Karen snubbed again

[Jeffery l]

Hi Rick and Carpenter fans,

Well, i have to vent again about the disgraceful snubbing of Karen by VH1. Its unreal how they can`t even show some films of Karen on Feb 4th. Is once a year too much for them?

I know they have the films because i have seen them air them years back. I dont know who owns VH1 but they sure dont like the Carpenters.

The crap music and artists they showed on Feb 4th instead of Karen is a disgrace. Its a disgrace to VH1 and the Carpenter fans every year when they snub Karen. It really makes me so mad how they just ignore Karen every year. The reason i pick on them more than the other channels is because they are a MUSIC CHANNEL.

Well, im sorry to be so mad and bitter about this but i had to vent about this to someone. I checked every hour of feb 4th to see if they would sneak something in about Karen and they failed to do so.

Shame on VH1. They stink.

[cam83]

You know what. You can't expect them to show something about Karen because most of this generation doesn't even know the Carpenters. It's up to us, the dedicated fans to persist thru letter writing and petitions to get VH1, Much Music, E True Hollywood Story, PBS, A&E to get them to do dedications, tributes, memories of her. We have to keep bugging them. I think when they get one letter it means a hundred fans...if they get a hundred letters, it's a thousand fans etc...It's up to us to do it. Complaining won't do anything. I understand completely...it is a shame that they don't do a tribute on Karen...but they are probably not aware that there is a demand...we have to be the ones to do it...

Cam
PS. Here in Canada on Much Music/Much More Music they are having a thing on the Top 20 Best Duos and I believe the Carpenters make NUMBER THREE or TWO...I saw it...it was neat. They showed clips and talked about them.

[Rick Henry]

I hear you guys. Karen should really be remembered better on February 4th. It is a shame. She's only one of the most popular and finest female vocalists of our time.

I started this web site and forum for a reason - to keep the legacy of Karen (and Richard) alive. On the main web site we get an average of 7,750 people visiting each month. With this strength I have decided to begin a campaign to contact organizations such as VH1, E!TV and others in regards to showing some tributes on Karen (Carpenters) throughout the year (not just only on February 4th). We should be able to get 400 - 500 people to email these organizations.

If you have any ideas or other music/entertainment channels which we should contact please post it here.

[Jeffery l]

Hi cam,

I dont agree with u because a few years ago they showed the BBC concert and it was the same generation a few years ago. And i cant believe that no one of this generation knows who the Carpenters are.
Even my neice who is 9 years old knows who Karen Carpenter is.

And im sure VH1 knows that there are Carpenter fans out there. They just dont want to show the Carpenters. Im sorry but no free pass for VH1. They have the films of Karen, they just dont want to show them for some reason.

Its up to VH1 to show the films . Us fans are not the program director of VH1.

[cam83]

There are still MANY people who do not know who the Carpenters are. I have worked with a lot of young people...and the majority of them don't know who the Carpenters are. It's been a rare few that do know and even then...but then, I am a die hard fan of the Carpenters. If we were in say, UK or JAPAN most young people do know who the Carpenters are because of high chart ratings and gold/platinum status awarded to those albums. But here in Canada...nothing.

If there was public demand, they would show it. But there has to be a demand, like Rick said, a well planned campaign.

As for VH-1, which is showed on Much Music/Much More Music...here in Canada, they do show and make mention of the Carpenters. Today they are showing the TOP 20 BEST MUSIC DUOS and the Carpenters, I believe either make it Number Three or Number Two. So that is a great rating. Also, they show clips of Karen Carpenter for the BACK IN 1983 segments...

I agree with you that there should be more of the Carpenters. Back in the late 1990's there was a lot of interest in the Carpenters by E! True Hollywood Story, PBS, A&E and others...even ET features regular clips on the Carpenters several times a year...Same with National Enquirer/Star magazines will feature stories etc on them...

[enigma]

I agree for the most part with what has been said most of the young people I work with have never heard of the Carpenters in fact there are few young Carpenters fans on these forums the majority that I know of are from the older generation. (ie very few teens or in their early 20s). I think if the programmers of VH1 and MMM are made aware of a demand for Carpenters material they will show it money and ratings talk. The thing is how do the majority of people ever know who the Carpenters are if no music stations play their videos? the web sites can do their part and I am certain they do but the music stations need to play them once in a while expose them to their audience and let them decide if they like them or not. I like Ricks and Cams idea of writing the stations and having our voices heard but also if you want to see their videos why not request them on their request shows? on MMM there is a retro request segment and people can phone in their requests if you feel they ignore written requests I am sure VH1 has a simular show. If they wont play Carpenter videos we should request they do so until they start playing them more often. Just another idea.

[Moe]

There is another VH1, called VH1 Classics, that does occasionally play the Carpenters. I don't watch all the time, but flip the channels during commercials and have caught the Carpenters a couple of times. I was sick this weekend, so I didn't watch the channel to see if they mentioned Karen.

[YesterdayOnceMore]

Hello everyone:

As Karen herself sang once upon a time "...well, there's two sides to every situation..."

It's beautiful to see such passion as you have, Jeffery, regarding the Carpenters, and the lack of their music being played on the current music channels. I have to agree with Cam, Rick and Enigma, though, that part of the problem is that today's generation isn't as familiar with Carpenters as they are with say Nora Jones, or Dave Matthews, etc.

Now don't get any of us wrong; we'd all love to see more Carpenters out there on the television airwaves (I think I can safely say that for all four of us), but there is a way to make that happen.

I felt the same way you did for years and years - beating my head against the wall, asking anyone who would listen WHY Carpenters were so "unnoticed" these days, because of the musical impact they had during their reign as the best pop duo going. And, of course, that VOICE of Karen Carpenter is untouchable, as we know.

So, why have Carpenters seemingly been tossed to the wayside? I think it's just the way of the world as we know it, and unless someone makes some sort of "noise" for lack of a better term, about it - nothing will change. That's one reason Rick and I discussed doing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame petition - we're sick and tired of people NOT recognizing Carpenters for the significant contribution they made to this industry. The number of individuals they influenced with their musical choices - the number of record sales they had - gold, platinum, etc., record after wonderful record.

Carpenters definitely deserve more recognition on a dailiy basis than they receive, and it's up to us, the fans of Karen and Richard Carpenter, to see to it that it happens.

I'm with you, Rick, in whatever letter writing, or email writing campaign you wish to endeavor. I think it's time we once again made "Carpenters" a household musical name. It's up to us to get it done, and I'm ready to do it.

Tim

[Carps1000]

Managed to get a bit on radio in the UK...Nowt as far as Im aware for Feb 4th. My house was full of their stuff. Unfortuneatly Carps are rapidly slipping to a "Who???" here in the UK too by the youngsters. Its a bit like the Connie Francis" of the 60s " Who???" Such a shame. Mind you after All You Get from Love Is a Love blasted from me speakers ( The Pysco next door was out!!) couldnt help marveling at just how Bloody Fresh the song still was & how it just hadnt Aged at all. God Could Karen Sing or WHAT!!! also a couple of other songs just sopunded sooo timeless too when I played em. I despaired when the official Gallop (UK) charts ended & now I dont fret so much when the Cs arent played as much as in my view the songs are not gonna be appreciated by certain Riff Raff anyway. The Cs will always have us tho. so take heart pal. Ken carps1000

[Dave]

Does VH1 actually play anything besides insipid "reality" shows and Michael Jackson docudramas? Since Friday was "The Day The Music Died", I gave my local AM DJ, Barry Banker, a heads-up, and he played "Top Of The World" for me, then he said, with deep reverence I might add, that Saturday was the 23rd anniversary...
I can't type anymore...leftover from the Super Bowl.
Go Steelers!

[BethMosior]

WOOOOOW Dave that was reeeeeeally nice of him to do that for you in memory of Karen C I know how you feel Jeffery, Most of these people just does not understand how wonderful Karen & Richard are or don't want to remember I still get coments from some people but now i smile and tell them what GREAT PEOPLE Karen and Richard are thanx Rick & Tim for trying to help these people remember K & R's GREATNESS with the petition How is that going by the way?