DOLL PARTY part III

Male Dolls

Ken doll

Ken, Barbie's boyfriend was introduced by Mattel in 1961, only two short years after Barbie's introduction. Ken was a gamble for Mattel, since male dolls never sell as well as female dolls. However, Ken had a measure of success, and was marketed with an extensive wardrobe almost as intricate as Barbie's in the 1960s. Ken was named for the son of the Ruth Handler, the creator of the Barbie doll. The first Ken was available with flocked brown or blonde hair. There have been countless variations since. Except for one brief break up in 2004, Barbie and Ken are still dating.

From 1961 to the debut of Superstar Ken in 1977, Ken had straight, non bendable arms and a head that could only turn left and right. Ken's hair was felt in his first year (known to collectors as the "flocked" hair Ken), but was replaced with a plastic, molded hairstyle when the felt hair was found to fall off when wet. Superstar Ken featured a dimpled smile, a head that could swivel, bent arms, a more muscular physique, jewelry, and underwear permanently molded to his body. The woman who made the Ken doll made it to resemble her husband.

Earring Magic Ken is a model of the Ken doll introduced by Mattel in 1993 as a companion to its Earring Magic Barbie figure, one of six dolls in the Earring Magic Barbie line. This iteration of the Ken doll featured an updated look, including blonde highlights in its traditionally brown hair, outfits including purple shirt, lavender vest, a necklace with a circular charm and, as the name indicates, an earring in its left ear.

Mattel had conducted a survey of girls asking if Ken should be retained as Barbie's boyfriend or whether a new doll should be introduced in that role. Survey results indicated that girls wanted Ken kept but wanted him to look "cooler." The redesigned Ken was the result. Observers quickly noted the resemblance of Earring Magic Ken to a stereotypical gay man, from the purple clothes to the earring to the necklace, which was described as a "chrome cock ring." Kitsch-minded gay men bought the doll in record numbers, making Earring Magic Ken the best-selling Ken model in Mattel's history. Despite the commercial success of the doll, public criticism from gay-community commentators such as Dan Savage in the Seattle, Washington alternative weekly newspaper The Stranger led Mattel to discontinue Earring Magic Ken and recall the doll from stores.

Allan doll

Ken's best friend, Allan Sherwood, was introduced in 1964.

In 1963 with the introduction of Midge Hadley (Barbie's friend), Allan Sherwood was being designed. Allan was made of three important reasons. First and foremost to target the "shared clothes" ideal with Ken, second for the double dating possibilities, and lastly as a "buddy" to Ken. Mattel introduced Allan in 1964 along with Skipper, Barbie's sister. Allan was advertised as Ken's Buddy and as Midge's Boyfriend. He was quickly discontinued in 1965 the year the second version was released, but was available for sale in limited quantities until 1966. Ken was also available for sale through 1966, but found a extended absence until being released with entirely different look and body mold 1969. With Ken's new redesign, Allan was going to have to conform to a redesign himself...or be dropped. Unfortunately, Mattel decided on the latter. They were already designing a new buddy for Ken, This new buddy Brad, would follow a diversity trend that was well ahead of it's time and follow realizations already established in the female line.

▼ Allan and Ken

Gay Bob doll

Gay Bob is a doll created in 1977 and billed as the world's first openly gay doll. Bob was created by former advertising executive Harvey Rosenberg and marketed through his company, Gizmo Development. Gay Bob was bestowed with an Esquire magazine "Dubious Achievement Award" for 1978.

Bob stands 13 inches tall and was presented clothed in a flannel shirt, tight jeans and cowboy boots. He has one ear pierced. Bob's packaging box is decorated like a closet and included a catalog from which additional outfits could be ordered. Creator Rosenberg described the doll as resembling a cross between Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Bob is anatomically correct.

Gay Bob sparked outrage in at least one Ann Landers reader, who was inspired to write to decry the doll and predict that it would lead to the acceptance of other "disgusting" dolls like "Priscilla the Prostitute" and "Danny the Dope Pusher." Rosenberg had announced plans for a line of "permissive dolls," but no drug dealers or prostitutes. Ann incredulously replied that she'd believe such a doll existed when she saw it in the stores, but that she was unlikely to see it in the sort of "respectable" stores she patronized.

Billy doll

Billy is a doll introduced in 1997. Billy was created by artist John McKitterick and marketed in the United States by London-based Totem International as "the first out and proud gay doll" although that distinction actually belongs to Gay Bob, introduced in 1977.

McKitterick created the doll based on sketches he drew while living in London. After a successful limited-edition run of 1,200 dolls created to benefit an AIDS charity, McKitterick decided to mass market his creation.

Billy is 13 inches (330 mm) tall. It was introduced in a number of versions based on stereotypical gay characters, including Sailor Billy, Cowboy Billy, Master Billy and San Francisco Billy. Other dolls in the Billy line include Carlos, Billy's Puerto Rican boyfriend, and Tyson, their African American friend. Billy is anatomically correct.

The Billy doll was the subject of a 1998 exhibit at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York City. Several dozen fashion designers created custom outfits for the doll in support of a benefit auction for AIDS charity LIFEBeat.  Also in 1998, Billy and Carlos served as the basis for the film Billy 2000, which featured segments based on the Master Billy, Cowboy Billy and San Francisco Billy figures.

Billy and Carlos donned drag in 1999, with Billy dressed in a gingham checkered pantsuit as "Dolly" and Carlos as "Carmen" in a polka dot outfit reminiscent of those worn by Carmen Miranda. In 2001, a Billy doll wearing a brown uniform with a patch reading "BPS" (for Billy's Parcel Service) was introduced. United Parcel Service sent Totem cease and desist letters advising that the uniform violated UPS's trademark. Totem agreed to stop selling the brown-uniformed Billy style.

The Billy trademark was cancelled in November, 2006 following a failure to file renewal paperwork.

Billy Herrington Doll

Billy Herrington is an American adult film actor and bodybuilder affectionately nicknamed “Big Brother” in the Japanese online communities 2channel and Nico Nico Douga. Herrington’s internet fame in Japan began in 2007 after clips from one of his films titled “Workout Muscular Men 3” became used as a bait-and-switch video and the source material for high-quality MAD remixes.

On February 14th, 2009, Herrington visited Japan after he was invited to make an appearance in a special Nico Nico Douga livecast for Valentine’s Day. According to the YouTube video description, more than 10,000 fans of Billy Herrington showed up at the Nico Nico Douga event in Tokyo’s Akihabara district.

On the same day as the event, Japanese model kit makers Good Smile Company announced that they would manufacture a limited-edition Billy Herrington action figure to be released in July 2009. The news quickly spread through the grapevines of both Japanese and English blogs.

Charlie, The Gay Doll

Charlie, The Gay Doll ,created by Carpaneda is a composition of several important figures: the doll's' body is based on the Russian journalist and photographer, Slava Mogutin, who is the most famous gay celebrity in that country, and was chosen by Fernando in honor of Vladimir Putin (Russia's President), who banned gay pride demonstrations in his "land". Charlie's face was inspired by Edino Fonseca (Brazilian priest), who had the audacity to propose using taxpayers money to establish clinics to cure gay people.
The doll initially came in 5 versions (Skinhead, Arab, Jew, Priest and Fundamentalist Christian), but Fernando also added two more versions: one Young Black Man, and the other one in drag Gazelle. Yes, there is a Charlie Gazelle.The Arab version was created in tribute of Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Fernando Carpaneda also dedicated the doll to the Pope, as he is one of the most homophobic religious leaders in history. Charlie also comes with two penises options, erect or flaccid uncircumcised. The penis model was based on Carpaneda's own penis. Charlie, The Gay Doll, can be purchased at MF Gallery in Brooklyn New York.