Karen Carpenter

[SquirrelNutZipper]

You're a heckuva woman sunshine! Continued happiness and success.

[BetteDavisEyes1986]

[quote=sunshine74137;260596][quote=Aries65;239429]

I am very interested to know why she was divorcing her husband if he loved her so. Why did he throw his ring into the coffin?? When you are anorexic you become a terrable manupliative bitch. No Joke I have heard that psychologists hate to work with them. I know I was a monster. I lost all my friends and I deserved it. You will screw anybody and everybody over to keep doing what your doing. I think people romanticise the disease, Oh poor little anorexic, NOT!

You're right about being a bitch when you have anorexia. I am recovering from it I had struggled with it when I was younger. I went from 140 pounds to 95 pounds in 3 months from over exercising and starvation. All my life I was made fun of because I was the fat kid. Then when I got thin people said I needed to gain weight. It's like I coudn't do anything right and I pushed everyone who cared about me away. Seeing how others, like yourself Sunshine, and Karen, helped me before it was too late.

[cherryghost]

Agreed!

[shipmatekate]

[quote=BetteDavisEyes1986;281447][quote=sunshine74137;260596]

You're right about being a bitch when you have anorexia. I am recovering from it I had struggled with it when I was younger. I went from 140 pounds to 95 pounds in 3 months from over exercising and starvation. All my life I was made fun of because I was the fat kid. Then when I got thin people said I needed to gain weight. It's like I coudn't do anything right and I pushed everyone who cared about me away. Seeing how others, like yourself Sunshine, and Karen, helped me before it was too late.

I too was anorexic/bulimic. In 6 weeks I went from 135 lbs to 102.
My parents didn't notice!
I survived, if you can call it that on 500 calories a day or less.
It was hell and I still have to fight to keep under control

[msmojorisin84]

No, it's this one:

"If Mama Cass would have given Karen Carpenter her ham sandwich - both of them would still be alive!"

I know - tacky!

And we all know that Mama Cass died of heart failure and NOT from choking on a ham sandwich...

Is it bad that I laughed for a minute or so at this?

[sunshine74137]

Interesting to hear you were a runway model Sunshine. From what I have heard Anorexia and bulemia seem to be quite common with fashion models. I guess the pressure to look perfect and thin is a big part of the reason why. I use to be under the impression that Anorexia and other eating disorders were mostly caused by abuse suffered when growing up. From your comments I guess this is not always the case and it can be things like peer pressure etc that can cause it. I also wonder if maybe Anorexia is similar to obsessive compulsive disorder or some other type of anxiety disorder. To me it seems like eating disorders have a bit of compulsive thing to it. With Karen I know she was taking Ativan (which is an anxiety medication) when she passed away and maybe she was given this to help with her anxiety and obsessions related to food?

I would say it is an obsessive compulsive disorder, and it spreads to everything you do. You get trapped inside your own head. lots of rules for yourself. My 1st marriage was trashed by the whole thing. Anorexics are a real pain in the ass! I can't say but Her husband may have loved her but could have been angry that she threw her life away, That could be why he threw the ring?

[msmojorisin84]

On a more serious note....this is a very sad thing. If the media didn't make us think that we had to be a certain shape, size, height and weight....it's a real pity.

[kandykisses]

Sunshine glad you are recovering. My cousin had anorexia and she struggled for years bone thin. Having her son helped her to see she had fight and eat to be around for him. Thanks for sharing. The internet is powerful and you never know who may be helped because you spoke here.

[sunshine74137]

On a more serious note....this is a very sad thing. If the media didn't make us think that we had to be a certain shape, size, height and weight....it's a real pity.

Anorexics often have a overbearing mom, I think her mother as much as the media pushed her to be perfect.

[ShatteredMirror]

Is it bad that I laughed for a minute or so at this?

No, it's this one:

"If Mama Cass would have given Karen Carpenter her ham sandwich - both of them would still be alive!"

I know - tacky!

And we all know that Mama Cass died of heart failure and NOT from choking on a ham sandwich...

Nearly - but not quite - as bad as this: Karen Carpenter had the best ever six-pack in rock music, bar none!

[sunshine74137]

This is worse-- Richard Carpenter is doing a remake of the old Hollies tune-She ain't heavy she's my sister

[msmojorisin84]

This is worse-- Richard Carpenter is doing a remake of the old Hollies tune-She ain't heavy she's my sister

Haha!

[Coffee addict]

I feel SO guilty asking this, but is there any pics from her funeral and at her skinniest?

[sunshine74137]

I feel SO guilty asking this, but is there any pics from her funeral and at her skinniest?

[Alanwench]

I feel SO guilty asking this, but is there any pics from her funeral and at her skinniest?

OMG! The irony of your avatar and the subject matter.

[alexmack]

Man! No wonder she passed away. So sad. I love her music...

[Hidium]

She died from an electrolyte imbalance that made her heart stop beating. Very sad. Beautiful voice, even if it wasn't your cup of mud. Looks like she weighed something like 85 lbs or less.

[desert hag]

What a voice...too bad she didn't get help sooner. She was so talented...

[Hidium]

Anorexia can be set off by strange things. An offhand comment overheard about her being fat, depression, grief, self loathing, looking for something in her life she could control. They didn't know very much about it back then either. Very sad.

[Aries65]

There is apparantly a lot more to her story than most people know. Her anorexia was suppose to be caused by certain things that had happened to her while she was growing up. Former music teachers, boyfriends, musicians all allude to there being secrets in the Carpenter family but they never say what they are. There also was a rumor going around that the lawyer for the hospital where she died was very shocked at something they found out about Karen and was very angry at Richard. The lawyer was also suppose to be surprised that "this secret' was able to be kept hidden from the public for so long. I have no clue what this is all about or if it is just gossip but it makes me wonder.

I'm dying to know all this now!

[cindyt]

I'm dying to know all this now!

Me too! I hate when there's something to know and I can't get at it.

I read in Redbook or some rag years ago that Karen picked up a fan mag and read where someone called her fat, and that's what engaged her anorexia.

[sunshine74137]

Me too! I hate when there's something to know and I can't get at it.

I read in Redbook or some rag years ago that Karen picked up a fan mag and read where someone called her fat, and that's what engaged her anorexia.

It's widely believed that there are three links that need to be in place in order for anaorexia to manifest like a chain reaction 1. a dysfunctional childhood or childhood trauma 2. a genetic predispostion for the disease and 3. a stressful incident So if that's true the fan mag comment was the third link the stressful incident.

[cindyt]

Yeah, I've read about the chain reaction. And though I don't remember the name of the mag--though I'm pretty sure it was Redbook--it was not a tabloid.

[sunshine74137]

If the chain reaction theory is true then that means her family was messed up when she was a kid

[cindyt]

I think it's a matter of being predisposed. Lots of people have crappy childhoods but they don't get anorexia or any of the other mental diseases.

That said, there has to be a flashpoint where the disease is engaged, and I'll tell ya, Richard has always given me the creeps. Remember how he acted when she cut a solo album and there are other stories. I have always wondered if he molested her or if their relationship was more than just brother and sister.

[sunshine74137]

I think it's a matter of being predisposed. Lots of people have crappy childhoods but they don't get anorexia or any of the other mental diseases.

That said, there has to be a flashpoint where the disease is engaged, and I'll tell ya, Richard has always given me the creeps. Remember how he acted when she cut a solo album and there are other stories. I have always wondered if he molested her or if their relationship was more than just brother and sister.

And also how wacksdoo she went when Richard had a girlfriend, Oh yeah something was up

[Aries65]

And also how wacksdoo she went when Richard had a girlfriend, Oh yeah something was up

Ewwwww....

[Handrejka]

I love Karen, she along with Judee Sill are my favourite female singers (yeah I know, I must have thing for tragic female singers)

This may be a really weird question, but did Karen wear wigs or hairpieces? Her hair just seems to glossy and healthy for someone so ill.

Also did anyone else hear the rumours that female groupies planned on seducing Richard they were usually told they'd have better luck with Karen, (I'm sorry I can't remember where I read this) I don't know if this is comment on Richard's sexuality or Karen's or both.

[sunshine74137]

I can't tell about the hair and I'm usually good at picking off wigs. I never lost my hair even when I was in the low 60's so I guess it doesn't always happen

[cindyt]

The low 60s? How old are you?

[coconn04]

Toni Tennille Blames Careless Manager For Karen Carpenter's Death



Seventies pop star Toni Tennille has blamed a thoughtless manager for pal Karen Carpenter's anorexia death - he told the Close To You singer she was too fat.
The Captain & Tennille star shared the same management company with the tragic singer, and fears her friend may have been given weight advice by the same guy who urged her to slim.
Tennille explains, "Karen was very slender (but) she was one of these gals, like lots of us ladies, who have hips. I believe that one of her managers might have said to her, 'Karen, you need to lose some weight for television, so you won't look heavy on TV. Being the perfectionist that she was, she took that thought to heart and began feeling uncomfortable on television because she wasn't secure with her body and how it looked, and I think that led to what eventually killed her."
Carpenter died from complications related to anorexia in 1983, aged 32, and Tennille admits she still feels great sadness and rage when she hears her friend on the radio.
She adds, "I loved her voice... she sounded like a cello. She had the kind of voice that the moment that you heard it on the radio, you knew who it was."


http://www.starpulse.com/news/index....ess_manager_fo

[lab_rat]

The low 60s? How old are you?

I think she means her weight, not her age...

[sunshine74137]

The low 60s? How old are you?

I was 22 at that time

[cindyt]

Ok, but what do you mean by "the low 60s"?

I was 27 at that time.

[sunshine74137]

Ok, but what do you mean by "the low 60s"?

I was 27 at that time.

62 lbs I posted a pic earlier in this thread

[djdeath-hag]

I was 22 at that time

I know that you've mentioned your struggles with Ana....and I applaud your for your willingness to bring this darkness (the illness, not you!) into the light of day. We all learn from who & what we know...and learning the success stories of others, imho provides a service & encouragment to others. HugeHagHugs!

[cindyt]

62 lbs I posted a pic earlier in this thread

Well, I must have missed it. Thanks for clearing that up.

[sunshine74137]

I think you are right, There had to be more then just one reporter calling her chubby. But I remember that Tracy Gold relapsed from jokes added to the script about her weight. I was working in a job that was very weight conscious. I think there has to be a lead up but a comment can be the straw that broke the camels back

[cachluv]

There are indeed reasons why people develop disorders. They are often symptoms of something more psychologically serious.

[SueWahoo]

Yes, I read Toni's blog even though she's not too busy with it lately.

http://www.captainandtennille.net/to...ke_blog_06.htm

Here's a bit on Karen:

Every now and then, I would catch a glimpse of Karen or Richard, and we would acknowledge each other with a wave or a nod, but rarely did we speak at any length. Karen and Richard were very reserved, and I certainly donâ??t blame them. At this stage in their careers, privacy was a luxury, and we never wanted to intrude. Also, they may have had reservations about this new â??duoâ?� on the A&M lot.
-
We ended up sharing the same management team, and the same wonderful recording engineer, Roger Young. Iâ??m not going to name their managers, because I believe they were at least partially responsible for Karenâ??s struggle with anorexia. I could be wrong about this, but remember what Iâ??ve told you...they donâ??t call it show BUSINESS for nothing, and it can be tough and mean.
-
When Daryl and I knew Karen....and, remember, we were just the most casual of acquaintances.....she was NEVER heavy or CLOSE to fat. She was rather pear-shaped, as a lot of women are. As I am, in fact. She was slender from the waist up, and carried most of her weight, which appeared perfectly normal to me, in her hips. When you are pear-shaped, if you are not careful with what you wear, you can APPPEAR to be a bit heavy, especially on television, which can add about 10 pounds to anyoneâ??s frame.
-
I believe Karenâ??s management team suggested to her that she needed to lose some weight so she would â??look better on television.â?� Arghhh!!!! It makes me so angry just to think of it. Karen took that â??suggestionâ?� and ran with it, dropping weight like crazy so she would look thin. We watched her shrink, and it was horrifying. She was never, ever FAT!!!!! She was normal. Not good enough for the idiots who advised her.
-
Karen often wore clothes onstage that totally disguised her body. I remember once, when her anorexia was well-entrenched, Daryl and I attended one of the Capenterâ??s shows in Las Vegas. It was a lovely show, with Karenâ??s gorgeous, warm voice filling the room. After the show, Daryl and I went backstage to say hello, and as I hugged her, I had to force myself not to let her see the shock that went through me when I realized that all I could feel through her robe was BONES! It was like hugging a skeleton.
-
I left that show so angry, and so fearful for Karenâ??s health and the future of that lovely person and her exquisite voice. I was angry again, and filled with an incredible sorrow when I learned of her death. She was an artist...she was fragile....and this stupid business, with its focus on superficial things, killed her. Even today, when I hear her voice on the radio, I am filled with a sadness....now muted by time...but still there. She was so young. She could have still been sharing that lovely voice with us today.

[Laura Castellano]

I still miss Karen's music after all these years. I always consider her to be the most talented singer of my generation, and it was a sad, tragic waste of a life when she died. It did make the country more aware of anorexia nervosa, though. Maybe there are some young girls who didn't go that route because of what happened to Karen. Although with all the skeletons running around Hollywood these days, the message appears to have been forgotten by some.

[coconn04]

What makes me mad is the comments, that even Richard makes do this day. That is that someone had to die from anorexia for the world to take notice.
Karen had scheduled an interview with Good Morning America where she was willing to talk about her stuggles.
She died before then.
Tracy Allman made a joke about Karen that I thought that Karen herself would have found funny.
She was like Christ,she was 32 and a carpenter, she had to go.
She would have been the first celebrity to outted herself from the disease.
I believe she would have been helping other to this day from anorexia is she would have lived.

[cindyt]

What makes me mad is the comments, that even Richard makes do this day. That is that someone had to die from anorexia for the world to take notice.

[Seagorath]

I hope Karen didn't suffer in the end...God Bless her.

[coconn04]

On this youtube Karen's mother said that the night before Karen died that Karen craved a taco. This was one on her favorite foods as a kid.
Go Karen!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWlvnciIEYs
This video is painful to watch. It is karen's family talking about the day she died.
I think her death was without too much pain.
Not all of us were made to last forever.
I remember in the Coleman book he said that karen often over excerted herself even though she had a poor cardiovascular system.
I am glad to have her for the time we did.

[alexmack]

http://www.goshennews.com/entertainm...secondarystory

Karen Carpenter's death house is going ot be torn down -- new owners tired of people peeringin windows, leaving flowers, wanting a tour, et al.

Any updates on the house??? Are they tearing it down???

[alexmack]

The Karen Carpenter movie was on TV today, and after I looked at it I came right to this site to read her thread. I agree that something was not so “Kosher” about the relationship between the two of them. I think the fact that he married his cousin, blood related or not speaks volumes. I also think that both were gay, and any marriages were just a smoke screen. ]Bottom line, I don’t really care about their sexual preferences. Makes no difference to me. I loved their music. Every song takes me back to a special time growing up in the ‘70’s. I too remember exactly were I was and what I was doing when it was announced she passed away. I was working in a very large office, and everyone was walking around with tears in their eyes, and in absolute shock.

As for Richard moving the graves. Well, he has the money, and it is his prerogative. It is his family. Again, thanks for all the interesting information everyone. Hope they don’t tear down the house. That would be such a shame.

[hell0kitty]

[Aries65]

I also think that both were gay, and any marriages were just a smoke screen

[cindyt]

I second that.