Kenough is Kenough!
The host of the popular political podcast “Coffee with Ken” has prevailed in a bizarre legal skirmish with toy giant Mattel, which is dropping allegations he violated its trademark for the Ken doll from its “Barbie” franchise, The Post has learned.
Mattel’s equally bizarre condition for settling the case: that “Coffee with Ken” host Ken Biberaj — who typically welcomes guests like Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and billionaire David Rubinstein — doesn’t talk about toys.
Specfically, Mattel insisted the show not include talk about “toys, dolls” or “fictional characters based on toys or dolls” in exchange for dropping its opposition to the host’s bid to trademark his five-year old show, according to an Oct. 14 filing with the US Patent and Trademark Office.
The podcast must continue to cater to an “adult audience,” according to the USPTO filing.
Biberaj, a Washington, DC-based real estate executive and former chair of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, gladly agreed to the terms to avoid “further drama” and end the six-month dispute, which was first reported by The Post.
The show “was never about dolls, toys or the beach,” Biberaj told The Post. “It’s always been about real conversation with real people.”
Mattel did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The El Segundo, Calif.-based company previously claimed “it’s highly likely that a consumer will believe that [“Coffee with Ken”] could be the name of or related to a Ken line” of dolls.
Mattel had pointed to its Ken Barista doll in particular — a hipster with a man bun and apron who pulls perfect espresso shots.
Mattel filed its objection to Biberaj’s trademark application in May, insisting “Coffee with Ken” would “damage” the brand that got a huge boost from the blockbuster “Barbie” movie in which Ryan Gosling played a singing, rollerblading version of the title character’s perpetual paramour.
“Gov. Moore did Coffee with Ken — don’t ever think he thought he was talking to the doll,” the communication director for Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland tweeted in response to noti.group’s coverage in July.
Mattel’s claims were widely mocked — including by noti.group’s Cindy Adams, who described the toy company as “cockamamie” — and by Biberaj himself, who posted a video standing up for himself on X.
The podcast host, who ran for New York City Council in 2013 and whose family owns the iconic Russian Tea Room in Midtown Manhattan, said “Coffee with Ken” is now on track to become a federally registered trademark.
Mattel is known for tenaciously trying to protect its brands.
It famously tried to sue the band Aqua over their raunchy ’90s hit “Barbie Girl,” a case the Supreme Court refused to hear in 2003. Mattel also squared off against Burberry, claiming its BRBY trademark sounded too close to Barbie. Burberry eventually caved and dropped the application.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
