Karen's E! True Hollywood Story

[Actorman]

Hello everyone!

I was going through some old VSH tapes over the weekend and came across the "Karen Carpenter: E! True Hollywood Story" from several years ago that I had taped. (I thought I had lost it forever!!)

I decided to sit and watch it since I hadn't seen it in a long time and one thing struck me as odd. Aside from a few archival interview clips from the mid-1980's, Richard is not in it at all. The talk about him a lot (of course) but no new interviews or anything.

Does anyone have any information on this? It seems strange to me that he would not have wanted to be involved in this. It was a "two-hour special" which they only did a handful of for major artists so it seems like it would have been a big deal.

He could have been pissed off because it was the "Karen Carpenter THS" and not "the Carpenters THS" but I would credit Richard with more class than that.

Just wondered if anyone knew any "scoop."

Have a great day!
Scott

 

[Actorman]

Ooops! Should have proofread! That should be VHS tapes!

 

[CarpentersToYou]

Hmmm...I don't know why Richard didn't do it.

All I know is that it is my least favorite Carpenters documentary. I think it is really, really boring and makes the duo look bad. I can't stand watching this one.

My favorite would be the Japanese CARPENTERS FOREVER.

 

[350hunny]

If I'm not mistaken, that seemed to be a small budget program of the Carpenters reenacted based on a medley of interviews and articles in the past.
If you watch it closely, you'll find a familiar name -Mr. Randy Schmidt - in the end roll. At that time, I joined Yuko for a Carpenters-related travel in California, which included this program, in which they showed us Japanese fans singing in front of the camera while visiting Downey High School. We only saw a TV crew of a female producer? and a male cameraman. Prior to that, we had met them at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

 

[350hunny]

I'm not sure and I don't remember it well, but they may not have had Richard's approval or approached him.
The fact is that Richard was then busy rehearsing for his first solo concert at Carpenters Performing Arts Center, which was the only place we had eventually met with him in the backstage.
I doubt he had time to appear on the show at that busiest time.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Don't know why Richard wasn't part of it but probably cause they didn't paint Karen is a very good light, it was a really sad show. After viewing it, one walks aways with the feeling of poor Karen.

Well Karen was more than this, anyone who knew her said she was full of life.

They show this special quite often. The best part of the show is the ending credits...there is a piano song played (one that could almost pass as Richard playing this) for me...it's very moving and I think of Karen as it is playing. I captured the audio and made a mp3 of it & burned it to CD. I like to think it is Richard playing. But I'm sure it's not.

 

[PJ]

Does anyone have any information on this? It seems strange to me that he would not have wanted to be involved in this. It was a "two-hour special" which they only did a handful of for major artists so it seems like it would have been a big deal.

Have a great day!
Scott

Hi Scott,

Think this came up on an earlier topic ...perhaps long ago ...

Baically E-Special was planned in 1996 -around the time Karen Carpenter album was finally released -Richard was approached both for personal interviews & archive footage ....however a number of Carpenters associates were unhappy at the initial programme outline & advised Richard ...this was potentially a hatchet job ...

Richard declined any new interviews / footage & advised a number of key Carpenters associates not to participate ...so John Bettis , Group members etc are not there either ...when the producers had completed most of the interviews with Suzanne Somers , Casey Kasem , some ex-A&M staffers ...word filtered back that this was a better Special than originally thought ...Richard did offer some material ...but due to production deadlines / TV schedules ...it was too late for more filming ...

Richard was working on his PBS special & contributing to others ...there were a series of Carpenters documentaties 1997-1998 ...so really no-one missed out on E-Special.....

Peter

 

[Chris May]

Pardon me for saying this, but to me, "True E-Hollywood Story" just spells out personal tragedy, scandal, gossip and the dark side of the buisiness. That is just the reputation that the show has, as least as far as I'm concerned.

If I am not mistaken, didn't Richard state following the Ray Coleman biography that the whole reason for contributing to that book was to "put to bed" so-to-speak all of the thriving interest by so many regarding the Carpenters personal lives? Richard is about the music and always has been. Shows like "E-Hollywood" are often times about THE SHOW'S best interest and not that of the artist(s) unfortunately. -Chris

 

[andywithaz]

But we all have to realize that the world is filled with things that always don't turn out like the ends of Childrens' stories. The Facts of Life tell us that we have to take the good and the bad.

 

[Chris May]

But we all have to realize that the world is filled with things that always don't turn out like the ends of Childrens' stories. The Facts of Life tell us that we have to take the good and the bad.

True, but to capitalize off of someone's tragedy is distasteful. I'm sure Richard and Karen like so many others made and continue to make music for the music, not for the tabloids. Just my opinion. -Chris

 

[close2u]

When the E! network was working on the Karen Carpenter THS, the series was quite new (just a handful had been completed) and the producers had high hopes and were taking a very positive approach. They had tentative "yes" responses from Tony Peluso and other guys in the band, in addition to others in the closer Carpenters circle, but they all pulled out after Richard declined to participate. After that, the producers quickly started DIGGING to fill the void, as they had anticipated Richard's help when they decided it would be a two-hour episode... the FIRST two-hour in the series.

Looking back, I think, overall, they did a very good job of telling Karen's story -- not in the way Richard would have told it -- but it's very accurate in most cases, unlike some of the inaccuracies found in programs Richard DID have his hand in... The best part was that THS also unearthed some great, rare footage that hadn't been seen for nearly 30 years!

Randy

 

[andywithaz]

Go Randy! w00tage!

 

[Chris May]

Looking back, I think, overall, they did a very good job of telling Karen's story -- not in the way Richard would have told it -- but it's very accurate in most cases, unlike some of the inaccuracies found in programs Richard DID have his hand in... The best part was that THS also unearthed some great, rare footage that hadn't been seen for nearly 30 years!
Randy

Well, I have to agree with that. There was a lot of footage that was pretty good and unique. Look, I will be the first to admit that I have certainly watched plenty of the E-Hollywood projects, but some of them can get pretty tacky. -Chris

 

[close2u]

Yes, they seem to hook and reel us in somehow, no matter how tacky we know they are. They have definitely become MORE tacky since Karen's show first aired in 1997. I am a sucker for just about any TV documentary on the subject of a celebrity's life!

Merry Christmas Chris! I haven't been in touch for some time. I hope you enjoy your holidays...

Randy

 

[Chris May]

Merry Christmas Chris! I haven't been in touch for some time. I hope you enjoy your holidays...
Randy

Merry Christmas Randy!!!! It's nice to see you in this room again! Let me know when you get into Los Angeles and we'll get together. -Chris