Is Nothing Sacred – Barbie and Ken Split

To
an entire generation of girls growing up in America (and probably more
than a few boys) Barbie and Ken were the true "American Idols". It’s
tough learning one’s idols are human, but Barbie and Ken’s employer,
Mattel, Inc. dropped a bombshell today: America’s #1 Plastic Fantastic
Couple was definitely splitsville!! Who knew?

Rumors of New York call girls (for him) and Australian surfers (for
her) abound. Who best to dig up the dirt than our experts in infidelity,
the French!

NEW
YORK (AFP) – Ken and Barbie, the Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward of the
doll world, have split after four decades of ageless romance, toymaker
Mattel announced.

Amid rumours of another man in Barbie’s life, Mattel’s vice president
of marketing, Russell Arons, told reporters that Ken and Barbie felt
it was "time to spend
some quality time — apart."

"In the fall, you may see another guy show up," Arons said, while adding
that the once-perfect couple remained "good friends."

The announcement provided a quirky twist to the old adage of any publicity being
good publicity, at a time when Barbie’s dominant position in the doll market
is looking vulnerable.
While worldwide gross sales for Mattel brands reflected two percent growth in
the fourth quarter, Barbie brand sales slid five percent, and 25 percent domestically.

Since vamping up the store shelves in 1959 with her buxom chest, wasp waist a
nd
slender hips, more than one billion Barbie dolls have been sold in 150 countries.
Ken arrived on the scene in 1961.

from AFP