Agnes kept the house like an SS officer, and she never hid her bigoted opinions. Karen craved her affection and feared to upset her. In 1996, journalist Rob Hoerburger incisively summed things up: “If anorexia has classically been defined as a young woman’s struggle for control, then Karen was a prime candidate, for the two things she valued most in the world – her voice and her mother’s love – were exclusively the property of her brother Richard. At least she would control the size of her own body.”
When Karen tried out a solo act, her brother forced her to drop the project with his efforts to control her. He admits being threatened and afraid she would not come back to the Carpenters.
What was Karen’s Favorite Song?
Karen really hoped to fall in love, get married, and have a family, like many young women.
So, it might not be too much of a surprise to find that her favorite Carpenters song was their 1976 ballad, “I Need to Be in Love.”
Richard’s Addiction
It was during Richard’s recovery that Karen decided to try out a solo effort. His addiction started in the late ’70s with an affliction of insomnia, worsened by panic attacks and depression. He used Quaaludes to combat his suffering. Apparently, it was Agnes who offered him his first pill.
He took a year off to go to rehab. He made a full recovery and was back on the job by 1979. As if fame had taken its toll on the two, Karen’s anorexia nervosa was at its worst during the time of her brother’s affliction.
The Carpenters’ Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
Sadly, Karen missed being honored by a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame by just months. When Richard attended the ceremony he said, “This is a sad day, but at the same time a very special and beautiful day to my family and me.”
Through tears, he went on to say, “My only regret is that Karen is not physically here to share it with us, but I know that she is very much alive in our minds, and in our hearts.”
Karen and Richard Invested in Apartment Buildings
Once fame started paying off, Karen and Richard made some investment choices. The two bought apartment buildings, which is probably not a surprise, but they also personalized them.
They named one building “Close to You” and another “Only Just Begun.” It makes sense, after all, that’s where the cash flow came from!