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Post by cam83 on Aug 1, 2004 3:05:30 GMT -5
Hi All,
I just downloaded a clip of Karen and Richard and their band, singing WANT YOU BACK IN MY LIFE AGAIN on the Merv Griffen Show. It was so cool to see Karen singing, although, they were lipsynching. She looked pretty in her purple outfit, and silver belt. And then at the end, when the audience claps for them, as they are heading to Merv, Karen puts her arms out to her band, to thank them, as the audience continues to clap. I thought that was very classy of her to do so. Richard does too. Then also at the desk, is Olivia Newton John who promptly hugs Karen, and John Travolta.
My thoughts,
Cameron
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Post by enigma on Aug 1, 2004 3:44:07 GMT -5
Personally I think she looked very thin and sick at that time. The perfomance was pretty good Karen was energetic and when she later talked to Merv Griffen she was playful and humorus I had quite a chuckle at her stories and banter with Richard. Karen seemed upbeat and energetic her marriage appeared to be going good at this time for she talked about her and her then husband with a happy glow. Though she was thin and sick looking she was in good spirits however I felt at this time she was in serious trouble based on her appearance. This appearance is the point at which I began to seriously doubt whether Karen would fully recover from her illness. Unfortunately I was right.
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Post by Rob813 on Aug 1, 2004 21:22:18 GMT -5
I agree with you Enigma regarding Karen's appearance on that show. Ironically, after Karen's treatment in New York the following year, she planned on going on the Merv Griffin show to tell the public how she beat anorexia. Of course that never happened. It's sad and a shame it never happened. Karen's years of starvation were just too much for her body to handle. Incredibily, it never affected her voice. I think she came to the earth for a reason - to sing - and when the time came to go back to heaven, God called her home. The timing was just right because it was God's timing. I take comfort in that. And of course we have all the beautiful music.
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Post by Sammy on Aug 1, 2004 23:20:56 GMT -5
I haven't seen the entire Merv Griffin episode, but I've seen a portion from one of the Carpenters documentaries. Yes, I agree with Cam that Karen looked very nice and pretty. She also seemed happy.But at the same point she looked way too thin. She just didn't look right. Thin like that just isn't healthy looking.
Beyond all that I just love Karen.
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Post by cam83 on Aug 2, 2004 0:20:04 GMT -5
Hi guys,
When I wrote she is pretty. She is! I just didn't want to emphasize her thinness on a post. Lord knows, in some of my posts and on other websites, we do talk a lot about her weight. I must belong to about 9 or 10 other Carpenter groups...and it's neat to get different insight into the workings and complexities of the Carpenters. But yeah, she does look thin. I will be the first to admit that...and tv adds 10 pounds. I do like that silver belt. And she looks much better than the TOUCH ME WHEN WE'RE DANCING video...her hair is still the same perm, but it looks better on the Merv show. I never minded her perm...that WAS the fashion back then.
My thoughts,
Cam
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Post by Rick Henry on Aug 2, 2004 0:28:05 GMT -5
 Cam, I'm with you on this one. Karen looked really nice. I liked the purple outfit, it was a good color for her. I also thought she looked great on the "Please Mr. Postman" video she shot in 1979 which shows up on the "Video Biography". Yes, Karen was way too thin in these later years, but she was always dressed to the nines, and that smile was always that famous Carpenter smile. 
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Post by cam83 on Aug 2, 2004 0:51:47 GMT -5
Hey everyone,
Aren't there moments you just wanna give Karen a hug, and say, Karen, it's gonna be okay!!
Cameron.
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Post by enigma on Aug 2, 2004 7:20:00 GMT -5
Hi Cam
Absolutely I have many of those moments (maybe too many). Theres a aura about Karen that makes her seem so appraochable and she was in so much pain in her life that everytime I see her and think of her pain and loneliness I want to hug her and say its gonna be OK as you said and add that she is loved. Well put Cam I am glad I am not the only one who wants to hug Karen now and then.
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Post by Rob813 on Aug 2, 2004 19:09:46 GMT -5
Well Cam I agree she looked pretty, but I also think we were in denial about her appearance. The media wasn't as viscous toward celebrity back then. Now, her eating disorder would be all over the press. Back then many in Hollywood thought Karen was dying of cancer. Her illness and Richard's addiction were kept quite hush-hush. I don't think it's disrespectful to point out her thinness. I've loved Karen since 1970. I'd give anything to have her back again. I wish I could have spoken to her about her life and problems. Realistically, if Richard and their parents who were closed to her couldn't get through to her, I don't think anybody else could have either. Anyway, we love you Karen and thank you for all the beauty you have brought into our lives.
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Post by cam83 on Aug 2, 2004 19:22:18 GMT -5
Hi Rob,
I don't mean to be rude about my comments or anything. I am certainly not in denial about Karen's anorexia...why I had anorexia/bulimia for 10 years and it's horrible! I think it is good to discuss her anorexia, her extreme weight loss, her battle and triumph over anorexia.
But she wasn't as thin as she was in the TOUCH ME video...there she must have been about 83 pounds...or so...she was a walking skeleton. You could see all her chest bones, collar bones, angular bones in face, her large hands(due to fat being gone)...etc. But to me, she still was pretty...although she looked very sick.
My thoughts,
Cam
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Post by Rob813 on Aug 2, 2004 20:27:22 GMT -5
Hi Cam: I appreciate your insights. I knew about your eating disorder problems from your recent posting. I too had problems with anorexia when I was in my 20's. Fortunately I got help before it reached the point where one's body rejects food and one can't eat even if they want to. For me, it's very painful to look at pictures or videos of Karen when she was so thin. Listening to her voice on recordings is more enjoyable for me. Fortunately, her voice was never affected by the disease. I find the quality of her voice on Now outstanding which is remarkable when you consider how long she had been suffering. Anyway, I don't ever mean to upset you or anyone else her on this forum or even in my day to day life. I'm very sensitive to the feelings of others. Like I've said a number of times before, your creativity and ability to describe things is remarkable. I look forward to sharing my thoughts and feelings with you in the future. You're a wonderful man.
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Post by Rick Henry on Aug 2, 2004 20:38:53 GMT -5
Well Cam I agree she looked pretty, but I also think we were in denial about her appearance. The media wasn't as viscous toward celebrity back then. Now, her eating disorder would be all over the press. Back then many in Hollywood thought Karen was dying of cancer. Her illness and Richard's addiction were kept quite hush-hush. I don't think it's disrespectful to point out her thinness. I've loved Karen since 1970. I'd give anything to have her back again. I wish I could have spoken to her about her life and problems. Realistically, if Richard and their parents who were closed to her couldn't get through to her, I don't think anybody else could have either. Anyway, we love you Karen and thank you for all the beauty you have brought into our lives. You are so right Rob. I could not have said it better. I do remember people speculating that Karen had cancer. It was sad. I remember watching the television specials and maybe I was in denial of her thinness. I really didn't notice how thin she was back then. It really never entered my thoughts. In my mind I thought she looked beautiful and that smile of hers was always radiant. It wasn't until after she died that I noticed that she was very thin. But along the lines of what Cam has been saying, beyond her thinness, Karen really was a strikingly beautiful woman. |
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Post by Rick Henry on Aug 2, 2004 20:42:41 GMT -5
Hi Cam: I appreciate your insights. I knew about your eating disorder problems from your recent posting. I too had problems with anorexia when I was in my 20's. Fortunately I got help before it reached the point where one's body rejects food and one can't eat even if they want to. For me, it's very painful to look at pictures or videos of Karen when she was so thin. Listening to her voice on recordings is more enjoyable for me. Fortunately, her voice was never affected by the disease. I find the quality of her voice on Now outstanding which is remarkable when you consider how long she had been suffering. Anyway, I don't ever mean to upset you or anyone else her on this forum or even in my day to day life. I'm very sensitive to the feelings of others. Like I've said a number of times before, your creativity and ability to describe things is remarkable. I look forward to sharing my thoughts and feelings with you in the future. You're a wonderful man. Again Rob, very well put. I have to agree with every word you've said here. My very same sentiments. I really love and enjoy the people on this forum. And Cam you really do have a wonderful way of expressing yourself. Thank you so much for being a part of this group. |
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Post by Rob813 on Aug 2, 2004 21:11:28 GMT -5
You know Rick it's kind of funny, but people have told me that they didn't think that Karen's appearance matched up with the maturity and awesomeness of her voice. Ironically, I think the younger Karen's appearance matched up with her voice better than the more mature (and thinner) Karen's appearance. I think Karen tinkered with herself too much. She wanted to look prettier like Olivia Newton John. How can you compare the two women. They have totally different looks. If Karen's self-esteem were higher, I don't think her appearance would have been such an obsession to her. She took a good thing ie better hairsyles, sexier clothers, plucked eyebrows, etc and just went off the deep end with it. If she had left well enough alone, things would have turned out very different. Please everybody don't interpret this to mean that I didn't think Karen was pretty because I think she was beautiful inside and out. I'm just trying to be honest with people who I know will be understanding.
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Post by enigma on Aug 3, 2004 8:25:56 GMT -5
First of all I do not think Olivia was prettier than Karen and I do not think Karen compared herself to Olivia looks wise (not any more than any body else) but certainly envied the way Olivia changed her image as the 80's approached. Karen was trying to do the same thing when she made her solo album ie present herself in a different and fresh light away from the massive shadow the Carpenters cast on her.
As for her changing hairstles and styles I don't see the problem here she was being trendy and wanted to continuously change with the times. The bangs and ballroom gowns were the early 70s...the permed shorter hair and the jumpsuits were the early 80's she evolved as styles evolved(most stars change their appearances often) but always looked as beautiful as ever. I don't see her going off the deep end here. Karen was a woman and at the risk of sounding sexist I find most women fuss over their appearance and Karen was no different. Where I agree with you is she did look better earlier on from the stand point that she was healthy, heavier, and looked alot better then. Finally Karen was beautiful and so was her voice besides having a very mature voice for her age at first I think Karen and her voice were a perfect match.
BTW Rob feel free to express yourself I have been critical of both Karen and Richard on this forum and have not had the backlash I get on other forums for having an honest and objective view most of the people here are understanding.
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Post by Rob813 on Aug 3, 2004 21:11:06 GMT -5
Enigma, you make some very outstanding points. Unfortunately Karen's obsession with her appearance was a sign of something much deeper that troubled her. No one will ever know the depths of her suffering or the intricacies of her inner demons. Anorexia is a complicated disease. People who knew her said she was always taking care of other people and not herself. Being in the glare of the spotlight must have been hard on her. The critics could be very cruel. Both she and Richard were continually criticized for their goody-goody image. I know it took it's toll on both of them. There is an expression that goes, to whom much is given, much is expected. Karen and Richard were born with tremendous natural talent. They burst forth into the world and it was a exhilarating, furious and ultimately deadly ride. I don't envy them. I am, however very grateful that despite all the crap they had to endure, they continued to produce the most beautiful music the world will ever know. And, we're the lucky, special ones because we know it and are not afraid to tell everybody else about it too!
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