Dear Otus,
Did I read the High Profile article last week correctly? Is there really a couple in Heber Springs who have spent a small fortune to transform themselves into a real-life Ken and Barbie? Do you have a photo? Others who have tried, like Justin Jedlica and Valeria Lukyanova, end up looking plastic.
-- Lilli Bild
Stuttgart
Dear Lilli,
It was wholly a pleasure to hear from you and to reassure that, indeed, the couple are real and use their remarkable transformation into Ken and Barbie to perform charity work around the world.
To date, the couple have raised more than $3.6 million for the French charity Enfants Sans Poupees.
George and Lucille "Lucy" Bluth are the prominent couple in the article. Lucy (nee Jenkins) is the sole heiress to the Big Mouth Billy Bass fortune. Lucy's grandfather, Joe Pellettieri of Springfield, Mo., invented the animatronic singing fish in 1998 and sold the patent to Bass Pro Shops for a cool $87.5 million.
Bloomberg Businessweek estimates the novelty toy brought in more than $437 million worldwide before the fad faded in the early 2000s.
Note: For the world's third largest collection of Billy Bass plaques, check out Flying Fish in Little Rock's River Market District and its "Billy Bass Adoption Center." More than 1,300 "retired" Big Mouth Billy Bass decorate the restaurant's walls.
Lucy, who grew up in Bentonville, has lived a charmed life, but with that has come a healthy dose of noblesse oblige and a fascination with all things Barbie.
The Bluths live on 11 lakefront acres in a custom-built "smart" home by Searcy-based David Hendrix in the exclusive gated Eden Isle community at Heber Springs. The 14,200-square-foot house has four boat slips, eight bedrooms (each with a private spa bath), and an indoor hot tub that holds 27.
Most impressive of all is the 3,400-square-foot, steel and native rock, climate-controlled, security-monitored, lachrymatory-agent-protected display room for Lucy's $2.65 million Barbie collection. It's rumored to be the largest in the world outside of Bill and Melinda Gates' collection in their home in Medina, Wash.
Lucy specializes in vintage pre-1997 Barbies. Why 1997? That's when, after almost 40 years, Mattel finally bowed to pressure from militant feminists and de-hoochiefied Barbie. In cleaning up Barbie's bad girl image, Mattel obliterated much of what had made her unique.
It was 1997 when the toy company toned down Barbie's gravity-defying bustline, slightly thickened her waspish waist, closed her lascivious, parted, come-hither lips, softened the heavy "Hey, sailor," working girl makeup and muted Barbie's slightly rapacious look of carnal desire.
Since 1997, according to Barbie cognoscenti, the doll has lost her edge. Mattel could churn out a new model every week, such as Bead Blast Barbie and Secretary of State Barbie, but they'll never enjoy the value of the classic dolls.
Granted, some later versions still made Barbie look like a hussy. The Totally Stylin' Tattoos Barbie from 2009 was recalled when parents complained. It included a heart-shaped "Ken" tattoo on Barbie's, um, lower back. That tat style is known pejoratively as a "tramp stamp." We'll just leave it at that.
However, George and Lucy have chosen to have their plastic surgeon, the internationally renowned Dr. Payman Simoni of Beverly Hills, transform them into more modern representations of Ken and Barbie. Simoni specializes in the Silkstone Barbie look, which features a marvelous likeness combined with more realistic skin.
For this year's charity season (see the photo), George is making the rounds as Tailored Tuxedo Ken from the Barbie Fashion Model Collection. The epitome of exquisite black tie, George wears a suave and sophisticated classic three-piece tuxedo. The silhouette of his beautifully tailored, single-breasted jacket is accentuated by stylish wide lapels and a single vent. His crisp white shirt is worn under an optional collared white pique vest, with a black satin bow tie adding just a touch of mischief.
Lucy, a gorgeous, ethereal blonde, is ready for a fabulous evening out as Red Carpet Barbie, modeled after the 2014 Barbie Look Collection. Lucy's always perfectly coiffed, expertly accessorized and delightfully dressed in her strapless blue satiny fishtail gown that stuns with its dramatic hue and fabulous silhouette.
Glam accessories include a purse, statement jewelry, and an amazing pair of Manolo Blahnik silver metallic heels, topped by a vintage gold brocade cape. The fashion icon is a showstopper at any gala holiday event.
Until next time, Kalaka reminds you that you can see more photos of the Bluths on their charity website, KenandBarbie.com.
Disclaimer
Fayetteville-born Otus the Head Cat's award-winning column of
Z humorous fabrication X
appears every Saturday. Email:
mstorey@arkansasonline.com
HomeStyle on 12/27/2014