February 14, 2006, - 5:39 pm
Happy Valentine’s Day: New Ken Doll is a Girlie-Man
By
In our latest Men–the New Women–Alert, check out the new Ken doll, released just in time for Valentine’s Day. He comes complete with a rhinestone-studded purse, er . . . man-bag.
On Valentine’s Day 2004, Mattel–desperate to stop rapidly declining sales of Barbie dolls–invented a silly story in which Barbie breaks up with Ken (full name: Ken Carson, for trivia buffs). Since that didn’t work (Barbie sales are still declining), Mattel, today, reunited Barbie with a “new” Ken. Unfortunately, the new Ken is more Barbie than Ken.
New Ken got a “makeover” and hired gay celebrity stylist to female starlets to dress him. Sadly, in addition to the purse, he’s got poufy girlie-man hair. But it gets worse. Here’s what Mattel says makes new Ken attractive to Barbie: He dabbles in Buddhism, traveled the world in search of himself, learned to cook for Barbie while she pursues her career (Mr. Mom, anyone?), and loves listening to feminine Norah Jones songs.
Just remember, while it may only be a plastic doll, this is what Mattel is teaching your daughters to look for in a “man.” We predict a further decline in Barbie sales. Girls will be girls, and they want real men, ie. the masculine kind.
Tags: Debbie Schlussel, Ken New Ken, Ken Carson, Ken Doll, Mattel, Mom, Norah Jones, Valentine's Day
Don’t hold your breath for a reissue of GI Joe. If they bring him back, he will likely be sporting one of those nefarious powder blue berets.
44Automag on February 14, 2006 at 11:47 pm