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beauty, cartoons, celebrities, Cinderella, Disney World, entertainment, fashion, princess, Sofia the First
Just for the record, I don’t watch cartoons.
My youngest child is 26 and I’ve never been a fan of “Family Guy” or “The Simpsons.” Which is why I was surprised to discover a new cartoon princess while channel-surfing last Friday night with a lovely bottle of Pinot Noir.
And this cutie-with-a-crown might even make feminists smile: She’s not looking for a prince and doesn’t have a creepy stepmother. Indeed, “Sofia the First” was raised by a single mother who made shoes until she met and married a king!
Way to go, Disney!
Sophia now has a new dad, new stepsiblings, a new school and a new royal lifestyle. The episode I watched had her preparing for a “Princess Test” administered by three fairy teachers – delightful. (Let me emphasize that I was sipping Pinot Noir, not guzzling it.)
The writing emphasizes her character, rather than her beauty. No wonder the show is this year’s most-watched cable series among children 2 to 5, according to Nielsen Holdings data. (Rumor has it that Sofia also is a live attraction at Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando.)
“I’ve got the shoes, I’ve got the dress.That makes me a princess, I guess,” she sings.
This royal girl is the product of a Disney team of writers, child-development and early-education experts and she’s vastly different from traditional “princess” characters.
Think about it – Cinderella swept a lot of floors before the glass slipper fit and mermaid Ariel gave up her voice to be reunited with a man she once saved from drowning. Really?
At last, the Disney “Marketeers” have produced a princess most of us can relate to.