The little-known, real-life backstory behind the Barbie movie’s very funny gay Ken joke
Barbie finally in theaters.From the pretty pink visuals to the soundtrack of wall-to-wall pop bangers to the stitch-perfect costuming to the performances (you haven’t lived until you’ve seen Ryan Gosling’s Ken Doll belt his heart out), it’s a cinematic sensory overload in the best way—the kind so stuffed with ideas and details and gags, you’ll probably want to see it again just to catch everything.But there’s one gag in particular we at Queerty had to know more about, one that’s super gay and—as it turns out—a real part of Barbie history…*Very minor spoilers ahead for Barbie, but here’s a head’s up just in case!*After her trip to the real world, Barbie (Margot Robbie) is back in BarbieLand having an existential crisis while Ken (Gosling) spreads the good word of patriarchy to his fellow Kens.She takes refuge at the home of “Weird Barbie” (Kate McKinnon, hilariously bringing to life that one doll we all played with too hard), where a small collection of Mattel misfits have gathered—some of strangest and most ill-conceived dolls in Barbie brand history, all of which have been discontinued.Among the group are two Kens from bygone eras, and the movie stops just short of outright calling them “gay Kens,” but come on—look at them!
They are so gay. One is Earring Magic Ken— a doll we’ve previously written about on this very site—who was introduced in 1992 in an attempt to make Ken look “cooler.” (And for some reason also came with a c*ck ring????)And beside him is none other than Sugar Daddy Ken.
Yup, you read that right… Sugar Daddy Ken. As the movie points out, he technically should be called Sugar’s Daddy Ken—because he’s the daddy to a dog named Sugar, you see?—but he’s not.
