Friday, November 4, 2011

I Recant ... He Can Be Cute

Remember, I wrote that I did NOT like the new Ken face sculpt? The one I have been calling Smarmy Ken, when I recognize him at all? Cough. Well, maybe I spoke and wrote too soon. I happened to be at a Walmart store today. My feet happened to wander over to the toy department ... Walmart's Super Saturday is this Saturday, November 5th starting at 11 a.m. ... I just wondered if they had anything that I could see before the big (cough, crowded) event. Nothing new to me. There seemed to be fewer things than I would have thought unless they were holding off on restocking and putting out new stuff. Then it happened. I saw him.

The Beatles "saw her standing there," but me, I saw him hanging there. On the Barbie pink pegboard. Hunky twelve-inch guy. Smarmy Ken with black hair brushed down. Oh my my. Come to momma. Picked him up - still intact in his clear plastic box. Lookee here. The Chiffons' "He's So Fine" starts up. (Okay, that is on the soundtrack of my mind - the story had started their annual ear torment of holiday ditties to force a buying mood on patrons - or to drive patrons running and screaming from the store?) Our eyes met and locked. (BTW, his are blue.) Oh he was smooth ... until he began singing Eddie Money's. "Take Me Home". Well, that was a fun song, but it snapped the spell. Maybe. Someday. But not today. But I did take his picture to share.



Nice, huh? Sigh.

11 comments:

Niel said...

I can sing those songs, too, (though not in tune) for that Ken! :)

D7ana said...

LOL - thanks for making me smile in the morning, Niel.

But this guy is cuuuute! Glad you appreciate the photo, too! (Oh and the songs.)

Out of tune? Me, too. Why does no one realize how creative our musical renderings are? Pfft. Anybody can sing in tune. The real challenge is taking the scale to new heights and depths heretofore unimagined ;-D

miladyblue said...

I'm kind of ambivalent with the new Ken sculpt, too. He DOES come across as smarmy, but maybe that's because he needs to be styled correctly, like this particular one, D7ana.

Sometimes, I wonder if Mattel has ever even seen one of these mythical creatures, a "man." You sure wouldn't know it from some of the humiliating things they have done to poor Ken over the years. I remember, back in the 70s and 80s, they would do some theme on Barbie, such as Crystal Barbie, which would look great on Barbie, but then do her counterpart, Crystal Ken. Poor Ken ended up in the weirdest colored tuxedoes thanks to this line of thought! Even during the oddest fashion crazes of the 80s, I don't ever remember guys dressing up to try to match their girlfriends.

Here's a fun little shoppng tip: to get even with the stores playing those Christmas tunes THIS early, I start singing lyrics from Twisted Tunes - gets me a LOT of of odd looks, and laughs.

"Wreck the Malls with Cows on Harleys" is a LOT of fun to sing - the more off key, the better! I just wish I knew more of the lyrics from that one.

D7ana said...

Thanks for the holiday shopping coping tips, Miladyblue. I am going to NEED them.

This guy is cute smarmy ;-D. I like this one's facial screening and hairstyle. (I don't like that "stick up" hair style. The bangs on this guy are slightly curled and to the side.)

I've grown fond of Ken over the years. He had decent clothes in the 1960s and 1970s. The ghastly, cheap, and eye puckery - my eyes close fast and tight and then reopen only to close fast and tight again, lol. Whole body shudder goes along with the eye puckering when I see some of the modern stuff. Please, who would force these hideous fashions on anyone? Ken has to be a good-humored guy to tolerate it.

I don't recall guys dressing up to match their girlfriends. I mean that as a fashion craze. Poor Ken.

I so have to look up those Twisted Tunes, too ;-D

Vanessa said...

Wow. Miracles do happen. You swooning over smarmy Ken! Too hilarious. He still can't open his legs like a real man, so I will still pass. I do love those jean shorts, though.

Alrunia said...

Oh yes he's awesome! It's too bad he doomed himself to staying in the store (for now?) by coming on too strongly. :)

D7ana said...

LOL @Vanessa - if he were real, I'd be in a heap of trouble. Kidding! He's too young for me.

LOL @Alrunia - yes, he did press his case too strongly. Fresh man. Or fresh youth! Got a mouth on him, doesn't he?

By fresh I mean "Someone who is cocky, arrogant and a flirt. One can be accused of being Fresh or trying to get get Fresh with someone. This is usually when someone tries to get some physical action without permission first." source:

Ms. Leo said...

Great score! Hey I purchased him too! It is amazing what a good hair style can do. Speaking of which check this out!http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilmissvixen/6274015492/in/photostream/

Unknown said...

'Hello from Spain: Ken recent models do not like much., Seem too young or young. The old forms of the 80 more men were like. Anyway, the fashionista that we teach is more brown and dark hair. It is different from last year. If you buy it in the end you teach it out of the box. For Spain has not yet arrived but I write it down on my list of future purchases. We remain in contact blog blog

D7ana said...

Hi Ms. Leo! Alas, I did not purchase Cute Smarmy Ken. I was close to doing so, but didn't. Sigh. Hope I find another as cute as that one soon.

Thanks for the link to LilMissVixen's Flickr page. Very creative and impressive photography and mini story bits. I prefer his hair brushed down, SK's that is. I think that is the original outfit for that Ken. I remember shuddering when I saw it. My current crop of Kens are too fuddy duddy to wear that outfit.

Hi Marta! I do not like most of the new Kens. The ones with this face sculpt. Like you, I think that they look too young for Barbie. Maybe they are Barbie's boy toys?

I wish you good luck finding him when he reaches Spain. I hope that he does get there :-)

Do you have the male Fashionistas on your blog? I would love to see how they look.

D7ana said...

Marta, Hi again. I see you do have a
Smarmy Ken. I love all the accessories and the details in your dioramas. They are interesting to view.