Ken (doll): Difference between revisions

In October 2009, Mattel announced a new ''Palm Beach'' line which included a "Sugar Daddy Ken" doll aimed for adult collectors. The said line officially debuted in the spring of 2010. The line proved to be controversial, because of Ken's [[sugar daddy (slang term)|suggestive-sounding name]]. The doll had a more mature appearance and came with a [[West Highland Terrier]] puppy. Mattel defended the doll's name, saying that the puppy's name is "Sugar", thus making Ken "Sugar's Daddy".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/barbies-sugar-daddy-ken-doll-raises-eyebrows/story?id=8952641&page=1 |title=ABC News &#124; Business &#124; 'Sugar Daddy Ken' Doll Raises Eyebrows |work=ABC News |date=2009-10-30 |access-date=2010-08-16}}</ref> The doll's outfit resembled an outfit worn by a socialite seen in [[Slim Aarons]]' photo "Palm Springs Party".<ref>{{cite web | first=Hannah | last=Malach | url=https://wwd.com/pop-culture/culture-news/barbie-sugar-daddy-ken-doll-1235717734/ | title=Remembering Barbie’sBarbie's ‘Sugar'Sugar Daddy Ken’Ken': The Doll for Adults Who Loved Palm Beach Fashion | work=[[Women's Wear Daily]] | date=2023-06-23 | accessdate=2023-07-10}}</ref>

Ken is named after Ruth Handler’s son Kenneth.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Niemann |first1=Paul J. |title=More Invention Mysteries: 52 Little-Known True Stories Behind Well-Known Inventions |date=2006 |publisher=Invention Mysteries Books |isbn=978-0-9748041-1-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tx9Zkz0XqA4C |language=en}}</ref> In the 1960s [[Random House]] books, the character's [[surname]] is given as Carson. Barbie and Ken's surnames were taken from the name of Mattel's ad agency Carson/Roberts.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rand |first1=Erica |title=Barbie's Queer Accessories |date=1995 |publisher=Duke University Press |isbn=978-0-8223-1620-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wyeeHB4F6ksC |language=en}}</ref> Ken's [[middle name]] is Sean.<ref>{{Cite webmagazine |last=Carlin |first=Shannon |date=2023-07-20 |title=The History Behind Barbie's Ken |url=https://time.com/6296386/barbie-ken-history/ |access-date=2023-07-26 |websitemagazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |language=en}}</ref>