Karen Walker (character)

Karen Walker (née Karen Delaney) is a fictional character on the American television sitcom Will & Grace. She is portrayed by actress and singer Megan Mullally.

Related Topics:
Née - American - Will & Grace - Megan Mullally

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Although she tries to keep her age secret, Jack McFarland revealed that she was 42 in 2001, meaning she was born in February 1959. She has been married four times - her first husband's name was St. Croix, her second Popeil, her third is Stan Walker (married since 1995), and she was married for twenty minutes to Lyle Finster (John Cleese) in 2004, although she is still married to Walker (see below). She also goes under the alias Anastasia Beaverhausen, and, by her own words, she uses the alias Pilar Falaboondo to beat up Japanese businessmen. Her real name may not in fact be Karen, as she changes her name from time to time to throw the Feds off.

Related Topics:
Jack McFarland - 2001 - February - 1959 - Stan Walker - 1995 - Lyle Finster - John Cleese - 2004

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Karen, originally meant to be a supporting character on the show, has emerged as a favourite of viewers and thus made more of a focal point on the show. She is a millionaire thanks to her marriage to obese husband Stan Walker.

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To entertain herself, Karen took a job as personal assistant to Grace Adler (of the show's title.) Though she never accomplishes any work (she cannot name a computer or a fax machine), she does not quit because it keeps her "down to earth;" Grace does not fire her because her business benefits from Karen's social contacts; Karen also pays for Grace's health insurance. Through her job, Karen has managed to integrate herself into the social lives of Grace and her best friend Will, and by extension has formed a best-friendship with Jack McFarland, an effeminately gay struggling actor.

Related Topics:
Grace Adler - Computer - Fax machine - Will - Jack McFarland

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Karen is mostly popular for her one-liners and zingers. She is an emotionally complex character wrapped in a facade of disinterest, selfishness and greed. Often indulging in drugs and booze, Karen makes observations on those of lower stature with an emotionless and often cruel eye. (For instance, when introduced to the concept of a laundromat, she is informed that "Poor people reuse their clothes," to which she replies, "Poor people are so clever!"; once she said to Jack "HOney, you know what's really funny? Poor people with big dreams.) Compared to the pilot episode, Karen now has a much higher-pitched manner of speaking. She is also known for the excessive use of "honey" in her speech.

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Karen's childhood was a rocky road thanks in part to her unstable relationship with her mother, Lois Whitley, a con artist who incorporated the young Karen into her schemes. She is often cruel to her help but somehow this comes across as acts of affection.

Related Topics:
Lois Whitley - Con artist

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Karen met Stan Walker in 1985, brushing off a relationship with Martina Navratilova to be with him only to learn he was married. After going through two other marriages, she finally got together with Stan ten years later. At some point before this, she also agreed to appear non-naked as the star of the fetishistic porn film, Next to Godliness - a dominatrix flick.

Related Topics:
1985 - Martina Navratilova - Fetishistic - Porn - Dominatrix

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There have been a few hints that Karen may have lesbian or bisexual tendencies, as she has no sexual feelings for her husband whatsoever and rarely seems attracted to men at all, while she occasionally has semi-sexual encounters with Grace (mostly kissing and touching). She also had the abovementioned relationship with Navratilova (who was apparently straight before they met) and was once mocked by a roomate (played by Madonna) for her "weird, creepy bisexual vibe." It is possible, however, that she is merely bi-curious.

Related Topics:
Lesbian - Bisexual - Straight - Madonna - Bi-curious

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Her closest relationship is probably with her maid Rosario Salazar, whom she met and hired in 1985 and whom she even arranged a marriage with Jack for to help her remain a U.S. citizen. Although the duo often bicker and fight, it is only part of the bond they share. In the beginning of the series, it seemed that Rosario didn't speak much English, and Karen had a hard time communicating with her. Karen's way of giving Rosario orders was to add the letter "O" to the end of every word she'd say (example: "Enougho with the April Fresho. *hangs up the phone* Right now she's calling me a bitcho"). In another example of miscommunication, Karen used to end phone calls with Rosario by saying "hola," which means "hello" in Spanish and not "goodbye." When Rosario was first seen on-camera at the end of the first season, it was revealed that she spoke English quite well, and that Karen was being patronizing.

Related Topics:
Rosario Salazar - English - Spanish

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With other staff and help, Karen is deliberately patronizing, referring to them solely by their title both in conversation and to their face: "Driver", "Butler", "Pharmacist", "Back-up Pharmacist" etc.

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Sometimes Karen unintentionally reveals to her friends a softer side that is carefully hidden. In one such incident, Karen's husband has a heart attack and may die. Karen discovers that her friends have placed a bet to see who can get her to cry first, so she elaborately punishes each of them by leading them on to think she might break-down in their presence. In the end, she has an actual break-down over the incident, which Grace stumbles in on and consoles her during.

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For the first few seasons of the show, Karen lived with husband Stan Walker. An obese man whose business possibly keeps Taco Bell and Pizza Hut afloat and who has been wearing a toupee since his teens, Stan was an unseen character during the show's run, despite being mentioned in many episodes. His two children, Mason (known to Karen as "the fat one") and Olivia, by Stan's previous wife (described by Karen in one episode as "that bitch Kathy!"), were often in the incompetent care of Karen.

Related Topics:
Taco Bell - Pizza Hut - Toupee - Unseen character - Mason

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In the fourth season, Stan was jailed for tax evasion and told Karen to date other men. She could not bring herself to do so until she met rich bachelor Lionel (Rip Torn) but just as their affair began, Stan was released from jail. However, after Karen caught him with his mistress Lorraine Finster (Minnie Driver) - a cafeteria worker at the prison - the couple separated and Karen moved into a ritzy hotel. After beginning divorce proceedings at the end of the fifth season, Stan died suddenly.

Related Topics:
Lionel - Rip Torn - Lorraine Finster - Minnie Driver - Divorce

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During season six, Karen pursued romantic liaisons and ended up remarrying to Lyle Finster (John Cleese), Lorraine's father. However, after twenty minutes of marriage - a sudden ceremony in Las Vegas - she asked for a divorce.

Related Topics:
John Cleese - Las Vegas

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Karen was the head of Walker, Inc since her husband's death.

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At the end of season seven, it was revealed that Stan faked his death due to problems with the government, and will likely return in season eight (2005-06).

Related Topics:
2005 - 06

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