Toy maker sues Lady Gaga

NEW YORK (AP) — A toy company is suing Lady Gaga for more than $10 million, claiming the pop star sabotaged a deal to make a doll in her likeness that would play snippets of her music.

In a suit filed in New York City on Tuesday, MGA Entertainment, the maker of the popular Bratz doll line, said it paid a $1 million advance to the company that handles Gaga's merchandizing and spent a mint racing to meet deadlines to ship the dolls this summer.

The dolls were to feature some of the singer's outlandish costumes, as well as a "voice chip" with samples of her songs.

But the toy maker said the plan was derailed in the spring when the merchandizer, Bravado International, abruptly tried to back out of the part of the deal allowing the dolls to use the singer's music. MGA said Bravado then tried to delay sales of the doll until next year, when her new album is expected to be released.

The toy company claimed the singer's representatives ultimately stopped cooperating with the project while she went on a world tour. MGA said her refusal to sign off on the final doll designs is jeopardizing $28 million in expected revenue from the fall shopping season and holding up orders from 10 countries.

A representative for Lady Gaga called the lawsuit "ill-conceived" and said there was "no legitimate reason" to drag the singer into a dispute primarily between MGA and Bravado, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group.

Bravado issued a statement through a spokesman calling the lawsuit "meritless."

In the lawsuit, MGA's lawyers claimed that Lady Gaga's representatives were initially thrilled with the doll prototypes, although they had asked for a few tweaks. In one email cited in the lawsuit, Bobby Campbell, the vice president of Gaga's management company, the Atom Factory, asked if the doll could be "more supermodel-like" with "more of a cat-eye and sexier, poutier lips." He also discussed a doll with a removable head that would pop off to reveal a bloody stump.

"We would like to see options with and without a bloody stump for comparison," he wrote.

This Model's Face

Look at the face on this model and tell me what doll she looks like.

Christian Dior 2011 Fall Paris Fashion Week

 

 

Other doll related blogs on the internet.

There are many doll related blogs on the internet and the number grows every day. Lots of people start a blog and abandon it as they don't realize the commitment involved to keep it going.
At one time I had my blog listed on a blog list that was a type of contest. The competition distracted me from my goals here - to provide interesting information, great images and honest reviews.
I'm not one for this competing "vote for me" type of activity. I think the best way to attract readers is by providing interesting content on a regular basis and making your blog posts easy to find.
 But, if you like, you can check my blog and any others you like on this list. I voted for each one. A friend of a friend designed list.ly the 'engine' that supports this type of list.

Best Doll Blogs - Fashion, Collecting & Photos

Hot Toys: Batman The Dark Knight Rises Sixth Scale Figure

Hot Toys continues with it's tradition of excellence in this figure of Batman in The Dark Knight Rises.

Batman - Bruce Wayne - DX Series

This figure looks so real it's unbelievable.

I love this list of what is included with the figure:

The Batman - Bruce Wayne - DX Series Sixth Scale Figure features:

• Authentic and detailed fully realized likeness of Batman - Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight Rises movie
• Two (2) interchangeable heads including:
• One (1) Batman head with patented Parallel Eyeball Rolling System (PERS) and three (3) interchangeable lower faces capturing his classic facial expressions
• One (1) newly developed head sculpt of Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne in the movie with accurate facial expression, detailed wrinkles and skin texture
• Approximately 32 cm tall
• Batman body with 32 points of articulation
• Three (3) pairs of interchangeable gloved palms including:
• One (1) pair of fists
• One (1) pair of relaxed palms
• One (1) left open palm
• One (1) right palm for holding batarang
• One (1) newly developed complex Batsuit featuring fabric costume covered with armor
• One (1) cape
• Two (2) interchangeable belts including:
• One (1) detailed utility belt with cell phone and accessories
• One (1) magnetic utility belt for attaching the sticky bomb gun
• One (1) pair of forearm gauntlets
• One (1) pair of black boots
• One (1) grapnel gun
• One (1) transformable sticky bomb gun
• One (1) light-up electronic gun
• Two (2) batarangs
• Two (2) miniature mines
• One (1) adaptor for connecting Batman and Batpod (Sold Seperately)
• One (1) deluxe stone-like light-up figure stand with steps, Batman/ Bruce Wayne nameplate and the movie logo
• Light Up Electric Gun requires Three (3) Button Cell Batteries, Included
• Figure Stand requires Three (3) AAA Batteries, Not Included 

Retail price is $259.99

Get more information; see more pictures and pre-order here:  

Convention Costs

What will it cost you to attend a doll convention? Going to a convention is very expensive.  Here a general outline using this year's Fashion Royalty costs for you to estimate. Not every convention is the same so just use this as a guideline. The following list does not include transportation to the city as the range of costs will vary widely. Many of the expenses are optional.
Some people will be able to sell items to offset the costs and/or to make some money. Room sales are permitted but you have to register with the convention organizers.  Some people who attend with a non-collecting partner, sell the partner's dolls. You can also use those duplicate dolls to trade for other dolls you want.

—Convention Attendance $400.00 (if you are staying at the Hyatt Grand Cypress Resort)
This includes three sit-down meals, the convention doll (not a centerpiece), swag/gifts, entertainment and dance party.

—Hotel $169/night per room.
Can be shared by up to 4 people. Add tax and tips.

—2012 Convention Collection $850 or $825 if pre-ordered and shipped to your home.
I don’t know if that includes shipping to your home. If you buy the collection at the event you will pay local tax on each doll but you get to take it home with you. If it gets shipped because you pre-ordered, it should arrive in a week. You do not have to purchase the entire collection or any part of it.

—Centerpieces $100-$150.
 Each attendee usually gets the opportunity to purchase one centerpiece during the weekend at meal functions. You do not have to purchase a centerpiece.

—Souvenir Shop Purchases Optional $100. More or less.

—Room Sale Purchases Optional $100. More or less.

—Color Infusion Style Lab Optional $65 per doll.

—The "16 at 1600 High-Tea" $45 Optional Break-out Event.
 Centerpiece $150. Optional

—Optional Workshop Kits each :
-Resort Restyle $65
-Tribal Tattoos $85
-Fresh Tropical Look (partially unpainted) $65
-Cabana Couture $125  16” Poppy
-Poppy’s Hairdo $65

—W Club Luncheon $65 Optional
-Possible Centerpiece $150.

—Raffle tickets Optional $20. More or less.

—Food and Beverages $50-$100. More or less.

—Table Gifts Optional $50. More or less. Most every seasoned convention attendee brings doll related gifts for every person that will be sitting at the table with them. I've received some lovely gifts and some trash. It's best to give one small useful item than a bag of something that will be trashed.

—Transportation/ Taxi to and from hotel $15-$20 each way. More or less.

—Air Transportation to Orlando - varies on where you’re coming from.

Do the math and post what your total would be.

And From Superdoll....

There is a new basic doll, an accessory and a wig pack now available from Superfrock.
The doll is Dionysis:
Venus clone: 0779 regular skintone
Price: £323.50 LE 80

The Accessory Pack, Champ_Paq, comes with a list of useful and other items a "champ" like Dionysis might have such as a magnum of champagne, a winner's laurel wreath, no-sweat space blanket, go-go shorts, boob tube tops, hypercolor wigs, opera length gloves and stiletto sandals. I am mainly interested in the sets of hands which is also included.
Price: £139.50 LE80

Lastly, "Sour Grapes" is a set of two neon-colored Godiva wigs.
LE 100 Price: £37.75

As of this writing, all items are still available for purchase although I think that the accessory pack will be gone shortly.

Click here to go to the Special Summer 2012 Items