Latest news with #Alana
eNCA
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- eNCA
Brazil breaks out in a rash over life-like doll craze
RIO DE JANEIRO - Blink and you could mistake the bundle in the stroller in Rio de Janeiro for the real thing. Their hyper-realistic dolls bear an eerie resemblance to actual infants. Some of the so-called "reborn" dolls cry, suck dummies, pee, have nails, eyelashes and veins. But what really sets them apart from traditional dolls with waxy, smooth complexion is their puckered features and blotchy skin. Demand for these replica babies, which first emerged in the United States in the early 1990s, targeting adults chiefly, has rocketed in the South American country in recent years. Made with silicone or vinyl, the price tag for these bundles of joy can run to thousands of dollars. The dolls tottered into the public debate in April when a group of collectors held a gathering in a park in Sao Paulo. Footage of the event went viral, along with a separate video of a reborn "birth," in which an influencer extracts a dishevelled doll from a fluid-filled bag passing for an amniotic sac and then clamps a make-believe umbilical cord. Social media erupted with posts either condemning the would-be mothers' behaviour as deranged or dismissing it as a harmless hobby. AFP | MAURO PIMENTEL Alana Generoso, a longtime reborn baby collector, who now owns her own doll store, insists that her customers are perfectly sound of mind. "Many children come to the story, as well as adults that lead normal lives," the 46-year-old mother of real four-year-old triplets said. Alana Babys Maternity Hospital in Campinas is designed to look like an authentic maternity ward. Before handing over a doll to its new owner, employees in white coats take it from an incubator, weigh it, place it in a stroller and present the proud "parent" with a birth certificate. "Here, you're not buying an ordinary doll, you're buying a dream," Generoso argued. "Are there cases of people looking after the dolls as if they were real babies? Yes, but they're not a majority." The debate has reverberated all the way up to Congress. Some MPs are calling for "reborn" mums to receive psychological help, but others call for people who allegedly use their "babies" to jump the queue for public services to be punished. Last week, an MP made clear which camp he was in when he brought his reborn "granddaughter" to parliament. Playing with dolls is "not a sin," Manoel Isidorio, an evangelical pastor, argued. For psychologist Viviane Cunha, collecting dolls is a hobby that is only categorised as a disorder when it causes "social, emotional or economic harm." "If for example the person skips work because 'the baby has a fever', and believes it to be true, then he or she needs professional help," she said.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Brazil breaks out in a rash over life-like doll craze
Representative image (AI) CAMPINAS: Gabi Matos looks the quintessential doting mum as she changes Ravi's nappy, cooing reassuringly as he stares up at her. But this Brazilian "newborn" doesn't seem to mind having his nappy changed. In fact, he has no real emotions whatsoever. Ravi is a hyper-realistic doll with an eerie resemblance to an actual infant. Some of the so-called "reborn" dolls cry, suck dummies, pee, have nails, eyelashes and veins. But what really sets them apart from traditional dolls with waxy, smooth complexion is their puckered features and blotchy skin. Blink and you could mistake the bundle in the stroller in Rio de Janeiro for the real thing. Demand for these replica babies, which first emerged in the United States in the early 1990s, targeting adults chiefly, has rocketed in the South American country in recent years. "I always loved babies and dolls, from a very young age. When I discovered these art models I fell in love," said Ravi's 21-year-old "mum." Made with silicone or vinyl, the price tag for these bundles of joy can run to thousands of dollars. Matos, who lives in the southeastern Brazilian city of Campinas, received her first "reborn" so-called because the first editions were traditional dolls modified by artists to look more life-like aged nine. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Alerta: Você tem zumbido no ouvido? Dica de ouro pode aliviar! Zumbido no ouvido Undo Her collection now runs to 22 and looking after her tiny charges is a full-time job which she enacts daily for her 1.3 million YouTube followers. But in the past few weeks, the admiring comments on her posts have become interspersed with attacks. "People say I should be admitted to a psychiatric hospital because they believe that we treat them (the dolls) as if they were real children, which is not the case," she said. "It's sad." A country divided The dolls tottered into the public debate in April when a group of collectors held a gathering in a park in Sao Paulo. Footage of the event went viral, along with a separate video of a reborn "birth," in which an influencer extracts a disheveled doll from a fluid-filled bag passing for an amniotic sac and then clamps a make-believe umbilical cord. Social media erupted with posts either condemning the would-be mothers' behavior as deranged or dismissing it as a harmless hobby. "Let these people raise reborn babies. If they procreate, it will be much worse!" actress Luana Piovani wrote on Instagram, in a post that was viewed thousands of times. Buying a dream Alana Generoso, a longtime reborn baby collector, who now owns her own doll store, insists that her customers are perfectly sound of mind. "Many children come to the story, as well as adults that lead normal lives," the 46-year-old mother of real four-year-old triplets said. Alana Babys Maternity Hospital in Campinas is designed to look like an authentic maternity ward. Before handing over a doll to its new owner, employees in white coats take it from an incubator, weigh it, place it in a stroller and present the proud "parent" with a birth certificate. "Here, you're not buying an ordinary doll, you're buying a dream," Generoso argued. "Are there cases of people looking after the dolls as if they were real babies? Yes, but they're not a majority." The debate has reverberated all the way up to Congress. Some MPs are calling for "reborn" mums to receive psychological help, but others call for people who allegedly use their "babies" to jump the queue for public services to be punished. Last week, an MP made clear which camp he was in when he brought his reborn "granddaughter" to parliament. Playing with dolls is "not a sin," Manoel Isidorio, an evangelical pastor, argued. Like men with kites For psychologist Viviane Cunha collecting dolls is a hobby that is only categorized as a disorder when it causes "social, emotional or economic harm." "If for example the person skips work because 'the baby has a fever', and believes it to be true, then he or she needs professional help," she said. Cunha linked the reborn fever to a global loneliness epidemic, which the World Health Organization has tied to social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic. "I think the doll comes from a search for an emotional bond or connection," Cunha said. Matos argues that criticism of the dolls is sexist. "Male hobbies like video games, flying kites, playing football are normalized. No-one says that they are too old to do these things, but women cannot take care of their dolls without people thinking we are sick."
France 24
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- France 24
Brazil breaks out in a rash over life-like doll craze
But this Brazilian "newborn" doesn't seem to mind having his nappy changed. In fact, he has no real emotions whatsoever. Ravi is a hyper-realistic doll with an eerie resemblance to an actual infant. Some of the so-called "reborn" dolls cry, suck dummies, pee, have nails, eyelashes and veins. But what really sets them apart from traditional dolls with waxy, smooth complexion is their puckered features and blotchy skin. Blink and you could mistake the bundle in the stroller in Rio de Janeiro for the real thing. Demand for these replica babies, which first emerged in the United States in the early 1990s, targeting adults chiefly, has rocketed in the South American country in recent years. "I always loved babies and dolls, from a very young age. When I discovered these art models I fell in love," said Ravi's 21-year-old "mum." Made with silicone or vinyl, the price tag for these bundles of joy can run to thousands of dollars. Matos, who lives in the southeastern Brazilian city of Campinas, received her first "reborn" -- so-called because the first editions were traditional dolls modified by artists to look more life-like -- aged nine. Her collection now runs to 22 and looking after her tiny charges is a full-time job which she enacts daily for her 1.3 million YouTube followers. But in the past few weeks, the admiring comments on her posts have become interspersed with attacks. "People say I should be admitted to a psychiatric hospital because they believe that we treat them (the dolls) as if they were real children, which is not the case," she said. "It's sad." A country divided The dolls tottered into the public debate in April when a group of collectors held a gathering in a park in Sao Paulo. Footage of the event went viral, along with a separate video of a reborn "birth," in which an influencer extracts a disheveled doll from a fluid-filled bag passing for an amniotic sac and then clamps a make-believe umbilical cord. Social media erupted with posts either condemning the would-be mothers' behavior as deranged or dismissing it as a harmless hobby. "Let these people raise reborn babies. If they procreate, it will be much worse!" actress Luana Piovani wrote on Instagram, in a post that was viewed thousands of times. 'Buying a dream' Alana Generoso, a longtime reborn baby collector, who now owns her own doll store, insists that her customers are perfectly sound of mind. "Many children come to the story, as well as adults that lead normal lives," the 46-year-old mother of real four-year-old triplets said. Alana Babys Maternity Hospital in Campinas is designed to look like an authentic maternity ward. Before handing over a doll to its new owner, employees in white coats take it from an incubator, weigh it, place it in a stroller and present the proud "parent" with a birth certificate. "Here, you're not buying an ordinary doll, you're buying a dream," Generoso argued. "Are there cases of people looking after the dolls as if they were real babies? Yes, but they're not a majority." The debate has reverberated all the way up to Congress. Some MPs are calling for "reborn" mums to receive psychological help, but others call for people who allegedly use their "babies" to jump the queue for public services to be punished. Last week, an MP made clear which camp he was in when he brought his reborn "granddaughter" to parliament. Playing with dolls is "not a sin," Manoel Isidorio, an evangelical pastor, argued. Like men with kites For psychologist Viviane Cunha collecting dolls is a hobby that is only categorized as a disorder when it causes "social, emotional or economic harm." "If for example the person skips work because 'the baby has a fever', and believes it to be true, then he or she needs professional help," she said. Cunha linked the reborn fever to a global loneliness epidemic, which the World Health Organization has tied to social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic. "I think the doll comes from a search for an emotional bond or connection," Cunha said. Matos argues that criticism of the dolls is sexist. "Male hobbies like video games, flying kites, playing football are normalized. No-one says that they are too old to do these things, but women cannot take care of their dolls without people thinking we are sick." © 2025 AFP
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
East Kilbride pupil takes top prize in environmental journalism competition
Alana's entry, A View Across the Clyde, was selected as the winner in the Single Photo: 11 to 14 category. A Lanarkshire schoolgirl has taken the top prize in a national environmental journalism competition. Alana Loy, a pupil at Duncanrig Secondary in Lanarkshire was honoured in environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful's Young Reporters for the Environment competition. Alana's atmospheric entry, A View Across the Clyde, was selected as the winner in the Single Photo: 11 to 14 category. Catriona Rae, Senior Education and Learning Officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: 'Every year we are blown away by the amazing entries we receive from young people all over Scotland who show just how passionate they are about environmental issues through writing, photography and videos. 'It's never easy to select a winner out of such brilliant submissions and the wider Keep Scotland Beautiful team all cast their votes to choose who deserved the top prize. 'I'd like to congratulate Alana – as well as all our other winners and entrants – for their fantastic pieces. We have been running this competition for a number of years now and it's amazing to see such continued passion and enthusiasm from young people all over the country.' Young Reporters for the Environment is an environmental journalism programme and competition that gives young people the opportunity to speak on environmental issues they feel strongly about through writing, photography, and videos. Thanks to sponsorship from HP, winning entries in the Single Photo category will be published in our first ever Keep Scotland Beautiful calendar, celebrating the diverse beauty of Scotland, from towns and villages to hills and fields, school gardens, allotments and parks. Each winning photographer will receive a cash prize of £25 along with a copy of the calendar. This year the charity is celebrating 30 years of Eco-Schools and Young Reporters for the Environment, with visits to schools across the country. Their Climate Action Schools programme, funded by the Scottish Government, provides a positive driver and demonstrator for schools towards achieving Target 2030. *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here. And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Head on over and give us a like and share!
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Alana 'Honey Boo Boo' Thompson reveals reality TV earnings and financial struggles
Alana Thompson, better known as "Honey Boo Boo," recently spoke out about her reality TV earnings and financial difficulties. Despite her long-running presence on shows like Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, Toddlers & Tiaras, and Dancing with the Stars Juniors, Alana revealed in an interview with People that she has never seen the money she earned from her initial TV success. Alana stated, "I have never, ever received the Here Comes Honey Boo Boo money. I don't know what happened to it." She also accused her mother, Mama June Shannon, of taking $35,000 of her earnings from Dancing with the Stars Juniors in 2018. Although June reportedly returned the money, Alana claims she never received an apology. The issue of Alana's earnings has been a major storyline on Mama June: Family Crisis, where the family drama surrounding the money continues to unfold. Alana mentioned she considered suing her mother but hesitated because 'by law, she did what was right,' explaining that 20% of her earnings were placed in a Coogan account—a trust designed to protect minors' earnings. Alana is currently working on a Lifetime film, I Was Honey Boo Boo, which she says has helped her pay for college. Since her sister Pumpkin gained custody in 2022, Pumpkin has set up a Coogan account for her, though Alana has yet to access the funds, preferring to save them for future needs. Fans can watch I Was Honey Boo Boo to learn more about her rise to fame and ongoing journey.
