The Big Picture
- Barbie remains a pop cultural phenomenon thanks to its heart and humor.
- The movie features amusing Mattel creations like Earring Magic Ken and Sugar Daddy Ken, the latter having an infamous backstory in real life.
- Rob Brydon's humorous portrayal of Sugar Daddy Ken adds a fun and unexpected twist.
Even though it only won one Academy Award, the biggest movie of 2023, Barbie, continues to prove its cultural staying power. And not just because of that Oscar performance from Ryan Gosling, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor alongside co-star America Ferrera for Best Supporting Actress. Aside from Gosling's scene-stealing Ken, Barbie featured several doll creations Mattel really hoped you had scrubbed from your memory. Many of these maligned Mattel fashionistas are delightfully infamous. There's Allan (Michael Cera), the lone outcast among a sea of Kens, and the "Happy Family" version of Midge (Emerald Fennell), whose pregnant belly recalls the chest-buster scene from Alien more than it does a living human woman.
And we would be remiss not to relate to and want to cosplay Kate McKinnon's Weird Barbie. Or fawn over the chic stylings of Earring Magic Ken (Tom Stourton), who said "gay rights" and supposedly turned a decent profit for it. But no Ken variant left movie theaters howling with laughter more than one bewildering, misguided, and geniously self-aware knock-off: Sugar Daddy Ken, played by comedian Rob Brydon. Where on Ruth Handler's pink planet Earth did this guy come from, and how did he sneak past Mattel executives? That's the mystery begging to be solved.
Barbie
PG-13ComedyAdventureFantasyA beloved doll, known for her perfect life in an idyllic, colorful world, finds herself on an unexpected journey when she starts to feel out of place. Seeking answers, she leaves her fantastical home and steps into the real world, where she experiences the highs and lows of human life. With the help of new friends, she navigates the challenges of identity and purpose, discovering the importance of authenticity and inner strength.
Release Date July 21, 2023 Director Greta Gerwig Cast Margot Robbie , Simu Liu , Ryan Gosling , Helen Mirren , Ariana Greenblatt , America Ferrera Runtime 114 minutes'Barbie's Sugar Daddy Ken Has a Complicated History
Please note the lack of a possessive when referring to the "Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken" doll. Despite owning an adorable white floof of a dog named Sugar, this Ken doesn't stoop low enough to go by "Sugar's Daddy." He rocks the slick, sweet, and solo version of "Sugar" — even though an ABC News report suggests he did begin life as "Sugar's Daddy." But pop culture dropped that apostrophe hotter than a 2004 Snoop Dogg song, and the rest is fabulous, fashionable history. Mattel released the dapper gentleman that is Sugar Daddy Ken in 2009 as a special edition doll exclusive to the Barbie 50th anniversary line, and one reportedly meant to appeal to adult collectors. Sold for a whopping $82, because capitalism, the brand described this dashing example of sultry sophistication as “exemplifies fantastic Palm Beach fashion." Because Palm Beach fashion is something society wants to collectively revisit, right? Not.
This Ken's origins (and his eyebrow-raising name of suggestive connotations) date back to photographer Slim Aarons’ “Palm Springs Party” collections from the 1970s. Aarons captured the glamorous lives of rich urbanites in all their paisley-colored, checker-patterned, bell-bottomed, bouffant-haired glory. Some napped on the beach near picturesque palm trees while wearing swimsuit ensembles. Others congregated in backyards with drinks in hand, bedecked in clashing colors gone wild. (1970s fashion took one look at color theory and tossed it in the trash.)
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In one picture, a man in a bright green polka-dot suit jacket, pressed white pants, and white shoes (just like Sugar Daddy Ken's swanky get-up) chats with several women. Sugar Daddy Ken boldly took his style one step further than his inspiration by shedding the tie and adding a pink dress shirt. And let's not forget the real life of the party: those luscious gray locks. That alone suggests this Ken is older than his regular counterparts. As for Sugar, the dog that Sugar Daddy is (supposedly) named for, the Westie pup knows its accessorizes; Sugar's leash and collar are also pink.
Why Did Mattel Allow Sugar Daddy Ken To Be Made?
ClosePresumably, someone in the Mattel design department decided to have fun, and somehow management approved the move (for a while, at least). The public enjoyed themselves at Sugar Daddy Ken's expense, too. The 2009 ABC News piece discussed the doll's controversial reception by quoting a blog post entitled "Mattel Has Lost Their Minds." The writer of this iconic piece exclaimed, "This is like one of those jokes Barbies art students do in college to criticize gender roles forced on children by their toys, like Hobo Barbie and Pregnant Trailer Trash Barbie. Except this time Mattel made it. It's official. My world is rocked."
The notably protective Mattel tried to dissuade everyone's dirty minds with an official New York Post statement: "He's Sugar's Daddy," the announcement said, "as a reference to the dog." Mattel spokesperson Michelle Chidoni further told ABC, "At the end of the day, this collection is targeted toward adults. While the name of the doll does refer back to the dog, I think people are going to interpret it as they want to interpret it." Explanations aside, the impeccably coifed and cuffed dandy was discontinued within a year and became a collector's item. So if you're longing for a Sugar Daddy Ken (ahem) of your own, be wary — he's an elusive find. Entertainment Earth's product page slapped him with an ominous disclaimer of "this item is cancelled and no longer available to order." Whoops. I guess this Sugar Daddy just wasn't Kenough.
Margot Robbie Is a Huge Rob Brydon Fan
Welsh actor and comedian Rob Brydon plays the movie version of Sugar Daddy Ken in Greta Gerwig's record-breaking blockbuster. One of the stars behind the hit BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey, Brydon said he was “relieved” that his Ken's double entendre name wasn't intentional. (The jokes write themselves, folks!) Brydon also shared how he joined the Barbie cast. The actor had previously recorded a birthday message for producer and lead actress Margot Robbie, who happens to be a Gavin & Stacey superfan. In turn, Robbie told CosmopolitanUK she was determined to bring Brydon aboard. Brydon's cameo might be small, but his appearance as Sugar Daddy Ken will probably have a longer shelf life than his poor plastic counterpart ever did — and increase the doll's eBay prices. It's a suitably happy ending for one of the creations both Mattel and the fictional Barbieland relegated to the "weird" house. After all, older Kens just wanna have fun, too!
Barbie is now available to stream on Max in the U.S.
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