Karen Carpenter had a great sense of humor...

[Rick Henry]

In this topic we will share some of the humorous things that Karen has said and done in her life.

She was a naturally funny person and loved to make people laugh with her somewhat dry sense of humor... Let's share some of the stories that brought us a chuckle...

[YesterdayOnceMore]

One thing that immediately comes to mind to me is from one of their TV specials - I think it was their first but I'm not positive - where they're singing the "jokes" and Karen's line is "so I bit him." She seems to really get tickled there, and the expression she has on her face is just priceless. This was my first thought about Karen's sense of humor.

[Rick Henry]

One of my favorite humorous things of Karen was the 1981 appearance on The Merv Griffin Show. She was so thin, but still looked lovely. But more so her spirits were very lively as she spoke so animated. She was just a hoot as she spoke about the boat trip to Catalina Island.

Karen was absolutely charming as she described the trip. He conversation was animated. I just loved the many gestures she made with her hands and her face. Richard Carpenter, Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta were also on the show, but it was Karen who lead the conversation. She was brilliant as she spoke. I especially love the part where she described the hotel they stayed at in Catalina, she called it the Hotel Dumpwater, that got the audience laughing and John Travolta even repeated it. Merv Griffin also made a reference to Hotel Dumpwater before they left for a TV commercial.

I also liked how Karen described the weather conditions... she jokingly said... "It's windy and choppy. I know all these nautical terms now".

[beaner]

That was my favorite, Rick! When Karen told that story, it was great and Merv liked it too. I also liked when Richard said Steve "Boom Boom" Cannon. That got a laugh too!

Beaner

[enigma]

I would say yes to this statement I find Karen funny in interviews and on the specials the Carpenters did as Karen became more comfortable her sense of humour showed up more and more. Also most people who knew Karen commented on her sense of humour. I do find Karen had a wonderful sense of humour which made me love her all the more.

One example was the first TV special where she did a bit with Richard she told jokes like a pro and the faces Karen made were classic cute and very funny,

Also on the live in Australia concert when Richard told the story about how people thought he and Karen were married you heard a "Yuck" come frome another mic and the camera went to Karen who had her hand over her mouth with that classic oops face. Very funny very Karen I loved that moment.

[Rick Henry]

I had a big chuckle while watching the one of the bootleg DVD's I have of a concert from 1976 or 1977... Karen goes into the audience and introduces herself to a man... in the German language she says "Ich Bin Karen Carpenter". After that she makes a crazy face and gives an even crazier laugh... I just about fell off my chair as I watched this... Karen was funny... almost in a scary way... kind of like she was a madwoman.

[smoothie2]

I also, thought of the jokes segment with K. and R. on that special. I also especially like Karen doing the angel bit on that special, where she's dressed like an angel and sings "I put on my angel wings and ...ohoh..." etc. She really hams it up singing with that type of girlish voice and dances.
Also on G. Morning America her and Richard are interviewed by that blonde headed woman ....she says something about them having that "squeaky clean" image. Karen says something like she's not sure they squeak and she kind of rubs I think her own hand or Richard's just a bit and laughs. She then goes on to say how that it's ok to have that image.
I also recall the Dumpwater bit.
She's very energized in that scene.
She was always ready to say whatever came to her mind, and do a bit of joking. She was so outgoing it seems with people much more than Richard. Of course, when they first started out, Karen was more comfortable behind her drums and it took time to get used to the role she played in front of the crowds.

Karen and Richard were on the J. Carson show only with Steve Martin hosting, and Karen mentioned that one time she had a pet chicken.
Overall, i do not like that whole bit as far as S. Martin (no, I always have really liked him, but he was having to come up with any conversation or jokes and went down the fool's way on that.
But I did get a chuckle about K. having a chicken.

[Rick Henry]

Karen was quite dazzling on the Steve Martin hosted Tonight Show appearance. She held her own alongside Steve Martin... that's a tough thing to do as Martin is one of the funniest comedians in entertainment. I really got a laugh out of Karen's pet chicken that had a hat.

[kc1950]

Yes - she had a great sense of humour - not to get to psycho analysis - but Agnes and Harold seemed very strict as most depression era parents were - I think KC had to develop a sense of humour and fun and engaging personality to combat that -

Richard Carpenter is a bit of a sour guy - i think he reflects the mother a bit - and that's why -

KC was a wonderful person - I just saw a picture of her with her new godson in Ct circa October or November 1981 - and she looked so alive!! Even though - her whole world was crashing down - you could tell she wanted to live - her eyes were wide open -

Its very sad - when you watch the talk-shows - she's a d**n fire-cracker

[kc1950]

Funny story - She said on music, music, music special that John Davidson was the best friend a song ever had - On the outtake tape - you just tell she just hated that cornball dialogue

John Davidson is not the best friend a song ever had - I mean its an outrage that Ella and Karen had to share a stage with such a cornball lightweight as John Davidson ,

[Rick Henry]

Jan 25, 2009 21:12:24 GMT -5 kc1950 said:

Funny story - She said on music, music, music special that John Davidson was the best friend a song ever had - On the outtake tape - you just tell she just hated that cornball dialogue

John Davidson is not the best friend a song ever had - I mean its an outrage that Ella and Karen had to share a stage with such a cornball lightweight as John Davidson ,

You really have a point there. John Davidson was very fortunate to share a stage with both Ella and Karen. Both were (and still are) the best of the best. I always felt John Davidson was just okay and that Carpenters could have chosen better guest stars for their shows.

I must add though John Denver and Victor Borge were both top rate. But Jimmy and Kristy McNichol did nothing to help Karen's and Richard's sagging image.

[Rick Henry]

Jan 25, 2009 18:27:40 GMT -5 kc1950 said:

Yes - she had a great sense of humour - not to get to psycho analysis - but Agnes and Harold seemed very strict as most depression era parents were - I think KC had to develop a sense of humour and fun and engaging personality to combat that -

Richard Carpenter is a bit of a sour guy - i think he reflects the mother a bit - and that's why -

KC was a wonderful person - I just saw a picture of her with her new godson in Ct circa October or November 1981 - and she looked so alive!! Even though - her whole world was crashing down - you could tell she wanted to live - her eyes were wide open -

Its very sad - when you watch the talk-shows - she's a d**n fire-cracker

Yes, Karen was quite a firecracker on talk show appearances. She was seemed to always be the "life of the party" on these shows. Even when they made an appearance on the Tonight Show with other guests Tom and Dick Smothers, Karen's personality still shined.

[kc1950]

yeah - the Merv Griffith show - when she talked about Olivia Newton-John and her boyfriend Matt and her husband - that's probably September of 1981 - probably the last time she spent with her husband - They broke up right after that -

she told some funny stories even though she was in bad emotional state -

And i think that's what contributed to her condition of the weight problem spiraling out of control - She looked awful after that -

She was always funny though - She called her parents from Bora Bora on her honeymoon and they asked her how it was and she said "Boring - Boring" -

She was a big lucy fan - and i think they gave her the lamest dialogue on the TV specials - KC should have hosted Saturday Night Live - that's what you do today to change your image - Can you picture Karen doing skits with John Belushi and Dan Akroyd or Karen and Richard playing with Bill Murray as the lounge singer - I am laughing out loud thinking about it right now -

I'd like to see KC with Carol Burnett and Lucille ball -

Maybe even KC on three's company or Taxi

How about KC on Dallas wearing a ten gallon hat and making the moves on JR and Ewing oil

[Rick Henry]

kc1950 good one I think Karen would have done a great job hosting a late night show like The Tonight Show. She certainly had the verve and personality to do it.

As for the "boring-boring" comment myself I personally don't see humor in that. What I get from that is a person who is showing her selfishness (sorry to say that about Karen... but that is what I get from that comment).

Karen (and Richard) did do two guest spots on the Carol Burnett show. Karen again was a delight on Carol's show. She had that natural sense of humor.

Taxi is a favorite show, I'd love to have seen Karen do a guest appearance on that show. By the way Karen had been set up on a blind date with Tony Danza (around 1978/79) but she never went on the date.