Happy Birthday, Ken!

Guess who’s going to get his AARP card in the mail?  The perpetually perfect, all-American boy wonder Barbie Ken hit the big 5-0 on March 11. I was shocked and amused when I read the headline, KEN TURNS 50 in Parade Magazine yesterday.

My favorite childhood Barbie Doll’s boyfriend, Ken is turning 50!  I still have my 1972 Mod Hair Ken Doll in his ever so sportin’ brown plaid jacket and white turtleneck. He’s in a trunk in my parents attic along with Malibu Barbie, Skipper, Superstar Barbie, Tuesday Taylor Barbie, all the Charlie’s Angel’s Barbies, Donny & Marie… I should probably cut my list here to avoid further embarrassment.  My cousin, best friend and I played with our Barbie Dolls til the cows came home.  And they did come home!  Between the 3 of us, we had Barbie’s Townhouse, Airplane, RV Camper, Pool, Ken’s cool convertible, and our very own hand made barbie doll clothes. That’s where our parents drew the line. It was one thing to ask for the “But Barbie and Ken HAVE to have a house and a car and a pool!” It was another to convince our parents they needed different outfits, so we ventured off to the Fabric Store and helped our Mom’s make halter tops and bell bottom pants for Barbie & Ken.  Looking back, we were way cooler than our friends who had store bought everything for Barbie and Ken. Yet I digress.  Reading about Ken’s 50th Birthday brought back a touch of nostalgia.  What toy or icon will this generation illicit headline news or at least be Parade Magazine worthy in 30 or 40 years?  Maybe Ken would like some morsels for his birthday?