Say what you like about Jabba the Hutt. He had a slight weight problem. He made a living in the black market. He slurred his words.

But the guy had an eye for beautiful women. And in 1983, he gave every teenage human boy in the 80s a gift: an enslaved Princess Leia in a gold metal bikini. The scene of a nearly nude Carrie Fisher in "Return of the Jedi" is probably responsible for more males entering puberty since the food fight scene in "Little Darlings."

Fischer, who turns 51 years old today, told Vanity Fair in a 1996 interview that she ended up getting the part in Star Wars because "I slept with some nerd."

"I hope it was George [Lucas]," she added, explaining to the interviewer that she was on too many drugs at the time to remember.

The popular story among Star Wars fans is that during filming of "Jedi," Fisher found that the metal bikini didn't really fit all that well. When she would recline back against Jabba, the top and bottom of the outfit would push out from her body, giving any nearby crew member a good view of her bare necessities. (I'm glad I didn't know this factoid back in '83 -- I think my testosterone levels would have surged beyond lethal levels.)

But our attraction to her goes way behind the slutty slave swimsuit. It's the titillating lines of dialog -- seemingly brushed with a tinge of innuendo. ("I'd just as soon kiss a wookie." "You're a jittery little thing, aren't you?" "Into the garbage shute, flyboy!")

These days, Fisher is staying busy with her writing novels ("Postcards from the Edge," "The Best Awful There Is") and has resumed her acting career. She is currently filming "The Women," a comedy flick with Bette Midler, Eva Mendes and Meg Ryan.