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Title: Carpenter's voice: The stuff of dreams
Author(s): Jones, Chris
Source: Chicago Tribune (Dec 23, 2005)
Standard No: ISSN: 1085-6706
Abstract: [Karen Carpenter]'s version of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" is infinitely complex. Karen Carpenter's voice humanized her brother Richard's oft- cheesy arrangements. AP photo.


Title: Rereading Media and Eating Disorders: Karen Carpenter, Princess Diana, and the Healthy Female Self
(DOWNLOAD LINK) -for reading, NOT to redistribute or post.
-click SAVE , instead of OPEN. OPEN would not work for me
Author(s): Saukko, Paula
Source: Critical Studies in Media Communication 23, no. 2 (Jun 2006): p. 152-169 (17 pages)
Standard No: ISSN: 1529-5036
Abstract: Media research on eating disorders usually analyzes how media construct normative notions of a thin female body, which fuel anorexia and bulimia. By focusing on news coverage of Karen Carpenter's anorexia and Princess Diana's bulimia I analyze how media representations of eating disorders construct normative notions of a healthy female self. Reporters framed Carpenter as a non-autonomous female who fell victim to the suburban mass culture and the U.S. conservative family values of the 1970s. Princess Diana was represented as the British New Labour flexible, self-transforming woman, having graduated from virgin princess to outspoken divorcee. The discussion shows how popular discourses on eating disorders repeat historically-specific and contradictory normative notions of masculine autonomy and feminine flexibility that inform anorexia and bulimia in the first place.
Edited by JayLumbee, 21 August 2007 - 10:14 AM.

Informative post, Jay! You're one of my favorite members.
Edited by Marty, 22 August 2007 - 01:19 PM.

' wahhh , boo-hoo, (snot)..gag THANKS Marty! I needed that after getting a verbal spank from my boss today.

Now let me spank you about grammar!

"your one" = YOU'RE one

I did read the Karen/Diana article. Sometimes it rambled on a bit, but at least she put Karen in the spotlight.

Jay

Yeah, you are right! I did mess up there. That's pretty rare. haha
Edited by Marty, 23 August 2007 - 12:57 AM.

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG.




I just read the article, it's amazing! I mean, it's like a sociological research project comparing news coverage of Princess Diana and Karen Carpenter. I had no idea this existed, and I've looked up Karen in my university database. Sociological articles.


People, don't be lazy, read this.


Thank you, Jay.

Yes - you have to remember, that back in 1983 things were less 'active' in the media than in 1997 when Diana died, probably more because of the technology available.

-internet (news travels faster & widely available)
-papparazzi
*They were photographing poor Diana every day, up until her accident and while she was literally dying*
*There is film footage of Karen's body being wheeled out either from the hospital or the funeral home, covered in a white sheet*

So, of course there was more news coverage of Diana, being that she was known all over the world and of the recent time period.

Fantastic link! I thought it was really interesting how the author compared the coverage of both Karen and Diana's deaths in the context of what was going on culturally at the time with regards to feminism. I also liked how she pointed out that the 'second peak' of coverage for both Karen and Diana (Karen in 1989 and Diana in 2004) turned up a more controversial spin on their lives. Interesting stuff. I have a lot of coverage on Karen's death, both immediately after her passing and again in 1989 because of the KC Story, and it's quite true how the reporting in 1989 became more focused on Karen as a tragic figure. Same is true for Diana, I recall the media coverage immediately following her passing pretty much glorified her, but years later the media seems to talk about her tragic side.

I never really thought much about the timing of Karen's passing in the context of the feminist movement, but yeah, Karen's public image wasn't exactly a banner for feminism.

Thanks for posting this, Jay!!!