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We first heard about "My Fake Baby" -- a BBC doc about women who "care" for incredibly lifelike baby dolls -- in January, but (sigh) it only aired in the U.K. Tonight the film will finally be shown in the U.S., on BBC America. The women featured in the film spend hundreds of dollars on "reborns" -- dolls with beating hearts, tiny veins and other bizarrely realistic features -- and treat them just like actual babies, diaper changes and all. Check out the clip below, and you'll see why we've been so anxious to see this import in full.
If you're freaked out by Fake Babies, check out this gallery for more of the creepiest dolls we've ever seen.
Creepy Dolls
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Thursday 02 October
By XANDRIA
people who think this is ''wrong'' or ''sick'' are just completely IGNORANT. You don't frown upon children who have baby dolls and pretend they're real, do you? No, you don't. So why do you condemn grown-ups who prefer this fantasy? At least they are realistic about it, if you'll watch the documentary in its full, one of the women states that she wouldn't want a real baby, she couldn't handle all the crying, so the Reborn doll suits her perfectly. I don't know about you, but I am much happier knowing that she is realistic about it, and not selfish enough to actually HAVE a real baby and not be a fit mother to the baby. So if you're under the poor idea that these women are 'crazy' and should adopt a real baby instead of having this life-like doll, then YOU are the one who is terribly sick and wrong.
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Thursday 02 October
By Gail
There is a difference between doll collecting and taking care of one of these dolls as if it is a real child. For those of you who think this is normal, get help.
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Thursday 02 October
By Shirley
Does someone else owning one of these dolls affect your little piece of this huge world directly? I mean, simply by another person's ownership of one these dolls (and it doesn't matter what they choose to do with their own personal property), does it cause you not to eat, sleep, care for yourself, keep a roof over your head, pay your debts, work, or in some other way infringe upon your personal liberties? If not, I believe the ownership of these dolls fall into the category of "live and let live." Shame on whoever brought this "news article" to the forefront just to pit one human being against another!
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Thursday 02 October
By Daveina
this is kind of creepy but i wouldn't say scary!!
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Thursday 02 October
By Jessica
Collecting dolls is one thing. Carrying them around like a real child is a whole other issue. Collectors keep heir prized dolls on a shelf or in a cabinet, they do not change their diapers and pretend to feed them. It is weird and twisted, and those women have serious mental health issues and need to seek treatment.
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Thursday 02 October
By JMO
Most people who have negative comments have obviously seen the show.
The dolls are beautiful and the craftmanship is amazing.The women they featured on this show were mentally disturbed.They made these dolls seem creepy.I have no problem with people who collect dolls and can appreciate the beauty they see in them.People who collect dolls usually have them on display
in their homes I would imagine.The women they featured on this show take these dolls with them in carriages,carseats and one even hoped she would get some attention once she had a baby to with her on walks.Very disturbing and sad.
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Thursday 02 October
By Tracy
Playing with dolls has been a pass time for young children for hundreds of years, as well as doll collecting for many adults. However, I do find it greatly disturbing when an adult uses a plastic doll to replace a living breathing baby. It's not a real! It's a toy! It can not love you back! Using a doll to seek attention from others states you need some sort of counseling on why you need to be validated by others. And if your using a doll to replace a loved one who has passed, you definitely need to speak to a grieve counselor. I just hope these people get the help they need.
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Thursday 02 October
By kearnsboys
These just aren't collector dolls. These are meant to replace lost children or give the feeling of having a newborn. The actual reborn dolls have a simulated heartbeat and breathing motions so they feel as if they are alive. This goes far beyond just collecting and most of the people who buy these dolls are not doing it for any sort of collection.
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Thursday 02 October
By Sexy cowgirl
There is a huge difference in collecting dolls and treating them like a child, a real child. But to each his or her own. I am sure each of us has a quirk that others might think is way off. But I must say from my heart i think these women need someone to deeply talk to.
I do believe that when we cross over the fake/real line there is some possible mental issues. Especially when it becomes and obsession. It is not like a guy collecting baseball cards etc. Now if a guy has a realistice blow up doll he takes to Olive Garden or to the Opera and bathes etc there is a issue. These women would probably freak out.
I just do not get it. My baby is 12 and just went to live with her dad and believe me there is no doll etc that could replace her. My ex-husband and I lost a beautiful baby boy and we planted a tree to remember him by.
And I take offense in the creepy doll pics that mrs. beasley is shown. I had one and she was kewlies.
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Thursday 02 October
By nazz
i agree,Dot!!!!!
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Thursday 02 October
By Chris Cooper
The women they profile in this special clearly have psychological and emotional problems. And the quotes they used from other women who buy reborns reflect pretty disturbing ideas about their views on motherhood: it was all about the attention THEY got when they were real mothers of infants and how they want to be the focus of attention again. They love the IMAGE of being a mother of an infant and the social credibility they feel from it. Pretty disturbing...especially for those who, while still able to, had real babies for that purpose as well.
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Thursday 02 October
By taylor
i suppose its a good idea.
especially for those expecting first time moms.
its like practice!
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Thursday 02 October
By rosemary
I think if it's a collector that is one thing, but if it's a person who just lost a child then that is another total subject.
I think some women could not move forward in grieving and could be trapped wanting a child and not really accept the lost that the had.
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Thursday 02 October
By Cindy
Collecting dolls is not weird, H-E-L-L-O!! There are so many more people in this world that collect things are are alot more weird. The only weird thing about this is that these are women treating baby dolls like little girls treat baby dolls. But that may be because they were deprived as a child, have lost a child, or are unable have children at all. If this is their way to cope, then I say "so be it". I would recommend that they see a therapist to talk their problems out because obviously they have some that they are holding in deep inside.
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Thursday 02 October
By Loosefoot333
It is one thing to collect "Dolls" not the ones that look awfully real or like a celebrity..... now that is a little twisted....I just know I would NOT have those real creepy, spooky stubborn eyed things anywhere in my house... I will stick to my Barbie's and oversized yarn dolls...
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Thursday 02 October
By Maggie Vadnais
all of you that are saying ADOPTION !!! Good for you !!!BUT, I hope that you are pro-life and voting Republican, because their would be a lot more babies to adopt if the Democrats would stop killing them! I agree these womaen probably have a mental illness, who knows maybe they had an abortion and it has affected them in this way.
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Monday 06 October
By Katie Greenwood
what a great point, not to bring in politics, but how many of these sales are going to woman that are having the emotional side effects of an abortion, that we conveniently never hear about??? Please someone out there do the study!!
Thursday 02 October
By BOB
Nothing wrong with being a collector... I collect music memorabilia and baseball cards. My sister collects dolls. When we both saw these freaky dolls, we just looked at each other said: "Eeeewwwwwwww...."
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Thursday 02 October
By Dee
For a collection's sake these are fine, but treating them as lifelike just objectifies infants.
So many real babies need loving homes.
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Thursday 02 October
By vgkflc
Sick puppies.
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