BROADCASTS.com

How did Barbie\u2014a voluptuous fashion doll for children\u2014become the It girl of toy aisle in the early 1960s, and what has it taken Mattel to keep it that way? Answer: Beyonc\xe9-level PR and a whole lotta lawsuits. Intern Anuli and Cristen sleuth out Barbie's ascent from gold digger to girl next door; her creator, Ruth Handler, whose own children hated the dolls; when Mattel took "Barbie Girl" to court; and why it took 21 years for Black Barbie to happen.\nPart 1 of 2.\nMixing and mastering by Multitude Productions.\n\nAdvertising inquiries? Contact Multitude\n\n\nShop NEW merch (sizes up to 5x)\n\nJoin the Unladies Room\n\n\n\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices