By Rob Bricken in
Toys
Friday, Oct. 30 2009 @ 9:01AM
Forget everything else. There's only one subject worth discussing in the national consciousness, and that, of course, is Mattel's Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken. Some of you doubted that the figure -- which we now know to come with the above accessories, including bermuda shorts -- to be real, just because Mattel doesn't update its Barbie site for shit. Well, a Mattel spokeswoman has indeed confirmed the doll as 100% authentic, and, in addition, explained the horrible, depraved story behind the toy's name to the New York Post:
Obviously, instead of giving money to teenage girls for sex like a normal sugar daddy, Palm Beach Ken has gone the more twisted route of fucking a dog and then raising the resulting puppy as his own. As twisted as that is, the most deviant aspect is that he calls the dog "Sugar." No wonder Barbie never seems to hang around him anymore. (Via Geek Girl Diva)"The 'Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken' is actually part of the adult Barbie Collector Line," the spokeswoman said. "It is targeted toward adults."
And before anyone thinks the "Sugar Daddy" title refers to an older man with a younger lover, Mattel says that there's a much more innocent explanation.
"The little dog's name is actually Sugar," said the Mattel spokeswoman. "That's where the name comes from. He's Sugar's daddy, as a reference to the dog."
34 comments
Comments
Merle said:
I love the tiny bottle of sun screen.
This doll continues to make me smile. If you ever run a second "shameful toy" contest I think I will have my entry.
MunkyPuke said:
I wonder how the PR rep will explain the origin of the name they'll give to Sugar Daddy's "roomate" Backdoor Bruce?
"His handlebar moustache and chaps scare the neighbors, so out of respect, he uses the slider door of their duplex so he doesn't cause a scene".
rj472 said:
I really don't think this "Sugar Daddy Ken" ever paid young girls for anything.
JOE said:
Oh, but do you realize the door this is opening. At last we can now have evey kind of Barbie and Ken possible under the disclaimer that they're for adult collectors.
Dungeon Barbie and Ken! Can't Wait!
bookfisher said:
So now theare is a air of "Stranger!Danger!" around him instead.
Skipper searches for her beach ball. "Its this your ball" A tanned middelaged "dapper" man asks her. Skipper shyly reaches for the ball. "Isn't my dog cute, I call her Sugar" and adds "My name is Ken, but you can call me - Sugar Daddy" Skipper grabs the ball and runs.
sal said:
it would be all that bad...but, the white pants, white shoes, the ultra femmy pose they stuck him in, the green coat, the pink shirt, the little dog, pink leash...the boards are...well...fuck. who the Eff are they marketing too? What "adult" collectors?
demoncat said:
nice of Mattel to do some dammage control by saying Sugar Daddy Ken is named for the dog. not the other meaning of Suger daddy though those who actully buy him will proably have him be the other meaning of suger daddy in their Barbie displays. that thing still is wrong and shows Barbie has destroyed the minds of the execs in charge of her for Mattel
DoctorSmashy said:
Look at his.... look at his HAIR!?!?! And his face.... he looks like a young Ray Wise. And if Ray Wise wasn't so awesome I would have to melt this doll.
rosewater said:
this is officially the best thing i've witnessed all week. i love corporate backpedalling! this is all so crazy! thanks mattel and tr for making life so awesome!
davelog said:
This doll says far more about 'adult Barbie collectors' than it does about Mattel.
Necronomic Recovery said:
We believe you, Mattel.
We believe you.
Rocco said:
Thanks a lot.. You made me snort raspberry lemonade up my nose.. From now on, Topless Robot is a non-beverage zone.
Tierney said:
Why do you keep saying "girls" in relation to Sugar Daddy. I take it you never spent any time in West Hollywood.
MunkyPuke said:
Is Sugar Daddy Ken the pitcher or the catcher?
Dave said:
That's the worst spin I've ever heard.
Greg said:
I have to own one just because he is so incredibly gay. I may dress my George W Bush figure up in these clothes.
RobP said:
Hahahaha! It's the news that keeps on giving!
The dog's name is Sugar. Wow. Awesome. How much do I want one of these? THIS much. If anyone wants to be my Sugar Daddy (or, Sugar Mama!), I would gladly accept this in payment for "adult" gratitude.
Nicnac said:
It's been up for presale on EntertainmentEarth since your first article...
$82.
FuryOfFirestorm said:
Maybe now they'll bring back the Ken made in the mid 90's that came with a built-to-scale cock ring!
FuryOfFirestorm said:
Now i'm looking forward to...
Rent-Boy Ken- with cutoff jeans and Spanish language voice chip!
Rough Trade Ken- with "rape and rob' action!
Brokeback Moutain Ken- (Sham Marriage Barbie sold separately)
fishbulb said:
Yea, I agree with a couple above posters. This isn't a hetero sugar daddy at all. He's strolling the beach looking for young boys.
Plus, keep in mind there are a lot of "Smithers" out there collecting Malibu Stacy's as it were. I'm sure that is the target market.
Steve Harrison said:
Sooooo, I'm not the only one who saw 'TEH GAY SUBTEXT' going on with this thing.
But Mattel HAS to maintain a 'mainstream' face and wouldn't dare come out and say it.
I mean, really! REALLY? "oh, the dog's name is Sugar, and Ken is her daddy!" and that makes it BETTER? REALLY?
Who's taking bets on this hitting the mainstream press, outrage is expressed, and Mattel pulls the plug on it?
(I mean, if I were gay, I'd be offended by the stereotyping and all, right? )
Poor Ken, no matter what career he chooses, he always comes up short compared to GI Joe.
Matthew Grayson said:
That is too weak from Mattel, if that was indeed the case, he'd be called Sugar's Daddy Ken.
This flamboyant wreck of a doll isn't even a decent stereotype ... on any level, gay or straight.
It's offensive but also just plain stupid. Just like Art Director Ken ... because he's into art, he has to be gay? This is offensive as a gay stereotype, but also offensive if it wasn't that ... it does seem to be like, "isn't my dog cute, her name is Sugar. I'll buy you some sugar if you come home with me, My Scene and thus younger and been with less versions of me Barbie."
I went on eBay to see if people were bidding on this, and I became distracted by the anatomically correct Ken and Barbie that apparently have been made to "actually" have sex. Too funny.
Matthew Grayson said:
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/barbies-sugar-daddy-ken-doll-raises-eyebrows/story?id=8952641
Topless Robot made ABC News with this topic, check it out!
brianace said:
As a man who dresses in bermuda shorts and fucks small dogs, I find your comments toward me and my kind to be mean spirited and hateful.
I double dog dare you to delete my comment!
Cajetas said:
It would be awesome for Mattel to try to cover their Keisters by including a Sugar Daddy candy with each Ken to say that was the reason he was called Sugary Daddy Ken, because he came with a Sugar Daddy.
Just as uncontroversial as black "Oreo Barbie".
cocacolaoso said:
Coming Soon: a FFF starring "Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken" and "The Flamingo"!
Ubiq said:
Does Barbie have any elderly lady characters? Because this doll, a grand piano, and a bunch of beehived old ladies would create the perfect Liberace Magic Ken set.
ZeroCorpse said:
I picture Sugar Daddy Ken's voice to sound something like Truman Capote crossed with Kevin Spacey.
That whole company explanation is just code for "This is a Ken doll with a clever wink-and-a-nod name, meant for the adult, male, homosexual Barbie collectors. In fact, we were specifically thinking of Waylon Smithers when we made it."
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
RobM said:
In my heart, the dog is still called Precious.
Carl said:
Looks like a young very gay John Forsythe...
Gen said:
At least he has flat feet. Barbie, eat your heart out!
I like the tiny bottled water.
skimbob said:
reading these comments made me laugh out loud! that's right I'm writing the whole words instead of (lol) just because that's how funny this is. I however have to have one of these dolls. Maybe Ken and Allen can hang out together, since Barbie and Midge will be throwing them out for any of the GI Joe guys-hell even the Teletubbies would be less gay than this Ken! Who was it that said something about backdoor Bruce? Ken, Alan and Bruce need to get together for a threesome!
Gail said:
I Like the doll as adult collector. If you read how Barbie started, you would wonder have things come full circle. Love it.
Now -- if we could get Steven to look more manly.
G
