Look up Karen in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Karen may refer to:

• Karen people, an ethnic group in Burma and Thailand
  • Karen languages, spoken by the Karen people
• Karen (name), a given name (and list of people with the name)
• Karen (1964 TV series), an NBC sitcom starring Debbie Watson
• Karen (1975 TV series), an ABC sitcom starring Karen Valentine
• Karen, Kenya, a suburb of Nairobi
• Hualien, Taiwan or Karen
• KAREN or Kiwi Advanced Research and Education Network
• House of Karen, a historical feudal family of Tabaristan, Iran
• Karen, a character in Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch media
• Karen, Plankton's "computer" W.I.F.E. on the animated TV series, SpongeBob SquarePants

See also[link]

• Karren (name)
• Tropical Storm Karen (disambiguation)

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

The Go-Betweens were an indie rock band formed in Brisbane, Australia in 1977 by singer-songwriters and guitarists, Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. They were later joined by Lindy Morrison on drums, Robert Vickers on bass guitar and Amanda Brown on violin, oboe, guitar, and backing vocals, before disbanding in late 1989. Forster and McLennan reformed the band in 2000 with a new line-up, McLennan died on 6 May 2006 of a heart attack and The Go-Betweens disbanded again.

In 1988, "Streets of Your Town", the first single from 16 Lovers Lane, became the band's biggest chart hit in both Australia and the United Kingdom (UK). The follow-up single "Was There Anything I Could Do?" was a No. 16 hit on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in the United States. In May 2001 "Cattle and Cane", from 1983's Before Hollywood was selected by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time. In 2008, 16 Lovers Lane was highlighted on Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) TV's The Great Australian Albums series as a classic example of 1980s rock music.

Early years[link]

Robert Forster and Grant McLennan met at the University of Queensland where both were taking a theatre arts course.^[1] Forster on vocals, song writing, and guitar, and McLennan on vocals, song writing and bass guitar formed The Go-Betweens in December 1977 in Brisbane, Australia. The name of the band reflects L.P. Hartley's classic novel, The Go-Between.^[1] The band made its first public appearance as the support for The Numbers at Baroona Hall in Brisbane, in early April 1978.^[1]

We performed two songs, and as soon as we got off stage, Mark Callaghan, Robert Vickers - we met them all, in five minutes ... They immediately asked us to play a second show.

—Robert Forster^[1]

The band however were still minus a drummer, having borrowed Gerard Lee for their first show.^[1] They had a succession of drummers starting with Bruce Anthon (ex-The Survivors). With a guest drummer, Dennis Cantwell (The Riptides), they recorded their debut single, "Lee Remick", in May 1978. The song, an ode to the US actress, was released on the independent Able label in September 1978. The B-side to the single, "Karen", was a love song to a librarian. The sleeve depicts Forster and McLennan alongside portraits of Bob Dylan, Che Guevara and Lee Remick. The band sent copies to record labels around the world, with interest shown by the UK arm of America's Beserkley Records. The group's first real drummer was Temucin 'Tim' Mustafa, recruited after the recording of "Lee Remick", although he appears on the picture sleeve of the single.^[1] The band further expanded with the addition of guitarist, Peter Milton Walsh.^[1] Beserkley offered the band a contract, that proposed the re-issue of "Lee Remick" and "Karen" as two singles, followed by an eight album deal.^[1] The band recorded two more songs for Beserkley in November 1978 (including "Sound of Rain") however when Beserkley went bust weeks later Walsh left to form The Apartments.^[1][2][3]

The band's second single, "People Say", which was recorded in May 1979, was produced by The Go-Betweens with Mustapha on drums and Malcolm Kelly on piano and organ. The B-side, "Don't Let Him Come Back", is a farewell to Walsh, who remained friends with Forster and McLennan.^[1] From May 1978 to May 1979, the group recorded some tracks live in Forster's bedroom using McLennan's two-track tape deck—they were not released until 1999 as 78 'Til 79: The Lost Album, which also includes both sides of the first two singles.^[4] These songs were simple pop tunes with a rough New Wave edge, an obvious blend of pure pop influences such as The Monkees with the gritty simplicity of The Velvet Underground.

In November 1979, the duo left Australia, with a plan to shop their songs from record company to record company simply by visiting their offices and playing them.^[1] In Glasgow, Scotland, on 28 April 1980, for independent label Postcard, they recorded their next single, "I Need Two Heads", with Steven Daly of Scottish band, Orange Juice, guesting on drums and Alex Fergusson producing. Forster returned to Australia in June 1980, whilst McLennan continued to New York. They followed Australian contemporaries The Birthday Party to the busier music scene in London. "I Need Two Heads" peaked at No. 6 on the UK independent charts. Upon return to Brisbane they were joined by Belinda "Lindy" Morrison (ex-Xero) on drums in 1980. In November 1980 the band played their first Sydney show at the Palais Theatre, supporting The Birthday Party and the Laughing Clowns.^[1] The band impressed Keith Glass (Missing Link Records), which had re-issued "I Need Two Heads" for the Australian market, and offered to release the band's next single. Their fourth single, the first with Morrison, "Your Turn My Turn", was recorded in Sydney with Tony Cohen (The Birthday Party) in April 1981.^[1] The single was released in September.^[2][5] They recorded ten tracks as demos in Brisbane during 1981, which were released as Very Quick on the Eye by Man Made Records in 1982, the tracks showed that Morrison's "drum abilities, always a deeply underrated part of the band's appeal, fit hand in glove with the arrangements".^[6] By this time, Forster and Morrison were lovers and Morrison was living in Spring Hill.^[7]

The band's first official album, Send Me a Lullaby, produced by The Go-Betweens and Tony Cohen, on Missing Link in Australia, was released as an eight-track mini-album in November 1981.^[1] Missing Link's UK distributors, Rough Trade, released the album in the UK, three months later, with four tracks added.^[2][5] Morrison provided the album title, in preference to Two Wimps and a Witch, from a Zelda Fitzgerald novel Save Me the Waltz.^[8] The group had developed a subtler sound consisting of dry semi-spoken vocals, complex lyrics and melodic but fractious guitar pop influenced by contemporary bands such as Television, Wire and Talking Heads. Australian rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, described the album as "tentative and clumsy [with] its brittle, rough-hewn sound".^[2] Forster and McLennan wrote all the tracks, they alternated lead vocal duties, except "People Know" which had Morrison on vocals and James Freud (Models) guesting on saxophone.^[9][10] Enticed by Rough Trade, the band relocated to London.^[1] The band's next single, "Hammer the Hammer", was released by Rough Trade, in July 1982.^[2][5] In 2002, UK label Circus released a 2× CD version of Send Me a Lullaby which included "After the Fireworks" recorded as a collaboration with The Birthday Party's Nick Cave on vocals, Mick Harvey on piano and Rowland S. Howard on guitar. It had been released as a single under the band name, Tuff Monks in 1982 on Au Go Go Records.^[11]

"Cattle and Cane" to "Streets of Your Town"[link]

The Go-Betweens returned to UK and recorded their second album, Before Hollywood (May 1983), with John Brand producing,^[5] at the International Christian Communications studio in Eastbourne.^[1] It established them as cult favourites while "Cattle and Cane" was released as a single and was "[a]rguably the band's absolute highlight of its earliest years".^[2][12] In Australia the song had exposure on the national broadcaster, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), pop music TV series, Countdown. Their tracks were played on ABC's alternative rock radio station Triple J—although mainly heard in the Sydney region at that time. Despite the consistent critical acclaim their recordings garnered both in Australia and overseas, The Go-Betweens were mostly ignored by Australian commercial pop radio and never gained a broad national audience. Before Hollywood was described as "more world-weary [...] full of deceptively simple yet accomplished songs".^[2]

Robert Vickers joined on bass guitar in late 1983—freeing McLennan for lead guitar work.^[1] Their next album Spring Hill Fair (September 1984) was produced by Brand with Robert Andrews and Colin Fairley, for Sire Records.^[5] The album was acclaimed as "the sound was bolder and more confident", while "Man O' Sand to Girl O' Sea", "Bachelor Kisses" and "Part Company" were issued as singles.^[2] In 1985, the band signed with True Tone Records distributed by Polygram.^[2][5]

Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express, released in March 1986 on Beggars Banquet Records, received favourable reviews, and showed the band gradually moving towards a smoother and more contemporary sound, while retaining elements of their idiosyncratic early style.^[13] McFarlane claims "[it] remains the band's most cohesive and finely crafted statement".^[2] "Spring Rain" (February) and "Head Full of Steam" (June) were released as singles with "Spring Rain" reaching the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart Top 100.^[14]

Amanda Brown on violin, oboe, guitar, keyboards and backing vocals joined later in the year. Within a few months, Brown and McLennan were lovers—many of McLennan's new lyrics were about this relationship.^[8][15] Tallulah (June 1987), produced by The Go-Betweens for True Tone and Beggars Banquet contained their "most winsome and hummable songs, `Right Here' and `Bye Bye Pride'"; while Brown's contributions "added extra lustre".^[2] LO-MAX Records released a 2× CD version of Tallulah in 2004, one of the additional tracks, "Doo Wop in 'A' (Bam Boom)" was co-written by Morrison, Brown, McLennan and Forster.^[16] In November 1987, The Go-Betweens returned to Australia and John Willsteed (ex-Xero with Morrison) replaced Vickers on bass.

16 Lovers Lane (1988), was the group's most commercial offering, providing the alternative radio hit "Streets of Your Town" (1988), which became the band's biggest chart hit in both the UK and Australia peaking in the Top 100. The follow-up single "Was There Anything I Could Do?" was a No. 16 hit on US Modern Rock radio stations, and Beggars Banquet, trying to encourage the band's commercial momentum re-released "Streets Of Your Town" in the UK in early 1989, where it charted low once again. These minimal successes were hardly the hoped-for commercial breakthrough for the band, and after recording six albums, Forster and McLennan disbanded The Go-Betweens in December 1989. McLennan and Brown had separated as a couple earlier and both Forster and McLennan pursued solo careers. Brown and Morrison formed Cleopatra Wong in 1991. All official albums published in the 1980s have titles with a double L word, except 16 Lovers Lane, which has two words beginning with an L.

[edit] The Friends of Rachel Worth to Oceans Apart

Forster and McLennan pursued solo careers throughout the 1990s, and McLennan also collaborated with Steve Kilbey of The Church in the studio project band Jack Frost.

Forster and McLennan were inspired to work together again after they were invited by fans at French music magazine Les Inrockuptibles to perform at the magazine's 10th anniversary on the 23/05/1996 in Paris.^[17] For this performance the band comprised Forster, McLennan, Adele Pickvance on bass guitar and Glenn Thompson on drums.^[18]

In 2000, Forster, McLennan and Pickvance went to Jackpot! studio in Portland Oregon with members of Sleater-Kinney, and recorded the album The Friends of Rachel Worth.

The 2001 Thompson rejoined the band for the Australian Big Day Out Festival. This line up of Forster, McLennan, Pickvance and Thompson went on to record Bright Yellow Bright Orange and In October 2005, The Go-Betweens finally achieved mainstream recognition, with the album Oceans Apart (produced by Mark Wallis and Dave Ruffy) winning an ARIA award for 'Best Adult Contemporary Album'. Grant McLennan died on 6 May 2006 of a heart attack, and Robert Forster subsequently announced that The Go-Betweens were no more.^[19] Forster has continued to perform and records as a solo artist and has also written well-received music criticism.

Legacy[link]

The focal point of The Go-Betweens was the song writing skills of Forster and McLennan, described by The Village Voice critic Robert Christgau as "the greatest songwriting partnership working today." Each developed a distinctive but complementary style: Forster's songs were angular and angst-ridden, making much use of irony and unusual lyrical imagery, while McLennan's were generally softer and more sensitive, his lyrics often based on character study and reported speech. Without ever securing an Australian or UK Top 50 chart single—a fact which mystified their supporters in the press, to the point where this "scandalous" lack of popular success became a cliché when writing about the band. However, there were a few very minor chart successes for the band, starting with "Spring Rain", which sneaked in to the lower rungs of the Australian charts in 1986 and became the band's first ever Top 100 chart hit. The following year, "Right Here" similarly rode low on the UK Top 100 Charts. Then in 1988, "Streets of Your Town", the first single from 1988's 16 Lovers Lane, reached the Top 100 in both Australia and UK.

In May 2001 "Cattle and Cane", written by McLennan and Forster,^[20] was selected by Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time.^[21] McLennan described writing the lyrics:

I wrote (the song) to please my mother. She hasn't heard it yet because my mother and stepfather live (on a cattle station) and they can't get 240 volts electricity there, so I have to sing it over the phone to her [...] I don't like the word nostalgic; to me, it's a sloppy yearning for the past, and I'm not trying to do that in that song. I'm just trying to put three vignettes of a person, who's a lot like myself, growing up in Queensland, and just juxtaposing that against how I am now.^[22]

—Grant McLennan, 1983

Their song, "Streets of Your Town", was used by Prime Television and GWN in their station identification from 2001 to 2003. Elements from the same song were sampled in the 2003 single "Just The Way You Are" by the Italian dance group Milky.

In the 4th Season of American TV Series 24 a company is named McLennan-Forster—the producer of the series and author, Evan Katz, wanted to express his veneration of the Go-Betweens by this company name.^[23]

On the eve of the first anniversary of McLennan's death, Triple J & JTV broadcast a tribute concert to The Go-Betweens, recorded in 2006 at Brisbane venue, the Tivoli Theatre. Inspired by this tribute concert, and featuring many of the same artists, a tribute album to The Go-Betweens, Write Your Adventures Down, was released in June 2007 in Australia by The Red Label.

In 2008, 16 Lovers Lane was highlighted on Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) TV's The Great Australian Albums series as a classic example of 1980s rock music.^[24] The documentary was later released on DVD.

On 29 September 2009, Brisbane City Council announced that a four-lane traffic bridge, previously known as Hale Street Link, would be renamed as Go Between Bridge in the band's honour, following a popularity poll.^[25]

The Go-Betweens are referenced in the Teenage Fanclub song "When I Still Have Thee" (2010), and in the Belle and Sebastian song "Shoot the Sexual Athlete".

Nada Surf covered their song "Love Goes On!" on their covers album If I Had a Hi-Fi (2010).

Robert Forster continues to perform and also contribute articles to The Monthly magazine.

Members[link]

• Robert Forster – vocals, guitar,(1977–1989, 2000–2006)
• Grant McLennan – vocals, guitar, harmonica, bass guitar (1977–1989, 2000–2006)
• Bruce Anthon - drums (1978, 1979–1980)
• Dennis Cantwell – drums (1978)
• Lissa Ross – drums (1978)
• Tim Mustapha – drums (1978–1979)
• Peter Milton Walsh – vocals, guitar (1978–1979)
• Malcolm Kelly – piano, organ (1979)
• Steven Daly – drums (1980)
• Claire McKenna – drums (1980)
• Dave Tyrer – guitar (1980)
• Lindy Morrison – drums, vocals (1980–1989)
• Robert Vickers – bass guitar (1983–1987)
• Amanda Brown – violin, oboe, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (1986–1989)
• John Willsteed – bass guitar, guitar (1987–1989)
• Michael Armiger – bass guitar (1989)
• Adele Pickvance – bass guitar, backing vocals (2000–2006)
• Mathias Strodler – drums (2000)
• Janet Weiss – drums, backing vocals (2000)
• Glenn Thompson – drums, backing vocals, keyboards (2002–2006)
• Ross McLennan –

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Studio albums

• Send Me a Lullaby (Missing Link, February 1982)
• Before Hollywood (Stunn, May 1983)
• Spring Hill Fair (Sire, September 1984)
• Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express (True Tone, March 1986)
• Tallulah (True Tone, June 1987)
• 16 Lovers Lane (Mushroom, September 1988)
• The Friends of Rachel Worth (2000)
• Bright Yellow Bright Orange (2003)
• Oceans Apart (2005)

Compilations

• Very Quick on the Eye (recorded 1981, Man Made Records 1982; re-released 2002)^[6]
• Metal and Shells (1985)
• 1978–1990 (1990)
• Bellavista Terrace: Best of The Go-Betweens (1999)
• 78 'til 79 the Lost Album (1999)

Live albums

• Live on Snap with Deirdre O'Donoghue (1999)
• Live in London (2005)
• That Striped Sunlight Sound Live CD/DVD (2006)

Extend plays[link]

• The Able Label Singles (1986)
• The Peel Sessions (1989)
• Worlds Apart (2005)

Singles[link]

Further reading[link]

• Clinton Walker (1996). Stranded: The Secret History of Australian Independent Music 1977-1991. Pan MacMillan Australia. ISBN 0-7329-0883-3
• Andrew Stafford (2004). Pig City: from the Saints to Savage Garden. University of Queensland Press. ISBNs 9780702233609 (first edition), 9780702235610 (second edition)
• David, Nichols (2003). The Go-Betweens. Portland, OR: Verse Chorus Press. ISBN 1-891241-16-8. http://books.google.com/books?id=-eMZkz3jMlAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=the+go-betweens+david+nichols&cd=1#v=onepage&q&f=false.  Note: [online] version has limited functionality.
  • David Nichols (2005). The Go-Betweens (Limited Italian edition). Libera Publishing. ISBN 88-901889-1-X

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Go-Betweens, The at the Open Directory Project
• The Go-Betweens Music Australia's biography at National Library of Australia

Dane Cook
Cook at Comic Con 2007 promoting Good Luck Chuck
Birth name	Dane Jeffrey Cook
Born	(1972-03-18) March 18, 1972 (age 40) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Medium	Stand-up, film, television
Nationality	American
Years active	1990–present
Genres	Stand-up comedy
Subject(s)	Observational comedy
Influences	George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Denis Leary, Steve Martin
Notable works and roles	Retaliation, Dane Cook: Vicious Circle, Isolated Incident
Website	Official website

Dane Jeffrey Cook (born March 18, 1972) is an American stand-up comedian and film actor. He has released five comedy albums: Harmful If Swallowed; Retaliation; Vicious Circle; Rough Around The Edges: Live From Madison Square Garden; and Isolated Incident. In 2006, Retaliation became the highest charting comedy album in 28 years and went platinum.^[1] He performed an HBO special in the Fall of 2006, Vicious Circle, a straight-to-DVD special titled Rough Around The Edges (which is included in the album of the same name), and a Comedy Central special in 2009 titled Isolated Incident.

He is credited as one of the first comedians to use a personal webpage and MySpace to build a large fan base^[2] and in 2006 was described as "alarmingly popular".^[3] As an actor, Cook has appeared in films since 1997, including Mystery Men, Waiting..., Employee of the Month, Good Luck Chuck, Dan in Real Life, Mr. Brooks (in a non-comedic role), and My Best Friend's Girl.

Personal life[link]

Cook was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts,^[4] the second son of Donna Jean (née Ford) and George F. Cook.^[5] Cook has an older half-brother, Darryl, and five sisters. He was raised in a Roman Catholic family^[6] in Arlington, Massachusetts, where he attended Arlington High School.

Cook has described himself as being "pretty quiet, pretty introverted, shy" as a child, although he was a "wild child" at home.^[7] He overcame his shyness in his junior year of high school when he began acting and doing stand-up comedy.^[8] After graduating from high school, he studied graphic design in college as a back-up plan in case he did not achieve success in comedy.^[9] He now designs all of his merchandise, including the cover of his album Harmful If Swallowed.^[8] Cook has stated that he does not drink or do drugs.^[10]

Cook's half-brother Darryl was Cook's business manager until 2008, when it was discovered that Darryl and his wife had embezzled millions of dollars from Dane Cook. Both Darryl and his wife have been sentenced to prison for the embezzlement.^[11]

Career[link]

Dane Cook

Stand-up[link]

In 1994, Cook moved to New York City and began performing. Two years later, he moved to Los Angeles, where he still lives today.^[12] His big break came in 1998 when he appeared on Comedy Central's Premium Blend. In 2000, Cook did a half-hour special on Comedy Central Presents. Since then his special has won the Comedy Central Stand-up showdown twice in a row.^[13]

In 2003, Cook released his first CD/DVD, Harmful If Swallowed. He signed a contract with Comedy Central Records. The album is certified platinum. He released his second CD/DVD in 2005, entitled Retaliation. This album went double platinum and made Cook the first comic in 29 years to have an album at #4 on the Billboard charts.^[13] He performed at the MTV Video Music Awards, and then afterwards he joined Snoop Dogg (who introduced him) in presenting the award for Best New Artist.^[13]

On April 15, 2005, Cook performed his first HBO Special entitled Vicious Circle. Vicious Circle was filmed "in the round" at the TD Banknorth Garden. The same year, Cook shot two pilot episodes for his own sitcom, Cooked. The sitcom never got picked up and the two pilot episodes were later released on DVD as the Lost Pilot Episodes. That same year, he embarked on a 30-day 20-show college tour called Tourgasm with his long time friends Robert Kelly, Gary Gulman, and Jay Davis. The tour was filmed and was later made into a 9-episode documentary on HBO.

On December 3, 2005, Cook hosted Saturday Night Live. It was one of the highest-rated SNLs of the season".^{[14][dead link]} He would then go on to host the premiere of season 32 of SNL a year later. Both episodes were the highest rated of the season.^{[citation needed]}

In 2006, Cook headlined for Dave Attell's Insomniac Tour and hosted the 2006 Teen Choice Awards alongside Jessica Simpson. The following year he won the award for Best Comedian. On November 12, 2007, Cook became the second comic to sell out Madison Square Garden. He did two sold out shows in one night. The show was filmed and would later be put onto a DVD to be sold on Cook's third comedy album. Cook won the Big Entertainer Award at the VH1 Big in '06 Awards, and Rolling Stone magazine's Hot Comic of the Year. The following day, November 13, 2007, he released his third CD/DVD entitled Rough Around The Edges, which was filmed live at Madison Square Garden in New York City. During that time, he embarked on his first arena tour.^{[citation needed]}

On April 10, 2007, Cook broke The Laugh Factory's endurance record (previously held by Richard Pryor)^[15] by performing on stage for 3 hours and 50 minutes. Dave Chappelle would break the record five days later.^[16] On January 1, 2008, Cook later broke Chapelle's record, by performing on stage for 7 hours.^[17]

From May 23, 2008 to May 25, 2008, Cook reunited with Robert Kelly and Al Del Bene for three shows at The Coliseum in Caesars Palace. From May 29, 2008, to June 4, 2008, the trio went to Iraq to perform for the troops. Del Bene was the Emcee, Kelly was the Feature, and Cook was the Headliner.^{[citation needed]}

He finished his fourth album, Isolated Incident; a performance which aired on Comedy Central on May 17, 2009, with the release of the record following two days later. He kicked off that tour at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, on April 25, 2009. This album will be the last as part of Cook's four record deal with Comedy Central Records. The new album was performed at The Laugh Factory in Hollywood, which is considered to be Cook's home base, where he goes and works on new material. He released the DVD version of Isolated Incident in November 2009.^[18]

Critique[link]

Cook's style is principally "long-form storytelling"^[19] and "multipurpose phrases"^[3] with a casual attitude. Cook says his onstage persona is a combination of the personalities of his mom, Donna, and his dad, George. "My mother is like a Looney Tunes cartoon. She's wiggly ... She has the ability to tongue in cheek a lot, and do it in a way where she's being physical. My dad is the polar opposite. He always had a little 'what the fuck' in his voice. Even if he knew nothing about what he was talking about, he could sell it. So I looked at these two extremely funny people and created a style of comedy from absorbing their actions."^[20]

He explains:

I wanted to create a stage persona for myself that allowed me to really speak about anything I want... So I can be a storyteller, I can be jokey, I can be corny, I can be a little vulgar, I can be a lot vulgar. And I'm not afraid to go anywhere to get the point of the joke across, even if I have to just blabber like a retard until it becomes apparent that I'm a retard and that the audience should laugh.

Commentators in a variety of media sources have characterized Dane Cook's humor as unfunny.^[2][3][21] Comedian Ron White has criticized Dane Cook for his lack of real material and for his inflated ego; saying "[He] does not make me laugh, at all, in any way, shape or form."^[22] When asked about his opinion of Cook on The Howard Stern Show, comedian Nick DiPaolo said "he doesn't make me laugh, but that doesn't mean he's not funny."^[23] On Boston radio station WBCN, Dane Cook was named by radio show Toucher and Rich to a tournament of the top 16 "Worst Comedians" and, based on listener voting, was voted the "Worst Comedian" of all. In the Michigan Daily, Elie Zwiebel and co-author Jesse Bean wrote that "he's managed to become one of the most overrated comics ever" and that his act is "boringly stagnant".^[24]

Jim Breuer talked about Cook's reputation within the comedy industry, saying: "Everyone kills this guy ... Not one comedian comes on [my Sirius radio show] and says 'I'm so happy for him', which is weird. ... They can't stand this poor guy." Breuer went on to say that he personally thinks Cook is a "tremendous performer".^[25]

Accusations of plagiarism[link]

Comedian Joe Rogan has claimed that Cook performed a bit on an episode of Premium Blend that Rogan had developed on I'm Gonna Be Dead Someday (sketch titled "Tigers Fucking"), and claimed to have performed the routine earlier in clubs with Cook present.^[26] Other comedians have also accused Cook of stealing their material. A 2007 article in Radar magazine about joke theft included Rogan's allegations, as well as the allegations of an anonymous "veteran comic" who accused Cook of appropriating one of that comic's "very physical routines," despite a direct request by the comedian that Cook stop using the routine in question.^[27] The piece also noted widespread Internet discussion of the similarity between the bits "Struck by a Vehicle," "Itchy Asshole," and "My Son Optimus Prime," from Cook's 2005 album Retaliation, and the bits "Guy on a Bike," "Itchy Asshole," and "Kid's Names," from comic Louis C.K.'s 2003 album Live in Houston.^[27] In 2011, Cook played himself in an episode of Louie, scripted by C.K., centering on a fictional encounter between the two comics during which they discuss the controversy.^[28]

Film[link]

Cook began with small film roles in the late 90's, including Mystery Men as "The Waffler," and opposite Dennis Rodman in 1999's Simon Sez.^[29]

In 2006, Cook starred in his first leading role as the slacker box boy Zack Bradley in Employee of the Month, which co-starred Jessica Simpson and Dax Shepard. Poorly received by critics, the film made a modest $30 million against a $12 million budget.^[30] In June 2007, Cook co-starred in his first dramatic role as the devious photographer "Mr. Smith" in Mr. Brooks, which starred Kevin Costner. The film debuted at #4 at the box office. The film grossed $10,017,067 in the opening weekend.^[31]

In September 2007, Cook starred as dentist Charlie Logan in Good Luck Chuck, which co-starred Jessica Alba and Dan Fogler. The film was the second-highest grossing film (#1 Comedy) at the U.S. box office in its opening weekend, grossing $13.6 million in 2,612 theaters. The film went on to have a total box office tally of approximately $35 million U.S. and $24 million foreign. It was received very poorly by critics.^[32] A month later, Cook co-starred as Mitch Burns in Dan In Real Life, which starred Steve Carell. The film grossed $11.8 million in 1,921 theaters its opening weekend, ranking #2 at the box office. As of July 6, 2008, it has grossed $62,745,217. It received moderate to good reviews from critics.^[33]

In 2008, Cook starred as air purifier call-center supervisor Tank Turner in My Best Friend's Girl with Kate Hudson, Jason Biggs, and Alec Baldwin. The film grossed $8.2 million in its opening weekend, debuting at #3 at the box office, but received poor reviews from critics.^[34]

In 2010, Cook auditioned for the role of Captain America for Captain America: The First Avenger, although the director, Joe Johnston, did not have him on the short list for the part.^[35]

Stage[link]

On November 18, 2010, it was announced that both Cook and Josh Hamilton will be starring in Neil LaBute's 2011 Broadway production of Fat Pig.^[36] Production will begin in March 2011.

Tours[link]

• Tourgasm 2006 (w/ Robert Kelly, Gary Gulman, Jay Davis)
• Rough Around The Edges Tour 2007
• Globo Thermo Tour 2009 (w/ Robert Kelly and Al Del Bene) – In a Shave Magazine review of the Globo Thermo tour, Jake Tomlinson expressed that "his live performance quite enjoyable", and gave the concert 4 out of 5 stars.^[37]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Other releases[link]

• 2006: Dane Cook's Tourgasm (3DVD)
• 2007: The Lost Pilots (DVD) Sony Pictures Television.
• 2011 In the Future Steel Panther Balls Out

Singles[link]

• (2006) I'll Never Be You – #100 (U.S. Pop), #4 (Germany)
• (2007) Forward
• (2010) Drunk Girl/Red Car^[38]

Cook co-wrote and performed the song "Ruthie Pigface Draper" for the Dan In Real Life film with Norbert Leo Butz.^[39]

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dane Cook

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Dane Cook

• Official website
• Dane Cook at the Internet Movie Database

Karen Carpenter
Karen Carpenter, early 1970s
Background information
Birth name	Karen Anne Carpenter
Born	(1950-03-02)March 2, 1950 New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Origin	Los Angeles, California, United States
Died	February 4, 1983(1983-02-04) (aged 32) Downey, California, United States
Genres	Pop, soft rock
Occupations	Musician, singer
Instruments	Vocals, drums, percussion
Years active	1965–1983
Labels	A&M
Associated acts	Carpenters, Richard Carpenter
Website	Richard and Karen Carpenter
Notable instruments
Ludwig Drums

Karen Anne Carpenter (March 2, 1950 – February 4, 1983) was an American singer and drummer. She and her brother, Richard, formed the 1970s duo Carpenters, commonly called The Carpenters. She was a drummer whose skills earned her admiration from her peers, although she is most well known for her vocal performances of idealistic romantic ballads.

Carpenter suffered from anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder of extreme weight loss dieting, which was a little-known illness at the time. She died at the age of 32 from heart failure, caused by complications related to her illness which caused her to believe mistakenly that she needed to lose weight.^[1]

Early life[link]

Carpenter was born in New Haven, Connecticut, to Agnes Reuwer Tatum and Harold Bertram Carpenter.^[2] When she was young, she enjoyed playing baseball with other children on the street. On the TV program This Is Your Life, she stated that she liked pitching.^[3] In the early 1970s, she went on to play as the pitcher on the Carpenters' official softball team.^[4] Karen's brother, Richard, had developed an interest in music at an early age, becoming a piano prodigy. Karen showed less interest in music as a young child. The family moved in June 1963 to the Los Angeles suburb of Downey.

When Karen entered Downey High School, she joined the school band. The conductor (who had previously taught her older brother) gave her the glockenspiel, an instrument she disliked. After admiring the performance of a friend named Frankie Chavez, she asked the conductor if she could play the drums instead. She and her brother made their first recordings in 1965 and 1966. The following year Karen began dieting. Under a doctor's guidance she went on the Stillman Diet. She rigorously ate lean foods, drank 8 glasses of water a day, and avoided fatty foods. Karen was 5'4" (165 cm) in height and before dieting weighed 145 pounds (66 kg). By September 1975, her weight was 91 pounds (41 kg).^[5]

Music career[link]

From 1965 to 1968, Karen, her brother Richard, and his college friend Wes Jacobs, a bassist and tuba player, formed The Richard Carpenter Trio. The band played jazz at numerous nightclubs and also appeared on a TV talent show called Your All-American College Show. Karen, Richard, and other musicians, including Gary Sims and John Bettis, also performed as an ensemble known as Spectrum. Spectrum focused on a harmonious and vocal sound, and recorded many demo tapes in the garage studio of friend and bassist Joe Osborn. Many of those tapes were rejected. According to former Carpenters member John Bettis, those rejections "took their toll."^[6] The tapes of the original sessions were lost in a fire at Joe Osborn's house, and the surviving versions of those early songs exist as acetate pressings.^[7] Finally, in April 1969, A&M Records signed the Carpenters to a recording contract. Karen Carpenter sang most of the songs on the band's first album, Offering (later retitled Ticket to Ride). The issued single (later the title track), which was a cover of a Beatles song, became their first single; it reached #54 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts. Their next album, 1970's Close to You, featured two massive hit singles: "(They Long to Be) Close to You" and "We've Only Just Begun." They peaked at #1 and #2, respectively, on the Hot 100.

Karen and Richard Carpenter, at the White House on August 1, 1972.

Karen started out as both the group's drummer and lead singer, and she originally sang all her vocals from behind the drum set. Eventually, she was persuaded to stand at the microphone to sing the band's hits while another musician played the drums, although she still did some drumming. (Former Disney Mouseketeer Cubby O'Brien served as the band's other drummer for many years.) After the release of Now & Then in 1973, the albums tended to have Karen singing more and drumming less. At this time her brother Richard developed an addiction to Quaaludes. The Carpenters frequently canceled tour dates, and they stopped touring altogether after their September 4, 1978, concert at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. In 1981, after the release of the Made in America album (which turned out to be their last), the Carpenters returned to the stage and did some tour dates, including their final live performance in Brazil.

Recognition of drumming skills[link]

Karen's drumming was praised by fellow drummers Hal Blaine, Cubby O'Brien, Buddy Rich^[8] and by Modern Drummer magazine.^[9] According to Richard Carpenter in an interview, Karen always considered herself a "drummer who sang." Carpenter started playing the drums in 1964. She was always enthusiastic about the drums and taught herself how to play complicated drum lines with "exotic time signatures," according to Richard Carpenter.^[6]

Solo album[link]

In 1979, Richard Carpenter took a year off to cure a dependency on Quaaludes,^[10] and Karen decided to make a solo album with producer Phil Ramone. Her solo work was markedly different from usual Carpenters fare, consisting of adult-oriented and disco/dance-tempo material with more sexual lyrics and the use of Karen's higher vocal register. The project met a tepid response from Richard and A&M executives in early 1980. The album was shelved by A&M CEO Herb Alpert, in spite of Quincy Jones' attempts to talk Alpert into releasing the record after some tracks had been remixed.^[11] A&M made the Carpenters pay $400,000 to cover the cost of recording Karen's unreleased solo album, an amount which was to be charged against the duo's future royalties.^[12][13] Carpenters fans got a taste of the album in 1989 when some of its tracks (as remixed by Richard) were mixed onto the album Lovelines, the final album of Carpenters' new unreleased material. Seven years later, in 1996, the entire album, featuring mixes approved by Karen before her death and one unmixed bonus track, was finally released.

Personal life[link]