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Post by Rick Henry on Dec 16, 2005 0:27:38 GMT -5
 When it comes to the topic of celebrities many of us are skeptical that they really are the person the public sees. Karen Carpenter was victim to this, what could be called, masquerade. During the late 70's nobody ever could imagine that Karen was suffereing from any kind of disease or of low self esteem. To us she seemed the picture of perfect health and stable frame of mind. Though in 1983 we found out otherwise.
One thing about Karen that the majority of her fans has maintained, is that she seems to have been a truly genuine and sincere person. Yes, she had her flaws. She did and said things I'm sure she wasn't too proud of. We all make mistakes in life - nobody is perfect. But for some reason, despite her human flaws, Karen really did seem to possess that sense of sincerity. Why do you think that is so? What really makes Karen seem like she was a true heart, a sincere kindred soul? |
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Post by cam83 on Dec 16, 2005 1:39:05 GMT -5
It came thru in her music, in her LIVE shows...when she interacted with fans. Even reading the COLEMAN story, you read that she was a "real" person. I mean the day she died, she was to have gone to a store to get her washer/dryer fixed...and she would do it herself, whereas a celebrity of her stature, could just make a call, and use her star status to get what she needed done. And people would do it for her. But she wanted to do "real" things that normal people did every day. Even things printed in the press about her, she was never showey, or a look at me, kind of persona. I believe it was the way the parents raised them, with good structure, a good outlook on life, and a good head on their shoulders.
My thoughts,
Cam
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Post by enigma on Dec 16, 2005 11:13:43 GMT -5
Karen "hid" behind a drumkit and was most comfortable there Karen was also quick to downplay her fame and her importance to the Carpenters I have read and heard/watched many many interviews with Karen over her entire career and never once did she ever point to herself or draw attention to herself it was never once about Karen Carpenter. Any attentioin Karen got was almost accidental she never seemed to go out of her way to draw attention to herself. Karen would credit others for her sucess (mainly Richard) she would praise other artists but an interviewer would have to work at getting her to admit that she was a talented woman, a great singer and an important part of the Carpenters arguably the most important part (for me this is definately so). This indicates that Karen was a real down to earth person. In interviews I always got the impression she was being honest and somewhat forthcoming with any info people wanted to know. Of course she never told everything as we would later find out but did seem genuine nonetheless. Especially later on in her career Karen also seemed to be willing to show off her personality more and be less gaurded and from what I have read what we saw was alot of who Karen was. While it was true she hid a huge secret with her ED she always made me feel I was getting more of who Karen really was than other famous people did. Karen always said she was a normal down to earth person and I think she did her best to remain that way and came off that way in her interviews as well as her concerts specials etc. In short Karen had a remarkable ability to come off as a real genuine person and I think what we got was a good deal of who Karen really was the sense of humour, the talent the honesty in interviews I beleive that was the real Karen...to a point. Though Karen did not reveal everything I think she revealed more than alot of other people in her position would or did. Just my thoughts.   |
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Dave
Ultra Emissary 
"sleeping in the arms of the cosmos..."
Posts: 1,515
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Post by Dave on Dec 16, 2005 21:31:57 GMT -5
Let me say this about that, from what I can remember...
In an age where rock stars were becoming known for the amount of destruction they could bring to their travel accomodations, or outrageous demands ("I told you NO RED M&M's!!!), Karen and Richard were refreshingly "ordinary". They never were tabloid fodder. No thrown telephones, no anti-Vietnam war diatribes or protest songs, no bizarre on-stage performances (anyone seen my pet bat Stanley lately?)...nothing but two working-class "kids". I'll bet that Richard enjoys getting up to his elbows in grease working on his car collection, and knows every car's little idiosyncracies. Karen might not have been the type to crawl around beneath the car, but she would've been there in case you needed a hand. If you didn't need any help, she'd just sing you a song or two to keep you from swearing at recalcitrant components.
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Post by cam83 on Dec 17, 2005 1:26:53 GMT -5
And she also would lay on her back, and do plumbing(underneath her sink), as she did a few weeks prior to her death, when she said to a family friend that she felt her heart almost coming thru her chest...so apparently, she was as down to earth as the next, saving money by doing it herself...as opposed to calling a number to get someone else to do it...probably instilled by her parents...
Cam
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Post by beaner on Dec 17, 2005 6:59:43 GMT -5
Excellent Cam, Enigma and Dave! I agree with all of you. As I look back on some of the newsletters from the fan club, there were stories in there that told of how down to earth Karen was and how so many "normal" things that she would do.
She and Richard both, really. Even now, with Richard, having the Karen and Richard Carpenter Performing Arts Center, he is still down to earth raising his family in the normal fashion; still playing with his "cars" and the fame of all of this has never made his nose go up in the air. In fact, his website proves that.
Karen was a truly fun and genuine person with a most definitely "true heart".
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Post by Rick Henry on Dec 17, 2005 11:38:09 GMT -5
Everybody has mentioned some excellent points here. I like the one about Karen doing her own plumbing (underneath her sink). Many other celebrities of her status would have certainly had their assistant call a plumber and have the job done when they were out of the house. But Karen gets underneath her sink and does the job herself. As Cam stated to "save some money" - of course I don't think that was her reason for doing it herself - as that coming from a wealthy person would not be a sincere motive. But I feel Karen did menial chores like this because she wanted to prove that she could do little jobs - and that, hey, Karen Carpenter was just a normal person.
Her sincerity also shone through in her voice. Her voice was just so pure and angelic. Everything about her voice called out for sincerity - this type of sincerity just can not be faked.
Another wonderful thing about her is that she always remembered all her friends' birthdays, anniversaries, and special days. She kept greeting cards with her wherever she went and made sure to send cards and postcards to her friends on a regular basis. |
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Post by karen69roland on Dec 17, 2005 14:58:56 GMT -5
 This photo reflects Karen's personality well..., it also reflects her attitude with her fans. Everytime I look at that picture I can imagine Karen walking on the street and suddenly, someone with a camera saying... : *Hey, Karen!* ..., and I can imagine Karen looking at the person and say... : *Hey, hi..., how are you?* ..., to make the person comfortable with her... That's how I picture Karen in my mind.
 [glow=red,2,300][/glow][shadow=red,left,300]  [/shadow][shadow=red,left,300]Roland Chayer.com : The Van Karen Life[/shadow][shadow=red,left,300] [/shadow] |
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Post by cam83 on Dec 17, 2005 22:11:34 GMT -5
Oh I am sure Karen liked to spend money, but not too frivolously. She never was too showy about it. And I am sure, her parents would have instilled in her, to save money by various means...she was not the type of person to buy a thousand dollar outfit...not like celebrities today...and then throw it away. She was seen many times, at many different occasions to wear the same outfit, and no one seemed to make any comments about it...not like today...if you are seen with the same outfit...it's almost UNHEARD of...
Cam
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Post by smoothie2 on Dec 17, 2005 23:10:05 GMT -5
What a great question! Such terrific info. and insight from everyone!!
I really agree on all accounts.
I really agree especially that her sincerety and honesty
surely is found in her music ....I think with Karen ...
"what you see is what you get" ...
and the fact that she liked to tackle fixing things herself and not letting her "star status"...affect who she really was inside...all equals to a true heart.
I surely don't mean that the fame and pressure did not affect her...because I know her illness really was a very big factor telling us that pressure did get to her in the long run.
That's one reason why it was and still is so hard to believe her death.
Great pic of Karen Roland...you are so right that you can tell, she always had a smile for a camera it seems.>>>>>
Hey, I did it...learned how to do the bold antext all together..!d colored (yeah, i know ho hum ...it doesn't take a rocket scientist.....well, it's nice to learn how to do little things too!)
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Post by Rick Henry on Dec 18, 2005 1:19:34 GMT -5
Oh I am sure Karen liked to spend money, but not too friviously. She never was too showy about it. And I am sure, her parents would have instilled in her, to save money by various means...she was not the type of person to be a thousand dollar outfit...not like celebrities today... Cam You are so right Cam. The "not too frivolous" part. I get where you're coming from on this. That's what makes Karen so easy to like because she wasn't showy and she seemed like a practical girl in many ways. |
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Dave
Ultra Emissary
"sleeping in the arms of the cosmos..."
Posts: 1,515
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Post by Dave on Dec 18, 2005 11:38:06 GMT -5
Roland, where in the world did you get that picture?!!! It almost looks as if Karen's doing her impression of Carol Burnett there.
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Post by Rick Henry on Dec 18, 2005 12:42:54 GMT -5
Roland, where in the world did you get that picture?!!! It almost looks as if Karen's doing her impression of Carol Burnett there. I've seen a picture similar to Roland's picture a few year back. I think it was on one of the MSN or Yahoo groups.
Since we're sharing pictures here is one that I've felt has always shown Karen's demure yet youthful charm. |
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Post by smoothie2 on Dec 18, 2005 14:42:41 GMT -5
Also a very lovely photo of Karen, Rick.
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Post by BethMosior on Dec 18, 2005 15:33:08 GMT -5
I always felt that Karen was a gift from heaven, you could see it in her eyes, for me when I got the note saying " All our fans are considered friends even if we don't meet them in person, when I was all alone and friendless, to take the time to write that for a 13 year old girl and you knew that it was importent to them to let you know it  also just reading allllll the things her friends said and how to this day they still REALLY miss her, even get teary eyed  that says alot of HOOOOOOOW much of a true, real person Karen was you just sensed Karen's sincerness, a sensitive spirit, I always felt a kindred spirit, she understood my inward pain some how  it is really hard to explain, I hope that I make sense, truly Karen was and is a gife from GOD even in saddness she uplifts you and comforts you  last night Karen did that for me again   |
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Post by BethMosior on Dec 18, 2005 16:13:52 GMT -5
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Post by Rick Henry on Dec 18, 2005 16:22:52 GMT -5
Wow Beth. Your love for Karen is amazing. You speak of her almost as if she were your sister.
What I find amazing is how Karen Carpenter has touched her fans in different ways but in some way she's touched us all the same. We all seem to care about her almost as if she were a part of our own families. I remember when Karen died, my mom actually cried. And my mom wasn't really a Carpenters fan. But Karen just gave that feeling to people. she really made people feel as if she were your very own sister.
I find that to be very interesting about her. |
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Post by Rick Henry on Dec 29, 2005 2:36:01 GMT -5
Another thing that makes me feel that Karen had a true heart is what Gene Simmons had to say about Karen after he met her. He spoke quite respectfully of her. He said they had intelligent conversation. |
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GOD has sure blessed me by bringing Karen into this world helping the world by using that wonderful spirit & voice Karen is one of those rare jewels that is sooooooo beautiful and sooooo rare, that can't be priced it is sooooo precious seeing alllll the facets of Karen, words really are hard to find, Karen is JUST SOOOOO FULL & DEEP that your mind is in awe of her inner beauty 
