Excerpted from The Batgirl Batbook:
 

 
 

BatTalk

Assistant Producer Arnold Knulp

“Romy was great, very funny, really vibrant.  By the time these episodes aired, both of the main actresses were nearing forty.  Romy was concerned that she might not be convincing as Janet, but she was perfect.

“I think they handled it tastefully enough.  Yvonne was a real trooper.  I think maybe she’s tired of seeing that picture of Batgirl with the diaper, but she takes it in good humor.”

Writer Ivan Yawnenstrich

“Diapergirl was really a device to explore Batgirl’s relationship with her father.  Before Batgirl could accept the need to tell her father the truth, to be grown-up about it, she needed to have her nose rubbed in her own childishness a bit.  This charade had been going on for eight seasons.  How long could it continue?  And Neil was pleased to have his character’s intelligence credited, at last.

“That scene where Batgirl talks to her mask seems to confuse people.  I really thought it opened up some compelling possibilites for character development.  But they never explored the idea, in later episodes, so it remains just this puzzling inclusion in the “baby” story.  I’m actually surprised they left it in the final version.

“There really is an Adult Baby movement, of sorts.  I was concerned about writing some kind of exploitation piece or something.  I hope it was inoffensive enough, to everyone.  Some of the executives [at NBC] didn’t like the idea, but they finally let us do it.  They were pretty good about letting us try more serious material as the series went on.  And I think the real ABY’s take it as kind of a tribute.  They show up at the conventions, sometimes, with that picture, wanting an autograph. 

“I wanted the ABY movement to be kind of an underground culture, like the punk rockers who were causing so much controversy in London and New York at the time.  I don’t really think that was made clear in the aired episodes.  These were fashion-conscious kids, mainly, who dressed in baby clothes.  The punk rockers had their safety pins and rubber gear.  The ABY’s had pacifiers and diapers.  But that element, the parody, was lost.”
 


 
 
 
To Besmirching the Archetype

To Don't Believe All the Hype

BatFacts

  •  Romy Schneider also played an heiress named Janet in the comedy, Good Neighbor Sam.  In addition to her many roles in foreign films, she starred in What’s New Pussycat? and Orson Welles' classic, The Trial.  She also made frequent guest appearances on American TV.
  •  There were plans to give this episode, which does not star Batman or Robin, a new all-Batgirl animated introduction, but the studio balked at the expense.

BatTrivia


Question:

What is the translation of Diapergirl’s real name, as revealed in this episode?
 

Answer: 

Janet von Diaper-Diaper.

 
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