Beware the American Girl Franchise, Jokes Greg Kinnear

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During a recent appearance on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, actor Greg Kinnear and host Conan O’Brien, both 45, observed that they aren’t the only ones with ages in common. When Greg asked Conan if his daughter Neve, who turns 5 next week, was yet aware of the American Girl doll "situation," Conan said she was not — and Greg jokingly told him that he "might be better off for it." Greg shared that his daughter Lily Katherine, who turned 5 last month, has the Josefina Montoya doll, which he mistakenly believed would involve just a one-time purchase. Noting that Josefina comes with a six book series that provides her back story, Lily quickly let Greg know that he was nowhere near finished plunking down his credit card in the American Girl store. "You think you’re out of the woods when you buy the doll," Greg said — But you’re not!

"Her father took care of the land, but Josefina needed to work to in order to supply the rancho with great things … She has to cook! She has to work on the rancho! So you have to buy the little adobe outdoor oven, and the paddle that holds the loaves of bread, and you have to get the loaves of bread so they can eat! And then you’ve got to get the basket, to carry the loaves of bread."

Telling Conan "you have no idea how far the rabbit hole this drags you," Greg laughingly made it clear to Conan to proceed with caution. "If you want to get one doll, you’re not just getting one doll," he warned. "You’re getting a series of other things within … the corporate structure."

In addition to Lily, Greg is dad to Audrey Mae, 2, with wife Helen Labdon. Conan is also dad to Beckett, 2 ½, with wife Elizabeth Ann ‘Liza’ Powell.

Greg’s new movie Flash of Genius is in theaters now.

Source: Late Night with Conan O’Brien

Comments

So funny..and so true. American Girl is like my generation’s Cabbage Patch Dolls (I’m 31).
I love Daddy-Daughter relationships, at that age especially.

- Amber on October 7th, 2008

OMG is he right about American Girl! My daughter turned 5 in July. It started 2 years ago for us, with a trip to the American Girl store in Los Angeles at The Grove. Then she got one of the Bitty Baby dolls, and various outfits and things to go with it. And, we ate in the cafe, where they also have seats for your dolls. Back in April we got Elizabeth, and last month we got her best friend Felicity. We have several of the chapter books, additional outfits, and additional accessories, and we aren’t nearly done completing the collection for just those two dolls. luckily she seems to want to work on that before branching out to other historical dolls. oh, and the other thing about AG is the matching outfits for girls and their dolls. she loves that! note for other moms: sometimes Marshall’s has very pretty dresses that come with matching dresses for 18″ dolls (not AG brand) and they are $12.99-16.99, much better than AG prices!

- Cordelia's Mommy on October 7th, 2008

They also have patterns for 18″ doll clothes. I made TONS of clothes for my AG when I was younger. It was a good project and a money saver. I did often get outfits/accessories for Christmas/birthdays, but it was a nice way to fill out her wardrobe without spending a ton of money…

- G on October 7th, 2008

I received an e-mail yesterday announcing that Samantha, one of the original three American Girl dolls and one of the historical characters in the collection (Victorian period, Women’s voting, etc.) is being “archived” – no more doll or collection, though her books will still be available. I just bought a little girl this doll last year thinking for birthdays/holidays, etc. I could get her an outfit/item here or there and now it’s all or nothing at once! I’m so disappointed for all the girls who recently started her collection or want this doll and don’t yet have her.

- Jeanette on October 7th, 2008

Ahhhh reason #1209387 Im glad I have boys!!!

Totally kidding!

I loved those things as a child, My sisters and I each had one, my sister has Samantha. My grandma made SO many clothes for those things, and we have tons of cute dresses, bonnets, jackets, purses, whatever that she made.

I was so jealous because I had a friend who had them all, plus their bedsets, and the little backround thing that looked like their house, AND the doll that you can make look like you. I cant imagine how much cash he parents doled out for that thing. Especially when I broke my dear Felicity’s leg off and had to wait to send her to the hospital to be repaired ahhh memories

- Liza on October 7th, 2008

Whatever happened to just baing happy with some wooden blocks and a sock monkey?

- DLR on October 8th, 2008

I’m not really familiar with American Girl dolls but from what I’ve seen, I’m glad little girls are playing with them now instead of those horrible Bratz dolls

- stephanie on October 8th, 2008

LOL! I don’t know these dolls (I’m not from the US), but it was the same with Barbie Dolls. I remember my father (who’s nowhere near rich) asking in complete desperation: Do you really need an entire village for that thing?
hahahaha cute story!
On a sidenote, I’d love to see Conan’s little girl more often. I wish I could see his show here, love him.

- kaya on October 8th, 2008

What is horrible is when your daughter is into Build-A-Bear along with AG…. I sooo wish I was the person that came up with the Build-A-Bear idea. You walk into the store thinking, “oh a 12-20 dollar bear/dog whatever, that’s not bad” then walk out $75.00 to $100.00 later by the time you buy the outfit, etc….. and then they have the nerve to look at you so sweetly at the checkstand and say, “here, we’ll throw in free hairbows for your bear”….the bows are like .50 LOL….my daughter has like 6 of those creatures now…..

- Shea on October 8th, 2008

My daughter will be 14 on election day , and i remember when the whole AG craze started with her. It started with a bitty baby at 5, then it just got crazy after that. She still plays with the dolls at 14,I am happy for that. But not the fact that its breaking my pockets LOL. She doesn’t have her bitty baby anymore though she passed that on to a younger cousin, Now her mom knows how i feel!

- zakiah on October 8th, 2008

Awww! I’m sad they are archiving Samantha. She and Felicity were my favorites. My mother never let us have the dolls b/c she said it was crazy to spend that much on a toy (I think she just knew we’d want accessories too haha) but there were patterns for life size doll dresses, so my grandmother and my mom would make this for my sister and me. My favorite was Kirsten’s blue striped dress. I wore that all the time! I was less of a fan of the Molly birthday dress they made me (those sleeves are rather large!).

- MB on October 8th, 2008

I got a Felicity! I stayed with a family in America for a summer as part of a community help thing (I’m from Belfast)and when I left they gave me a Felicity doll and her books. I was over for 6weeks and fell in love with the dolls and I was 11 at the time. I still have her and adore her, and hopefully I can pass her on some day. What made it more special for me was that the year I was over was the year they phased the Felicity dolls out. I think they are such a lovely collection of dolls, and far more appealing in my mind than some of the dolls out there these days *ahem*Bratz*ahem*

- Daisy on October 8th, 2008

I looooved Samantha! Just like MB she and Felicity were my favorites. My mother (smartly) never took me to any of the stores, so I never had the dolls, but she was more then happy to buy me the books! I adored them and read them until I was like 13 or 14… I have them and plan on giving them to my daughter one day. They are such great stories. I will never forget how happy I was when Molly’s dad came home…

- Meg on October 8th, 2008

Are they REALLY “archiving” Samantha?? I wonder why…I had her when I was a girl in the early 90′s and now she belongs to my 3 year old daughter. I guess I should stock up on the accessories before they become even more inflated in price!

- Emily on October 8th, 2008

I took my daughter in April for her B-day to The American Girl Store in NYC for her 10th b-day. We had so much fun, I bought my 2 year old daughter a Bitty Baby for her birthday which was in April as well! They love them and I do to! LOL

- Jasmine C. on October 8th, 2008

I love American Girl. My daughter is 22 and as a child was in French immersion classes in Canada. Although she was a good little reader in French, when it came time to begin reading in English, she found it confusing. Then her Auntie gave her an American Girl catalogue and it inspired her that extra little bit in her English reading. Samantha was her first doll and while it was a little more expensive, Pleasant Company was a quality Company and had superb customer service and I did not begrudge any of the money I spent with them. She didn’t get all of Samantha’s doodads but enough to be happy, and all of the books, many of the other dolls too. Samantha now occupies place of honor in her University apartment and a huge place in our hearts, along with Pleasant Company.

- cindyjean on October 8th, 2008

I got my Addy doll when I was 8yrs old and I can’t find her anywhere I’ve been contemplating buying another for my daughter (to hurry before they “archive” her) as I still have all three outfits my mother bought. She drew the line at the clothes though; no furniture, no accessory kits and by the time I got interested in the clothes, I had to do chores to earn the money for them. Probably why I still have the clothes yet can’t find the doll….

- Morgan on October 9th, 2008