The Weirdest and Wildest Moments in 60 Years of Barbie

Barbie turns 60 years old in 2019. And her life has been extraordinary. Because she’s a news anchor, a president and even characters like Dorothy from “The Wizard of Oz.” But that’s only a few of the wild things Barbie is.

So, to honor her, we’re looking at Barbie’s best and weirdest moments ever.

The Pentagon Engineered Her

The Pentagon had a hand at engineering the blonde bombshell. Sort of. An engineer named Jack Ryan used to make missiles for the Pentagon. But then Mattel hired Ryan to make high-quality toys for the company.

His redesigns for the Barbie doll gave her “click click” knee joints and her iconic, twistable waist.

Barbie Didn’t Have a Belly Button

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Barbie dolls have been on the market for 60 years. But Barbie was missing something when she made her public debut at the 1959 American International Toy Fair in New York. She didn’t have a belly button! And she didn’t get one until 2000.

That’s over 40 years overdue.

She Was a Goodwill Ambassador

In 1989, Barbie followed in Audrey Hepburn’s footsteps and became a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. This was just one of several careers she had that decade. She also moonlighted (moonlit?) as a rock star, an aerobics instructor and a U.

S. Army officer. Obviously, the girl liked to stay busy.

R-Rated Inspiration

Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler came up with the Barbie doll concept after stumbling on a high-end German doll, a call girl named Bild Lilli. Despite a patent infringement lawsuit, Mattel bought the rights to the doll for a whopping $21,600.

Money well spent.