In the News

Who knows what the stimulus bill will do for this country, but young, aspiring African American models and actresses at least are getting a big boost since Obama took to the White House.

Apparently, modeling agencies are scrambling to fill a surge in the request for little Malia and Sasha look-alikes.  The first family is hot, and companies everywhere are looking to use our nation's fascination with them to bring in bucks.

For young African American girls with modeling ambitions, this is great news. According to modeling agents, work was often limited to those with blond hair and blue eyes, but not so anymore.
Charlie Winfield, the head booker at kids' modeling agency FunnyFace Today in New York, told ABC News that the Obamas have brought about a need for more diversity among models.

"Companies that have notoriously catered more to white society are now becoming much more diverse," he said. "They're more willing to accept black models because they've just elected a black president."

Apparently, Sasha and Malia are inspiring more young girls from diverse backgrounds to pursue modeling and acting when they never would have before. Finally, they say, they have someone to look up to, who looks more like them.

For the First Lady, however, we bet this news isn't so good. Remember, the brouhaha over the "Sweet Sasha" and "Marvelous Malia" dolls that she so vocally disliked? We're guessing she's not going to be any happier about the real-life replicate dolls that are going to be popping up in magazine spreads, movies and more. By the way, those dolls which were discontinued by toymaker Ty after the First Lady protested are now hotter than ever, selling on eBay for up to $3,000!

While we understand her frustration and desire to protect her daughters, Mrs. Obama can't really be surprised by all of the attention focused on her daughters. They're not the first, first daughters after all. As long as our fascination with the first family continues, so too will frenzy to feed it and grow it and milk it for all it's worth - good taste and ethics be damned.