Open letter to Richard Carpenter- Legacy

[newvillefan]

I can't understand how people watching Karen on TV in 1981 didn't realise she was seriously sick. Of course we now know what was going on, but still, to see her on the Merv Griffin Show and Nationwide in the UK, she looked ghastly and way too thin for any normal person.

I often think what Olivia Newton John must have been thinking, sat on Merv Griffin's couch watching her best friend perform '(Want You) Back In My Life Again'. When she comes off stage and Olivia hugs her, it's inconceivable how thin her body is. Olivia must have realised this when she puts her arms around her.

Stephen

 

[Mike Blakesley]

A friendly moderator reminder: Karen's health issues and her ultimate fate have been widely discussed at other times in other forums. We try not to encourage such discussions here, since they just tend to make everyone sad. Especially in the spirit of this season, please keep the thread on track. Thank you!

 

[newvillefan]

A lot of threads on any subject can make us sad at any time in the year, and not just on this forum page. My post was thought out and rehashed before I posted it. If Richard is willing to discuss this on the many varied documentaries as the official source reference, why can't we? (That's a little reminder why I and others I know don't post here so often).

 

[Harry]

The A&M Corner Forum has always been about the "music" on the label. Carpenters made excellent music and that's what we prefer to discuss here.

Yes, Karen had a tragic story. It's deeply personal to her family and friends and the discussion of that personal side of the duo's lives shouldn't be done in a public forum (at least not THIS one.)

For some reason, the story of Karen's life seems to draw many fans in to a realm that really is none of our business. By "our", I mean of course those of us who really didn't personally know any of these people.

Richard and his associates are known to have visited here, reading the things that are said about them. Put yourself in their place. Would you want total strangers discussing your late sibling's autopsy report, marriage, personal problems? Would you like to read our discussions of your own mistakes in life without your asking for such discussions?

The answer to the above should obviously be "No." It's not that we want to limit discussions, it's just a matter of taste and decorum in a public setting.

I know that many Carpenters fans have left this board due to our somewhat stringent policies. That's fine. If there are places to discuss those topics that we find uncomfortable here, then by all means do so there. One can also use the Private Message function here to do much the same.

We just ask that you respect our wishes, and what we feel would be the wishes of the artists whose music we love.

Your post wasn't really out of line Stephen. Mike was just issuing a "friendly reminder" (his words!) that the thread was *potentially* about to drift into areas we'd rather not go and for those who wished to respond to think carefully before doing so.

Harry