>>> WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF HOLLYWOOD ROYALTY THIS MORNING. SHONDA RHIMES IS CONSIDERED THE QUEEN OF TELEVISION. >> SHE IS BEHIND "SCANDAL," "HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER" AND "GRAY'S ANATOMY". >> NOW SHE IS STEPPING BACK INTO THE WORLD OF DOCUMENTARIES WITH THE RELEASE OF "BLACK BARBIE". >> THIS IS INTERESTING. HOW DOLLS CAN BE CRUCIAL IN THE FORMATION OF IDENTITY. >> IT WAS A VERY INTENTIONAL MISSION FOR MY MOM, TO MAKE SURE THAT MY SISTERS AND I SAW OURSELVES AND THE TOYS THAT WE PLAYED WITH. SO SHE ONLY PURCHASED BLACK BARBIES FOR US. >> IT WAS MADE CLEAR TO ME FROM VERY EARLY ON THAT THERE NOT GOING TO BE ANY WHITE DOLLS IN OUR HOUSE. >> I USED TO MAKE MY OWN HIJABS FOR MY DOLLS GOING UP. ESPECIALLY IF I WAS PLAYING WITH CARS. >> I DON'T THINK FOR ME THERE WERE DOLLS THAT WERE REPRESENTATIONS OF WHO I WANTED TO BE AT A CERTAIN POINT. >> WHICH IS A KEY POINT THERE, THE POWER OF REPRESENTATION. GOOD MORNING. I LOVE. THIS SO THE BARBIE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 65 YEARS. I THINK IT WAS 20 YEARS, 21 YEARS BEFORE WE SAW A BLACK BARBIE. CAN YOU TALK FOR JUST A MOMENT ABOUT WHY IT WAS SO IMPORTANT SPECIFICALLY TO HAVE -- I MEAN, YOU HAD OTHER DOLLS, BUT A BARBIE, A BLACK BARBIE. >> I THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE IDEA THAT YOU ARE CREATING THIS SORT OF ICONIC BARBIE, THIS ICONIC WOMAN AND SHE'S ONLY ONE COLOR AND EVERYBODY ELSE HAS TO BE NAMED SOMETHING ELSE WAS A VERY INTERESTING THING. AND THERE WAS A WOMAN WORKING AT MATEL AND THEY SAID, WHY DON'T YOU MAKE ONES THAT LOOK LIKE US? >> MY WIFE AND I WATCHED IT LAST NIGHT. IT IS FANTASTIC. I LOVE HOW YOU USE THE STORY OF HOW BLACK BARBIE CAME TO BE TO TELL A LARGER STORY ABOUT REPRESENTATION AND WHY IT MATTERS SO MUCH. WE'RE IN THE PRESENCE OF A BLACK BARBIE AS WELL. DID YOU KNOW THIS? SHONDA RHIMES HAS HER OWN. MATEL MADE TWO ONE-OF-A-KIND BARBIES. DID THEY NAIL IT? >> I THINK THEY DID. WE HAD A LOT OF TALK ABOUT MAKING SURE SHE WAS THICK ENOUGH IN THE WAIST AND THAT SHE LOOKED LIKE ME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. >> I LOVE THAT. >> WHAT WENT THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU GOT THE CALL FROM MATEL? >> I WAS SO EXCITED. I WAS LIKE A KID AGAIN. LIKE THE IDEA WAS AMAZING TO ME, AND I ABSOLUTELY SAID YES RIGHT AWAY. AND THEY DRESSED HER IN CLOTHES THAT I ACTUALLY HAVE. >> I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, CAN I BORROW THAT ONE? >> IT'S ABOUT THE RIGHT SIZE FOR YOU. >> LEAVE ME ALONE. >> I LOVE THAT. BUT IT WAS AWESOME, YEAH. IT WAS AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE. TO WATCH MY DAUGHTERS GET TO PLAY WITH A DOLL MADE OF THEIR MOTHER WAS INTERESTING. >> YOU WEREN'T THE ONLY ONE THEY TURNED INTO A BARBIE. CHECK OUT THIS DRAWING MATEL MADE FOR US. >> I GUESS WE DON'T HAVE IT. >> IT'S COMING. >> ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GET IT LATER. >> MOVING ON -- >> OH, THERE WE ARE! >> WAIT. DO I HAVE LEGS? >> YEAH. >> LOOK AT CRAIG'S ATTITUDE. WORK IT, GIRL! >> LIKE MY SHOULDER IS OUT OF SOCKET. >> GREAT. >> SORRY. SORRY YOU HAD TO SEE THAT, SHONDA. >> SO I FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN THE FIRST IN SO MANY DIFFERENT AREAS. YOU ARE NOW THE FIRST FEMALE TO CREATE FOUR TELEVISION DRAMAS THAT HAVE REACHED THE 100 EPISODE MILESTONE. >> YES. >> DO YOU LIKE BEING THE FIRST, OR DOES THAT ADD UP SOME PRESSURE? >> YOU KNOW, I THINK IT IS ALWAYS PRESSURE TO BE THE FIRST OF ANYTHING. BUT THE ONE THING I LOOK AT IT AS IS MAKING SURE THERE IS ROOM FOR PEOPLE BEHIND ME. THERE IS SO MUCH OTHER SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO BE CREATORS. I LOVE MY JOB. >> IT'S OBVIOUS. BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE "BRIDGERTON," WHICH HAS RE-DEFINED A GENRE. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PERIOD COSTUME PIECES, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US WHAT WE CAN SEE IN THE SECOND PART. >> I WILL SAY IT IS SEXY AND SURPRISING IN MANY WAYS. AND ALSO JUST I CRIED AT THE END. I THOUGHT IT WAS MOVING. AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T ALWAYS CRY. SO I REALLY GOT INTO IT. I THINK IT IS A BEAUTIFUL STORY. >> I'M SITTING HERE. I REMEMBER INTERVIEWING YOU. WE WERE IN CALIFORNIA FOR A DOVE PROJECT. I SAID, WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON? YOU SAID, WELL, IT IS SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT. IT IS KIND OF A PERIOD PIECE. YOU WERE LIKE, IT IS JUST GOING TO BE BEAUTIFUL. AND YOU HAD THESE EYES. AND I SAID, OH, IT IS GOING TO BE GOOD. YOU SAID, I THINK SO. I WONDER WHAT ELSE SHE HAS BEHIND THOSE EYES. DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITES? >> IT IS HARD TO NAME A FAVORITE. EVERYTHING IS MY FAVORITE WHILE I'M WORKING ON IT. >> LOOK AT THIS. MOM, I MADE IT. GOOD LORD. >> SEE THAT, PARENTS? >> I LOVE THAT. IT IS SO HARD TO DO WHAT I DO. >> IS THERE ROOM IN THERE FOR ME SOMEWHERE? >> OF COURSE THERE. >> I UNDERSTAND YOU ACTUALLY BROUGHT US SOMETHING. >> I DID. I HAPPEN TO KNOW SOME PEOPLE AT MATEL. I ASKED IF THEY COULD BRING YOU A SPECIAL DOLL, WHICH IS THE 40th ANNIVERSARY BLACK BARBIE DOLL. THIS DOLL IS INCREDIBLY RARE. I DON'T EVEN HAVE ONE. BUT I WANTED YOU ALL TO HAVE ONE. >> SHONDA, THAT IS SO SWEET. MY DAUGHTER WILL LOVE THAT. >> THAT IS NEAT! >> CAN I HOLD HER? >> YOU CAN. I WON'T TAKE HER OUT OF THE BOX. >> SHONDA, THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> YOU ARE ONE OF THE FIRST GUESTS THAT BROUGHT US A REALLY NICE GIFT LIKE THIS. >> YEAH. I WANT YOU TO ENJOY IT. >> LOOK AT HER BAG. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND, AGAIN, "BL
