Barbie's a piece of ass

[Ronin]

In a related story: Pregnant barbie

Wal-Mart Yanks Pregnant Barbie Pal from Shelves
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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Barbie having babies? Stick to playing nurse and Rapunzel, say Wal-Mart shoppers.

Barbie's long-time pal, Midge -- now married and pregnant -- was yanked from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. shelves earlier this month after customers complained about the doll, a company spokeswoman said.

Midge is sold as part of the "Happy Family" set, wearing a tiny wedding ring and a detachable stomach with a curled-up baby inside. Her husband, Alan, and 3-year-old child Ryan are sold separately.

Melissa Berryhill, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, declined to comment on whether shoppers objected specifically to the doll being sold alone, which may suggest teenage pregnancy, rather than being sold with the rest of the family.

"We make every decision on which items to carry based on customer demand, and that was the reason for this. Customers were unhappy with the offering," Berryhill said.

Mattel, the maker of Barbie, on its Barbie.com Web site, said the Happy Family preganancy-themed dolls "can help parents discuss pregnancy without having to resort to graphic descriptions of the reproductive process." It said the dolls can help children aged 5 to 8 to act out their feelings before the arrival of a new sibling.

Some shoppers said they were not convinced Wal-Mart's priorities were on target.

"Wal-Mart pulling Barbie because she's pregnant, but they still sell guns and ammo?" said Laura Jamieson of San Francisco