![]() ![]() In California, a bitter Karen is suing a Starbucks employee who raised over $100,000 online in “tips” after being berated by the mask-less Karen for refusing to serve her. “Do you need a pair of shorts? Because I have an extra pair,” says the pissed-off (and mask-less) Karen in the clip.ĬOVID Karens are a special breed: The woman brawling with the Red Lobster staff, reduced because of the pandemic, because she had to wait too long for her food on Mother’s Day is a perfect example. One recent example? The New York mom who freaked out at the dancer-come-TikTokker strutting her stuff on Freedom Lake in a string bikini. Regardless, the World Wide Web knows Karen when it sees her. The origins of “Karen” are oft-debated some point to Dane Cook’s 2005 bit about the lamest gal in a group of friends being named Karen, while others point to the “Mean Girls” character played by Amanda Seyfried who is admonished for asking pal Cady (Lindsay Lohan) how she can “be from Africa if she’s white.” Some view it as a righteous motivator for the creation of Black Twitter. Recently, a fake American Girl doll ad for “Karen” caught the eyes of Twitter: The doll mock-up is of a sweatsuit-wearing, gun-wielding shopper who “refuses to wear a mask in public places.” “Karen” has become social-media shorthand meaning a middle-aged white woman - potentially with an asymmetric haircut a la Kate Gosselin, circa 2009 - who makes a big fuss, and is not-so-blissfully ignorant. Here are some of the names ruined by the internet, where they came from and what the people named before the meme think about their online personas - starting with Queen Karen: Karen Other names have become so entangled in pop culture that they’ve taken on a new meaning: Who can think of anyone but the Kardashians when they hear “Kim”? While the internet directory is fun, real-life Karens (or Beckys, Debbies, Chads and Kyles) bear the brunt of the jokes. San Francisco politician Shamann Walton has introduced the CAREN Act - it stands for Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies Act - to make it illegal to falsely report crimes in a “racially biased” manner.īut of course not all “Karens” count under “CAREN,” and others don’t fit the bill at all. She could face up to a year in prison - but the Karen-ing shame doesn’t end there. The viral clip also spawned new hate crime legislation. 3YnzuATsDmĪfter the video racked up millions of views, “Dog Park Karen” was fired from her investment firm job, temporarily forced to surrender her dog and charged with one count of falsely reporting an incident in the third degree. Oh, when Karens take a walk with their dogs off leash in the famous Bramble in NY’s Central Park, where it is clearly posted on signs that dogs MUST be leashed at all times, and someone like my brother (an avid birder) politely asks her to put her dog on the leash. ![]() The viral clip was taken only a day before disturbing footage of the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minnesota police was released, sparking civil unrest and global protests over racial justice. Cooper asked her to leash her dog, “Karen” promptly told authorities an “African American man is threatening my life,” while appearing to accidentally strangle her dog. She “pulled the pin on the race grenade,” according to Christian Cooper. The most infamous “Karen” of late is Amy Cooper, a white woman who called the police on black birder Christian Cooper when the two ended up at odds in the Ramble at Central Park while she was walking her dog. calling the police to shut down a kids’ lemonade stand - because they don’t have a permit - spurring slangy put-downs like, “Calm down, Karen.” The K-name has been co-opted to call out many a “white-lady-with-a-bone-to-pick” socio-cultural faux pas online. Sure, there’s a growing list of internet memes poking fun at real-life stereotypes - names such as Kyle, Becky and Chad are shorthand for this or that trope - but in 2020, “Karen” is the queen of them all. GameStop soars 35% after turning profit for first time in 2 yearsĪre you the type of gal who demands to speak to the manager when you feel you’ve been wronged? You just might be a “Karen.” Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn break up: Fans call for Pete Davidsonĭogecoin dog replaces Twitter logo on homepage, meme token's price soars 30% Biden campaign sells 'Dark Brandon' shirts to mark re-election kickoff ![]()
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