and explained how filmmaker Christopher Nolan's superstition influenced the release date of his movie. Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in "Oppenheimer." Advertisement"That was a good instinct," Murphy told Robbie.

Persons: Greta Gerwig's, Christopher Nolan's, Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy, Margot Robbie, Nolan, Murphy, —, Robbie, Barbie, Robert Oppenheimer, Nolan's, Christopher Nolan, J, Christian Bale, Long, Mia, Jason Guerrasio, Nolan wasn't, Warner, Jaap Buitendijk, Chuck Roven, Roven Organizations: Service, Universal, San Francisco, Warner Bros Locations: Dunkirk

☆ The 'Barbie' movie turning into a global phenomenon helped boost sales for the plastic doll – but not by as much as you might expect
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" movie pushed up sales for the iconic doll, Mattel execs say. Global gross billings in the quarter were up 14%, but this wasn't enough to offset poor performance in the first half of 2023. AdvertisementAdvertisementGreta Gerwig's "Barbie" blockbuster helped boost sales for the plastic doll following a poor performance in the first half of the year. North America made up around 58% of Barbie's total gross billings, and saw a much bigger rise — gross billings were up 26% to $349.9 million in the quarter. Global gross billings were down 6% in the year to September compared to the same period in 2022.

Persons: Greta Gerwig's, Mattel, —, Barbie, Ynon Kreiz, Kreiz, Barbie repositions Mattel, Gross, Anthony DiSilvestro, Mattel execs, Ruth Handler —, Rhea Perlman Organizations: Global, billings, Service, Mattel Locations: Hollywood, billings, America

☆ The Birkenstock brothers are worth $3.4 billion, even after the shoemaker's shares tanked at its IPO
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Two heirs of Birkenstock are now worth $3.4 billion after the company's IPO, Bloomberg reported. Birkenstock listed in New York on Wednesday, but shares opened at 11% below their offer price. AdvertisementAdvertisementTwo of the heirs of German sandal maker Birkenstock are now worth a combined $3.4 billion after the company went public, Bloomberg reported. The nearly 250-year-old company listed on the New York Stock Exchange via an IPO, trading under the ticker "BIRK" and pushing up the fortunes of Alex and Christian Birkenstock. The brothers netted more than €3 billion ($3.2 billion) from that transaction, Bloomberg reported.

Persons: Birkenstock, —, Alex, Christian Birkenstock, Christian, Stephan, Karl Birkenstock, Alex Birkenstock, Bernard, Alexandre Arnault, Charles Dolan, Kendall Jenner, Barbie, boomers, Xers, Gen Zers, Greta Gerwig's, Emma Chamberlain Organizations: Bloomberg, Service, New York Stock Exchange, Warner Bros Locations: New York, Germany, Americas, Europe ., Boston, Barbieland

NEW YORK (AP) — “The Nun 2” and “A Haunting in Venice” virtually tied for the No. In its second weekend of release, Warner Bros.' “The Nun 2,” a spinoff from the studio's lucrative “Conjuring” franchise, grossed $14.7 million. If numbers hold, that will give “The Nun 2” (up to $56.5 million total and $158.8 million worldwide) the top spot at the box office for the second straight week. In three weeks, its grossed $73.7 million domestically and $132.4 million worldwide. Fourth place went to "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3” with $4.7 million in its second weekend of release.

Persons: —, Venice ”, Hercule Poirot, ” Kenneth Branagh's, Agatha Christie, ”, Denzel Washington, “ Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer ”, Barbie ”, Greta Gerwig's, Comscore, “ Barbie, “, “ Oppenheimer, Jake Coyle Organizations: Warner Bros, Orient Express, Century Studios, Walt Disney Co, It's, SAG, WGA, GameStop, Twitter Locations: Venice, ”, Telluride, Toronto

☆ 'Barbie' is about to pass 'Super Mario Bros.' and become the world's biggest movie of 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"Barbie" is poised to overtake Super Mario globally after becoming the biggest US movie this year. "Barbie" is Warner Bros.' most successful US release and is about to become its biggest film ever. The Greta Gerwig-directed film about Mattel's plastic doll surpassed "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" domestically with a $575.4 million gross, according to data seen by The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline . Warner Bros./Universal"Barbie" is now Warner Bros'. Nolan's latest three-hour epic has performed very well at the box office, taking almost $725 million, per Box Office Mojo.

Persons: Greta Gerwig, Mario, Barbie, pip Mario, execs, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Gerwig, Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan's, Harry Potter, Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck, Noah Baumbach, Matt Winkelmeyer, Robbie, Gosling Organizations: Super Mario, Warner Bros, Mario Bros, Hollywood, Mojo, Variety, Staff, Getty, Australian

☆ In Barbie lore, Allan was actually the father of pregnant Midge's unborn baby
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

In "Barbie," Allan appears as a kind but lonely man who just wants to hang out with the Kens and Barbies. But in Mattel lore, Allan was actually married to Midge and had two children with the doll, despite him not interacting with her in the movie. A few months later, in early 1964, the toy company began producing a red-haired boyfriend for Midge, Allan Sherwood, named for Handler's son-in-law. "Allan shares wonderful adventures with Barbie and her friends," including going on double dates as Midge's partner with Barbie and Ken, a advert from 1964 proclaimed. Allan was the same size as Ken, meaning that he could share his clothes, as was the case with Barbie and Midge.

Persons: Barbie, Allan, Midge, Greta Gerwig's, Allan Sherwood, Handler's, Ken, Allan's, Michael Cera, bendable, Brad, Ruth Handler, Alan, Mattel, Ryan, Nikki –, nathanmychael Organizations: Service, Mattel, Families, Walmart Locations: Wall, Silicon, Gerwig's

☆ Hollywood is helping boost the economy as fans flock to 'Barbie,' 'Oppenheimer,' and Taylor Swift's Eras Tour
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Zahra Tayeb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour and "Barbenheimer" have been key drivers of consumer spending this year. "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" has also boosted theaters that are still struggling post-pandemic. "'Barbenheimer' likely drove the continued surge in year-on-year entertainment spending growth," analysts Shruti Mishra and Aditya Bhave wrote in a note. Nintendo/Universal"The Super Mario Bros. Bringing some more optimism to global economies is "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" — an animated adaptation of the Nintendo video game.

Persons: Taylor, Mario, quieten, hasn't, Swift, Barbie, Oppenheimer, Taylor Swift, Taylor Hill, Jamie Cox, Covid, Cox, Shruti Mishra, Aditya Bhave, Greta Gerwig's, Zelda Organizations: Mario Bros, Service, Hollywood, Federal Reserve, Institute, Harris Financial Group, Bank of America, AMC, Nintendo Locations: Wall, Silicon, Cincinnati , Ohio, what's, Philadelphia

☆ What is patriarchy? What does it mean and why is everyone talking about it?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Eliza Anyangwe | Melissa Mahtani | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

However, the main characteristic of a patriarchal society is one where men hold more power and authority which subsequently leads to male privilege. As such, a woman's place in a patriarchal society is primarily to be homemakers, procreators or caregivers. Gender inequality -- the unequal treatment of someone based solely on their gender -- is an outcome of patriarchal societies but the terms do not mean the same thing. Despite strides towards sex equality that have been gaining momentum for more than a century, the US remains a patriarchal society. While not evenly accorded to all males, being assigned male at birth in a patriarchal society comes with privileges.

Persons: Greta Gerwig's, Barbie, Ken, Gerwig, Allan Johnson, Roe, Wade, Angela Saini, Saini, General António Guterres, Guterres Organizations: CNN, United Nations, BBC, UN Locations: American, British, Çatalhöyük, Turkey, matriarchies, Asante, Ghana, Barbieland, Sumatra, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Panama, China, Khasi, India, Angola, Namibia

☆ Midge, the pregnant doll mocked in 'Barbie,' may have failed in the 1960s because she was friendlier and 'much more girl-next-doorish' than Barbie, Ruth Handler once said
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Mattel's Midge doll may have failed in the 1960s because she was "less glamorous" than Barbie, Ruth Handler once said. A pregnant version of the doll, referenced in Greta Gerwig's movie, was pulled from Walmart in 2002. A TV advert said that Barbie, Midge, and Ken "go everywhere together," including sunbathing on the beach, playing tennis, and attending school. Mattel released a pregnant version of Midge in 2002. Walmart pulled the sets, with a spokesperson telling CNN at the time that customers "were not happy" with the pregnant doll.

Persons: Midge, Barbie, Ruth Handler, Handler, Greta Gerwig's, Emerald Fennell, Ken, Allan, Michael Cera, didn't, Barbie's, Alan, Mattel, Lawrence Lucier, Ryan –, Ryan, – Organizations: Walmart, Service, Mattel, PJ, University of Southern, CNN Locations: Wall, Silicon, University of Southern California

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