Too gay, too weird, too pregnant: The most controversial Barbie dolls in history
The IndependentStay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Ever since Mattel introduced Earring Magic Ken a few weeks ago, people have been wondering whether there’s something more in the Dream House closet than a few Bob Mackie originals and some two-inch-wide hangers,” wrote journalist Frank DeCaro in Newsday. Donna Gibbs, director of media relations at Mattel at the time, emphasised that Ken’s look was not meant to be controversial – he was just “contemporary” and thus a reflection of changing fashion trends. Happy Family Midge, 2002 Lifespan: unknown By 2002, Barbie’s oldest friend, Midge, was happily married and visibly pregnant with her second child – with Mattel announcing she was expecting a baby girl. open image in gallery In ‘Barbie’, Kate McKinnon’s Weird Barbie lives with a collection of discontinued dolls Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken, 2009 Lifespan: less than a year This 2009 Ken doll wore a satin green paisley blazer, white trousers and led a small white dog on a pink leash – but it was his name that sparked the most confusion.