Ken (Bee Movie)

Kenneth (commonly referred to as Ken) is the secondary antagonist in the DreamWorks film Bee Movie. He is Vanessa's ex-boyfriend and Barry's arch-nemesis. Ken despises bees due to his severe allergy to them and his dislike for honey. However, his intense hatred for Barry stems from the bee's repeated attempts to woo Vanessa and undermine their relationship, leading Ken to eventually try to kill Barry.

Names	Ken, Kenneth
Gender	Male ♂
Race	Human
Occupation	Unknown
Origin	Bee Movie (October 25, 2007 (New York City))
Alignment	Mixed
Age	20s
Created By	Jerry Seinfeld, Spike Feresten, Barry Marder, Andy Robin
Personality Type	ESTJ, 8w7 (Enneagram)

Appearance

Ken is a tall, broad-shouldered man with a fit physique, suggesting that he takes care of his body. He has short, dark brown hair styled neatly and striking blue eyes. His prominent eyebrows and strong jawline add to his intense and somewhat intimidating demeanor. Ken is typically dressed in casual yet sporty attire, often wearing a red and white polo shirt and beige shorts, reflecting his active and competitive personality. His wardrobe, combined with his confident posture, conveys a sense of self-importance and arrogance, aligning with his assertive and combative nature.

Personality

Ken is portrayed as mean-spirited, rude, self-centered, and hot-tempered. His jealousy over Barry's apparent connection with Vanessa drives him to extreme and irrational behavior, including trying to eliminate Barry. Despite his antagonistic traits, some viewers have later sympathized with Ken, arguing that his frustration and actions were justified given Vanessa's neglect and eventual decision to leave him for Barry.

Biography

Ken first appears playing tennis with Vanessa, unaware that Barry is stuck to the tennis ball after an incident with the pollen jocks. Later, Ken discovers Barry on Andy's girlfriend's guacamole at a gathering and aggressively attempts to kill him with a pair of winter boots, only to be stopped by Vanessa, who destroys his bee-killing brochure and sets Barry free.

As the film progresses, Ken becomes increasingly frustrated by Barry and Vanessa’s growing bond. During their weekly yogurt night, Ken is shocked to learn about their plan to sue humans for stealing honey. When Barry interrupts their evening, Vanessa sides with the bee, leaving Ken angry and confused. Ken's jealousy reaches its peak when he corners Barry in the bathroom and makes several attempts to kill him—using an Italian Vogue, a lighter, a showerhead, and a toilet brush—none of which succeed. Vanessa eventually intervenes, and after a heated argument, she breaks up with Ken, declaring that Barry is the nicest bee she has ever met. Enraged, Ken storms out, questioning how many other bugs Vanessa has been involved with.

Ken is last seen near the film’s conclusion, still bitter and angry as he watches Vanessa and Barry start a flower shop and honey legal advice business. In frustration, he exclaims, “When will this nightmare end?” but is dragged away by his friend Andy, who urges him to let it go.

Trivia

• Ken bears a resemblance to his voice actor, Patrick Warburton.
• He is sometimes mistaken as the film’s main antagonist.
• Despite claiming to prefer sugar-free artificial sweeteners, Ken is seen eating frozen yogurt, which contains dairy products. This contradiction suggests he may have made the statement simply to spite Barry.
• Patrick Warburton, who voices Ken, previously worked with Jerry Seinfeld (Barry’s voice actor) on Seinfeld, where he played Elaine’s boyfriend, Puddy.
• Many fans consider Ken the only "sane" character in the film, as he is understandably bewildered by the concept of talking bees.