Dividing Up The Barbie Dream House

By Rebecca Winters

For 43 years he put up with her countless career changes (what ever happened to the malt shop?), freakish feet and pesky little sister Skipper. And now BARBIE has dumped KEN like a piece of plastic. Apparently hoping a little Bennifer-style drama will boost flagging doll sales, Mattel announced at last week's Toy Fair that the never married couple "feel it's time to spend some quality time--apart." And just so every little girl could have the chance to playact the relationship dissolution and subsequent self-loathing of her dreams, Mattel even introduced a third party, buff Australian surfer doll BLAINE. Newly free Ken, we presume, can call up G.I. Joe and go double-dating.