Yahoo Finance 8 Controversial or Overlooked Barbie Toys: From Her Pregnant Pal Midge to Her Pooping Dog Tanner
Barbie hasn't always hit the mark, as evidenced by several hilarious nods in the new Greta Gerwig-directed film
Tom Starkweather/Bloomberg via Getty, Yvonne Hemsey/Getty
Computer Engineer Barbie; Earring Magic KenBarbie has been a cultural phenomenon since the doll launched in 1959, but not every iteration of the Mattel icon and her friends has been a hit.
Following the release of Greta Gerwig's Barbie, fans have been talking about some of the movie's hilarious nods to Barbie toys over the years that have either been overlooked, controversial or just didn't really sell for one reason or another.
One example? Allan (played by Michael Cera), whose solo representation serves as a bit of a breath-of-fresh-air antithesis to all the Kens in the film, despite not being as popular with the Barbies as a love interest.
As Cera, 35, told The Guardian of his character, "He's somewhat of a marginalized figure," adding, “It turned out people didn’t need to go deeper into Ken’s world.”
With the movie breaking box-office records, read on for a breakdown of some of the Barbie-line products that many consider to be bombs.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty
Barbie and TannerBarbie and Tanner
Barbie and Tanner was a set released in 2006 and discontinued by 2010, featuring the doll and her pet dog that resembled a yellow Labrador Retriever.
Tanner — who is featured briefly in the Barbie film, as the pet of Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) — was a controversial figure of his time, as he "ate" his plastic dog food and then pooped it out. Then ate the same material, and so on.
Aside from many parents' head-scratching over the toy's functionality, Tanner was eventually discontinued. Mattel even put out a voluntary recall over a magnet within the toy's blue pooper scooper device.
Lawrence Lucier/Getty Images
Happy Family Barbie collection with Midge (R)Pregnant Midge
Played by Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) in the movie, Midge was Barbie's pregnant pal who, in toy canon, was married to Allan.
While Midge was first introduced in 1963 as Barbie's best friend, the doll eventually had a Wedding Day version in 1991 and, by 2003, was pregnant, as part of the Happy Family line. The latter version included a Midge doll who had a baby inside her magnetic, removable belly.
Pregnant Midge was discontinued by 2005, after controversy about whether the doll was appropriate for children and how she was presented.
Yvonne Hemsey/Getty
Earring Magic KenEarring Magic Ken
Played by Tom Stourton, Earring Magic Ken appears in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo in Barbie, and was a 1993 doll that was marketed as a companion to Earring Magic Barbie and friends.
Debates about Ken's sexuality ran rampant from the time of the Earring Magic dolls' release 30 years ago. A former Mattel employee named Carol Spencer said there were even discussions internally about it, according to MEL magazine.
“I do recall the male Mattel designer — who was married with several children and working on the project — saying to me, ‘They will turn Ken gay with this doll!' " said Spencer, per the outlet.
Shutterstock
Palm Beach Sugar Daddy KenPalm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken
Another quick niche Ken appearance is that of Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken (Rob Brydon in the movie), which was launched in 2009.
The doll featured a green printed blazer, white pants and a tiny white dog on a pink leash named Sugar — making Ken "Sugar's daddy."
Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken was released as part of Barbie's 50th anniversary celebration, and discontinued by 2012.
Mattel
AllanAllan
Allan (later re-dubbed Alan) was named after Barbie creator Ruth Handler's son-in-law, and introduced as a friend of Ken's in 1964.
He was marketed as Midge's boyfriend and eventual husband — and, later, the father of her children in the Happy Family line.
The most recent Alan doll was released in 2014, as part of the Double Date 50th Anniversary Gift Set that also included a Ken and Barbie doll.
Growing Up Skipper
Hannah Khalique-Brown portrays Growing Up Skipper in the Barbie movie, giving representation to the doll released in 1975.
Skipper, who is Barbie's younger sister in Mattel canon, was a teenager in this iteration. Upon a twisting of her arm, she would get taller — and grow breasts.
Tom Starkweather/Bloomberg via Getty
Computer Engineer BarbieComputer Engineer Barbie
This Barbie was introduced in 2010, but received backlash for its accompanying book, in which Barbie enlists the help of two male friends to program a game she's designing.
" 'I'm only creating the design ideas,' Barbie says, laughing. 'I'll need Steven's and Brian's help to turn it into a real game,' " the book read in part, according to NPR.
Mattel later issued an apology for the book's contents in 2014, saying, "The portrayal of Barbie in this specific story doesn't reflect the Brand's vision for what Barbie stands for," per NPR.
Teen Talk Barbie
Marisa Abela gives life to Teen Talk Barbie in Barbie, a doll released in 1992 whose first edition said phrases like, “Let’s plan our dream wedding!” and “Math class is tough!”, according to Vanity Fair.
"In hindsight, the phrase 'math class is tough,' while correct for many students both male and female, should not have been included," then-Mattel president Jill Barad wrote in a letter to the American Association of University Women at the time, The New York Times reports.
Barad added, "We didn't fully consider the potentially negative implications of this phrase, nor were we aware of the findings of your organization's report."
Barbie is now playing in theaters.
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.
