In the last issue of Loverboy we spoke to Joshua David McKenney about his work with Pidgin, his doll and muse. Joshua told us about making dolls for Brooke Candy & Grace Jones, his childhood obsession with pony-tails (something we can all agree on, right?) and how male dolls can get a little ‘bulky.’
But when we spoke to him the other day, he told us about Bambi, his Love doll. Although the pair never consummated their relationship, Joshua and Bambi have always been close, with her modelling for him in the studio. Sadly though Bambi is now set to embark on a road trip to San Diego, to a new home. We found out more about Bambi, her own backstory and what her secret is to the ideal ‘selfie.’
How did you and Bambi meet?
Bambi and I were introduced by her previous owner Stacy Leigh. Stacy is a fine-art photographer who shoots a lot of sex dolls. She’s actually just had her first solo show at Castor Gallery in New York. She’s literally amazing. Anyway, I know Stacy because of our work with dolls. She was moving uptown to a smaller space and asked if I would be interested in acquiring one of her love-dolls. I have always had a fascination with them but I never dreamed I would own one. I used to have an armless mannequin in my bedroom growing up but there is something about the silicone that kind of takes it to the next level. Mannequins are hard and always set in one pose but sex dolls are soft and have an internal armature for posing.
What was Bambi wearing when you met?
Oh God! I think she was wearing a dirty blond wig, a belly shirt with leopard leggings and some thick soles high-heeled boots or something. She also has a fake tattoo of a snake or a dragon on her boob. I think Stacy must have been using her as a ‘biker-chick’ for a photo or something. After I got her home, I gave her a stylish black bob with short micro-bangs, a floral crown that I found at a bar, black lipstick, and a strong eyebrow. I dressed her in a vintage quilted nighty that I had from a costume party or something.
What was it about her that you first found attractive?
Her face for sure! She’s got a really beautiful face! She’s unlike most sex dolls because her facial features aren’t too ‘porny.’ They are stylized more like a doll’s. Her eyes are really large and she’s got a an innocence to her look. She’s really lovely.
Did she ever give you any insight for Pidgin?
Bambi clued me in on the experience of owning a doll that’s really special in a way that I’m normally cut off from, being Pidgin’s maker. I remember after I redressed her and she had been hanging out in my studio for a week I really started to feel affection for Bambi. Obviously I didn’t love her in the way she was meant to be ‘loved’ but I just kind of adored looking at her. I don’t own a lot of dolls that aren’t Pidgin, so it kind of clued me into the experience of feeling strongly about an inanimate humanoid object, which is I guess how most people experience dolls. I remember writing to Stacy about how all of a sudden I couldn’t keep my eyes off Bambi, I just kept looking at her, and she said something like ‘Aren’t we beautiful creatures?’
Why are you parting ways?
We’re parting ways because I am moving to a new smaller studio and there just isn’t room for her. Also I met a lovely girl through mutual friends that was looking for a sex doll to model her clothing line so the timing was perfect. She’s going to be living with an amazing girl named Nikki Lipstick (who looks just like her) in San Diego, CA.
What music will she listen to on her road trip?
Her road-trip buddies, actor Jesse Sherman and his wife Krystal, said they made a Frazer playlist. Frazer is an independent rap artist originally from Florida but now in LA launching his career.
What will you miss most about her?
I will miss people’s reaction to her when they come into my workspace. Whenever I’d have anyone over to see my studio I would inevitably have to spend the first five minutes explaining why I had a sex doll, letting them touch her boobs, and confirming that “yes, she really does have a pussy.”
What’s your craziest time with Bambi?
My most crazy time with Bambi was definitely trying to get her from lower Manhattan where Stacy lived to my studio in Brooklyn. I made Stacy come out on the street to hail down a taxi for me and my friend because I knew nobody would pick up two giant man holding life-size silicone sex dolls outside the Holland Tunnel. Unfortunately it was rush hour so it took us a good 45 minutes to get a cab. By the time we got in a car we had a literal crowd gathered around us and had taken selfies with at least 20 strangers.
How is she enjoying Instagram?
She’s only been on Instagram for 2 days but she already has almost 100 followers so that’s not a bad start. I’m hoping that as her journey progresses there will be more of an interest in her adventure across America.
What’s her secret to a good selfie?
Just make sure your eyes are pointed in the same direction.
Will you keep in touch?
For sure! I feel Bambi is “staying in the family.” Although I haven’t met her new owner I know she is super a cool girl who I share a lot of mutual friends with. I’m hoping to visit her in her new life the next time I’m in Southern California!
Find out more about Joshua on Facebook.
Follow Bambi on Instagram @BambiLoveDoll
