Toni Tennille Blames Careless Manager For Karen Carpenter's Death

[Brian Damage]

Seventies pop star Toni Tennille has blamed a thoughtless manager for pal Karen Carpenter's anorexia death - he told the Close To You singer she was too fat.

The Captain & Tennille star shared the same management company with the tragic singer, and fears her friend may have been given weight advice by the same guy who urged her to slim.

Tennille explains, "Karen was very slender (but) she was one of these gals, like lots of us ladies, who have hips. I believe that one of her managers might have said to her, 'Karen, you need to lose some weight for television, so you won't look heavy on TV. Being the perfectionist that she was, she took that thought to heart and began feeling uncomfortable on television because she wasn't secure with her body and how it looked, and I think that led to what eventually killed her."

Carpenter died from complications related to anorexia in 1983, aged 32, and Tennille admits she still feels great sadness and rage when she hears her friend on the radio.

She adds, "I loved her voice... she sounded like a cello. She had the kind of voice that the moment that you heard it on the radio, you knew who it was."

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)

[Pus$y Galore]

Wouldn't surprise me a bit - Tennille always seemed to be pale and underweight herself.

Yeah, it must be coming up to about 25 years ago in January (maybe early February) Karen passed away. I remember it vividly. Poor thing. What a great loss it was. :(

[catlover79]

You're right - it'll mark 25 years on February 4th that Karen passed. :rip: The world lost a beautiful voice as well as a sweet, down-to-earth lady. I know Cathie and I can relate to the problems anorexia and depression cause. :(

[Janice]

I love these has-beens who come out of the woodwork to get in the news, by trashing today's celebs or trying to generate controversy. Hard to believe Karen Carpenter has been gone so long. She had the voice of an angel. My Dad loved her. Such a shame what happened to her.

[Ireneparalegal]

Having suffered from anorexia on a different level, it doesn't matter what one says to you, ultimately the person who suffers from that does so for many reasons. It just doesn't happen overnight as those who suffered from it know.

At that time, there was no talk abt Anorexia. The 60's was all abt being thin and skinny. That ideal got pushed into the 70's. Karen was part of that era and I am sure the management company only said that from experience, not to hurt or make Karen feel bad. I am not making excuses, but that was the way things were. Of course, we now live in a different era. We have famous people coming out of the closet talking abt their weight issues such Bulimia, Anorexia and so forth.

If you all read the post carefully Toni said, "I BELIEVE HER MANAGEMENT TOLD HER..." I guess Toni doesn't know much abt Karen's issue at all. Just her making an assumption and a big accusation. I believe the actual story was Karen read an article abt her and Richard and a critic commented on her being "fat."

I adored Karen's voice. I still do. She had an angelic voice. God, what a loss.

[Dean Winchester]

well, I believe Karen was responsible for her own death, sad to say. Her family and friends tried to help her, but she didn't help herself, and the world will never know what she could've done as the 80's progressed and afterwards. The last album they had out in 1981 was their most successful album in several years so I think they definately were on their way back up the charts when Karen died. She had such a great voice and the music continues to live on even a quarter century after her death.

[Janice]

I believe the actual story was Karen read an article abt her and Richard and a critic commented on her being "fat."
That's always what I read too.

[Ireneparalegal]

well, I believe Karen was responsible for her own death, sad to say. Her family and friends tried to help her, but she didn't help herself, and the world will never know what she could've done as the 80's progressed and afterwards. The last album they had out in 1981 was their most successful album in several years so I think they definately were on their way back up the charts when Karen died. She had such a great voice and the music continues to live on even a quarter century after her death.
Karen had just come to the realization that she needed help. However, the damage to her heart was irreversible.