In the past few weeks, I increasingly see on social media that spiteful, malicious or catty women are referred to as "Karen." Where does that come from? Is there a villain in some TV show or movie named Karen?
It is a collective name for a bitchy, insufferable scold who is always poking her nose into someone else's business. It originated as an internet meme where a pissed off looking woman with short hair "wants to speak to the manager". The meme has been around for years, but the term went mainstream because of the mask enforcement busybodies.
“’Karen.’ Where does that come from? Is there a villain in some TV show or movie named Karen?”
There’s a video taken from a police dash cam where a bitchy elitist named Karen (actually, “Caren”) confronts the cops. They stopped a car her daughter was riding in. Daughter calls important Mommy. Mommy/Caren comes to the scene. She has an arrogant, “I-know-important-people”, and “I’m-better-than-everyone” attitude, makes demands, etc. I think that’s where it came from.
Karen is the one who:
Asks to speak to the manager (bypasses the waitress) if her iced tea has too many/not enough ice cubes.
Will hold up the line in the 10 Items Or Less line with coupons from 2018. Then asks to see the manager.
Notices you taking your elderly mother for a drive and calls 911 because neither of you wore a mask.
She wants to know if I realize how many wildlife are smothered each year by my plastic bags.
Her husband looks tired and a little baffled.