“Cat Scratch”
In the fall of 1984, Hello Kitty began a romantic relationship with fellow character franchise front woman, Strawberry Shortcake. The two had met in the cocktail lounge of the Abbey Court hotel in London where both were scheduled to appear at a trade convention. They had kept their relationship concealed from the public for 8 months. This was due in part to Astro Boy posing as a beard for Hello Kitty. In June of 1985, the two had taken a romantic weekend getaway to a private beach in Jamaica. Paparazzi caught up with the lovers and the following week they were outed by Michael Musto of NYC paper, The Village Voice. Despite initial public shock, Hello Kitty and Strawberry Shortcake continued their relationship. Around this time Strawberry Shortcake had begun filming her latest special, Strawberry Shortcake Meets the Berrykins. Also filming across the lot at DiC studios was newcomer, Rainbow Brite’s debut feature film, Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer. The two met at the studio commissary and shortly thereafter began a secret affair. Strawberry Shortcake began to grow distant from Hello Kitty, but she did not think it suspicious as both had demanding schedules between merchandise shoots and animated specials. An anonymous letter was sent to Hello Kitty notifying her of the secret affair. It was later revealed in the behind the scenes, tell-all book, “The End Of The Rainbow”, published in 1998, that the letter had been written by Twink, Rainbow Brite’s sidekick, in a drunken jealous stupor. When confronted by Hello Kitty, Strawberry Shortcake told her it was over and she officially left her for the younger, spunkier franchise character. Heartbroken and crestfallen, Hello Kitty took her life that very evening on the night of June 13, 1986 by slicing her wrists.
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