& Bold' Beautiful
Entrepreneur realizes dream with plus-size doll line
BY T. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
Audrey Bell has seen an
evolution in the doll industry
over her 35 years of life. She
remembers when little black
girls were forced to cuddle
blond, blue-eyed baby dolls
because dolls that mirrored
them were not readily avail
able.
Today, Bell is pleased that
dolls of every color under the
sun are now widely available.
But two years ago she noticed
that there still was a void.
"One day I told my friend
that there are not any fat
dolls," said Bell, who proudly
says she has been a full-size
person for all of her life.
Instead of waiting for her
concerns to be addressed by a
major toy manufacturer. Bell,
with the help of her business
partner. Georgette Taylor, set
out to fill the void. They
launched Big Beautiful Dolls
Inc. in 1999.
Through exposure at toy
fairs and in the pages of trade
publications, the small compa
ny has won over a devoted
clientele.
"People were in such awe
of the dolls....They had never
seen anything like them." said
Bell, who spoke by phone
from her home in East Orange.
N.J.
The three dolls in the com
pany's initial line aren't play
dolls for children but glam
orous. meticulously dressed
collectibles that come not only
with exquisite hairstyles but
personalities created for them
by Bell and Taylor. Dasia. the
African-American doll in the
line, is the owner of 3D maga
zine. a publication geared to
the full-sized woman . Dawn,
the white doll, and Dena. the
Hispanic doll, both play major
roles at 3D.
Bell said she wanted the
dolls to have professional jobs
to try to dispel the notion that
there is not a place for full
sized women in the business
world. Bell feels that it is part
up the chance to capture the World
Cup title and the financial benefits
that accompany it.
"We came back to take advan
tage of our home track." Jones
said. "We've secured the No. I
spot going into the competition
and that's a plus. We thought it
was important to get back on
American soil, eat our food and
get ready for the competition to
start." .
The only downside going into
the Games was the disqualifica
of her jnission to inspire full -
size women through her work.
The company has adopted
the theme "Don't let what you
weigh stand in your way." Bell
says the theme is more than
just mere words, but the way
she has tried to live her life.
She says her weight did not
become an issue until she
reached junior high. There,
the pressure to fit the slim,
fashion model mold was
intense. Bell succumbed to the
pressure and had an operation
to reduce the size of her stom
ach. When that failed she made
a decision to accept herself -
all of herself.
"I decided to stop saying
that I am going to do this and
that when I lose 50 pounds
because the reality was that I
could have already done those
things. They have no weight
requirements."
Although at one point, the
waiting list for one of the dolls
in the BBD line was 200 peo
ple long. Bell says she has
encountered some people who
tion of Pavle Jovanovich for fail
ing a drug test. Jones said the team
has made the adjustment to having
Bill Shupenhower in Jovanovich's
spot.
"We chose him as an alternate
in December and he practiced
with us in December and Janu
ary," Jones said. "We've not had
him with us in race situations, but
1 think we'll be ready when the
time comes."
With the 2(X)2 Olympics in the
United States. Jones also has to
Audrey Bell, of East Orange, N.J., poses with the first three dolls offered by her company;
Big, Beautiful Dolls. The company is one of a very few that offer plus-size dolls.
have applauded her efforts.
Some have criticized the
company for promoting bad
health and eating habits, an
opinion that Bell says is ludi
crous.
"We are trying to be real.
We want people to get these
dolls and set that they are just
deal with the celebrity status that
comes along with representing
this country. Last week he and his
teammates made an appearance
on "The Tonight Show w ith Jay
Leno."
"It was a lot of fun," Jones
said. "Dave Chappelle. the come
dian. was there and that made it a
whole lot of fun."
There have been many other
public appearances leading up to
the Games. But this week. Jones
said he's been trying to get away
as beautiful...and think that
these dolls actually look like
them."
Bell has big plans for the
company. She wants to add
more dolls with various pro
fessions to the line. She also
hopes to launch a line of full
? size dolls for young girls, dolls
from everything and everybody.
"I've been trying to clock out
the media and any other distrac
tions." he said. "I'm focusing on
what I need to be focused on. I'm
not going to be crazy intense. I'm
trying to relax and take it easy
because cold weather has a ten
dency to make you feel tired."
When it comes down to the
team's strategy. Jones said it's
pretty simple.
"We know we have to have a
great start." said Jones, who still
that she hopes will be sold side
by side with their thin counter
parts in major department
sto&s.
For more information on
the dolls or to order (falls, log
onto the company's Web site,
?vw w. higbea utifu Idol Is. com.
owns the records in the l(X)- and
2(X)-meter dashes at Duke. "The
way the race is set up. it starts at
the top. Once you get a good start
time, it's just a matter of staying
with it through the race."
When the event is over. Jones
said he feels he and his teammates
will he on the medal stand and
they may have a chance to hear the
national anthem as the champions.
"I really think we're going to
emprise some people." he said.
Jones
from page AI
"I'm trying to be one of the
first black men to medal at the
Winter Olympics," he said. "I
think that would open up a lot of
eyes to the fact that there are a lot
of sports that our kids aren't
exposed to on a regular basis.
Blacks are starting to break into
hockey, but there are a lot of other
sports that we never consider."
The reason, according to
Jones, is exposure.
"I think that black kids need
other options," said Jones, who
grew up playing football in the
Tiny Vikings Pop Warner program
and running track with the Road
Runners Track Club before star
ring at Glenn High and Duke Uni
versity. "We're not exposed to
them. Kids in other countries are
going to the training center for
Olympic sports when they're 13
or 14. Our kids can do the same
thing if they learn how to luge or
become a skier. I'd like to get that
across to them.
"I think blacks would do well
in speed skating as well," he
added. "I think that's something
that blacks could do very well. But
they are sports that cost money
and you have to be in the right
environment. It's not something
that you do if you live in Florida or
a Southern state."
Whether it was fate or happen
stance is not important. What is
for Jones is the fact that he has
been fortunate to compete in the
Winter Olympics now for the third
time. The first time around, at the
1994 Games at Lillehammer, Nor
way, Jones was a new convert to
bobsledding. He had just earned
his bachelor's degree in mechani
cal engineering from Duke Uni
versity and was among the
nation's top sprinters.
He drew the attention of the
U.S. bobsledding team because of
his explosive speed in the 100
meter dash and his strength that he
showed in football. That combina
tion helped him to capture a
national push competition that
was held to help select members
for the team. The United States,
hungry for a medal in bobsledding
after last earning a medal in the
sport in 1956. realized it needed to
come up with a different formula
to spell success on the internation
al level.
1 iiui illcolil lCllUUlllg SUiiiv. \Jl
the country's top sprinters, like
Jones, to supply the thrust on the
push to give the U.S. team a
chance to be competitive against
the world's top teams.
Jones teamed with Brian
Shimer as the brakeman on the
two-man bobsled competition in
1994. and the duo finished in 13th
place. He was also one of the side
push specialists on the four-man
team, which was considered a
favorite to capture a medal. The
team was disqualified, however,
midway though the competition.
The 1998 Games also proved
to be a disappointment for Jones
after the team got out to a strong
start and appeared to be in reach of
a bronze medal before being
edged out by .02 of a second.
This time Jones is a poised
veteran.
1 his is my win year now anu
it's just a matter of getting pre
pared to do what I do.'j- he said.
"Once you've been in it for a
while it becomes second nature.
You know what you have to do to
stay on top of it."
His team has been among the
top teams this season and led the
World Cup standings before it
pulled out to concentrate on work
ing on the track at Salt Lake City.
In the process. Jones' team gave
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