BONUS: From LAist Studios, LA Made: The Barbie Tapes

For Barbie, the cultural upheaval of the 60s and 70s incites one identity crisis after another as Mattel tries to make sure that their doll, who had revolutionized the toy industry, didn’t fall behind the times. By popular demand, Mattel creates Ken, and gradually adds new supporting players to Barbie’s world.   In this episode, we investigate Ken's origin story, delve into the inner workings of Mattel, and hear how Barbie's inventor, Ruth Handler, was ousted from her own company.

Listen now at https://laist.com/podcasts/la-made