A Chinese company has created an uncannily realistic Steve Jobs doll. From Michael Jackson and Ann Coulter to Britney Spears and Vanilla Ice, see other stars who’ve been immortalized in plastic.
Upon first glancing at this 12-inch version of the late Steve Jobs, you might not realize you’re seeing a doll and not the actual former CEO of Apple. A Chinese manufacturing company called In Icons is peddling uncannily realistic Jobs action figures, complete with miniature versions of his signature New Balance sneakers, Levi’s jeans and a classic black turtleneck. Though the doll won’t be released until February, you can pre-order it now—that is, if rabid Steve Jobs fans haven’t crashed the site again. Ultimate collectors can get this unofficial piece of Apple memorabilia for $99 a pop, unless the Jobs family orders a cease-and-desist, the way they did with the last company that tried to cash in on Steve’s legacy.
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Pippa Middleton, Kate’s party-loving sister, is known for sporting some unusual looks, but none come close to this. The American company Hero Builders has created two new dolls, modeled after Pippa and her sister Kate, that have drawn criticism for not only bearing little resemblance to the royals, but for also being downright unflattering. The dolls flaunt oddly boxy figures, orange-glow skin, manic smiles, and a frightening price tag: $49.95 for these creepy figures.
herobuilders.com (left); Carl de Souza, AFP / Getty Images
The talent and passion of the King of Pop have been immortalized through nearly every artistic medium possible, from paintings to Cirque du Soleil shows to…dolls? LJN Toys released a series of “fully poseable” Michael Jackson dolls in 1984 that paid tribute to many of Jackson’s most famous looks, from the ones he sported in videos for “Beat It,” “Thriller,” and “Billie Jean,” to the outfits he wore for performances at the 1984 Grammy Awards and American Music Awards. The doll comes ready with a microphone stand and a “glittering ‘magic’ glove”—but in case that isn’t magical enough, another collectible Michael doll is available for $490 a pop; this one dances and sings the hit single “Black and White.”
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In 1999, Elton John was officially declared a “legend” by The Recording Academy and presented with the Grammy Legend Award. Naturally, the toy company Yaboom sought to commemorate this feat with the release of an 11-inch-tall, limited-edition alter ego of the singer, complete with a toothy grin, flamboyant red suit, and removable cartridge pre-loaded with the track “Crocodile Rock.” True Elton fans could purchase additional cartridges to enjoy “Rocket Man” and “Daniel” as well.
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“This boy is one bad rapper!” proclaimed the packaging on this 1991 THQ Vanilla Ice doll. Though the poseable doll did not sing for its owners, it did promise a chance to connect with the rapper’s fan club, enclosing a postcard and mailing information along with the mini-microphone, shiny gold jacket, and shaved eyebrow. Not to mention the “totally radical streak in his hair!” Though Vanilla Ice may not be in the rapping game anymore, his dolls’ value have only increased with time, with some selling for as much as $68 on sites like eBay.
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Conservative commentator Ann Coulter is known for her extreme opinions, a quality that her 2003 plastic reincarnation by Talking Presidents mirrors faithfully. Among this talking doll’s 14 catch phrases are “Liberals can’t just come out and say they want to take more of our money, kill babies, and discriminate on the basis of race” and, “What are you liberals afraid of? Let me talk.” The doll has drawn ire from more liberal but not necessarily less extreme celebrities, including actor Sean Penn, who divulged in a New Yorker article that he had owned (and abused) his own mini-Coulter. “There are cigarette burns in some funny places,” he said. “She’s a pure snake-oil salesman. She doesn’t believe a word she says.”
M. Tran, FilmMagic / Getty Images (left); amazon.com
Madonna-inspired dolls are on sale at this Italian site, with outfits modeled after the pop queen’s most glamorous looks. From “Material Girl” to her infamous bunny-eared Louis Vuitton outfit, the costume highlights of Madonna’s career are all up for sale here. The dolls are also click-comparable with the looks that inspired them, making it easy to see just how wide of the mark they are.
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These Britney Spears dolls by ++Play Along Toys mimicked the princess of pop’s chart-topping abilities by becoming—after the 1997 Spice Girls dolls by Galoob Toys—the best-selling celebrity doll of all time. Released in February 1999, the dolls featured a variety of outfits from the singer’s music videos, concerts and photo shoots, including the schoolgirl outfit that Spears wore for her “…One More Time” video. Spears herself wasn’t the doll’s biggest fan, however. The first time she saw her doll, she asked that it be changed because, as she put it, it had the appearance of a “bulldog chewing a wasp.” She later reasoned, “I felt a bit bad about ordering changes but hey, it’s my doll.”
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One of America’s most rugged cowboys, John Wayne was also, bizarrely, a collector of dolls (although they weren’t exactly of the plastic, poseable kind). Fittingly then, the Duke ended up with a line of plastic dolls bearing his own likeness. The 1981 John Wayne doll by Effanbee strove to be as detailed as possible, featuring Wayne’s signature Wild West attire, Winchester rifle, and even his forehead creases and relaxed expression.
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Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain was often uncomfortable with the enormous spotlight cast on him—so one can only imagine how he would feel about the wide range of collectible Kurt Cobain dolls out there. You can go for the raw, full-throttle “Smells like Teen Spirit” Kurt or the mellower, sit-down “Unplugged” Kurt. Surprisingly, there’s no Courtney Love doll out there, despite her single “Doll Parts.”
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New Wave rock band Devo may have been talking about a girl in the single “Baby Doll,” but when their own doll—or, ahem, “action figure”—was released in 2006, it was considerably more bizarre. The doll features one body with five interchangeable heads, a whip, and their famous energy dome hat. If that’s too weird for you, there’s also the option of buying a Devo action figure set where each head comes with its own body.
Ebet Roberts, Redferns / Getty Images (left); amazon.com
This doll for the Ramones frontman Joey Ramone by NECA features a leather jacket and facial expression that are gnarly even by the punk rocker’s real-life standards. Nevertheless, fans will appreciate this homage to the leader of the Blitzkrieg Boppers, which comes complete with a microphone, holey jeans, and really bad attitudes.
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