meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Seriously...

The Karen Meme

Seriously...

BBC

Documentary, Society & Culture

4.1885 Ratings

🗓️ 23 October 2020

⏱️ 31 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Tricky is the place to discuss difficult questions away from the bear pit of social media.

Drag artist Vanity Von Glow, poet Iona Lee, relationship & sex educator, Esther De La Ford and actor Karen Bartke discuss the 'Karen' meme.

Karen is a slang term for an obnoxious, angry, entitled, and often racist middle-aged white woman, who uses her privilege to get her way or police other people's behaviours. It’s similar to the male term 'Gammon' in that they both refer to furious opinionated white people. ‘Karen’ began as shorthand in the US's black community but was popularised right across all sorts of service industries.

For the Karen on our panel it puts her off complaining about anything, in case she's accused of ‘being such a Karen' especially because that's her name! But is it now being used simply as a means to shut women down when they express an opinion that usually a man doesn't like? Who is the arbiter of when the meme is being correctly used or is that simply the nature of these things that once they're out they take on a life of their own?

Producers: Myles Bonnar and Peter McManus Editor: Anthony Browne A BBC Scotland production for Radio 4

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

This was an impregnable fortress. The only way you get out was in a wooden box.

0:05.0

The controversial maximum security prison impossible to escape from.

0:09.0

And one of the duties of a political prisoner is the escape.

0:12.0

The IRA inmates who found a way. of a political prisoner is the escape.

0:12.5

The IRA inmates who found a way.

0:14.5

I'm Carlo Gableer and I'll be navigating a path

0:19.5

through the disturbing inside story of the biggest jailbreak in British and Irish history.

0:25.0

The narrative that they want is that this is a big achievement by them.

0:28.5

Escape from the maze, listen first on BBC Sounds.

0:35.0

BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds, music radio podcasts.

0:39.0

A new podcast from BBC Radio 4,

0:42.0

Children of the Stones.

0:44.4

Village is the sort of place people get murdered in in old TV shows.

0:48.0

A village surrounded by an ancient stone circle.

0:51.0

The stones are thirsty. A village with an impossible secret.

0:55.4

The stones are changing people.

0:56.8

How look comes straight in the eye and I see what's there.

1:00.0

Which is?

1:01.0

Bliss.

1:02.1

Subscribe to Children of the Stones on BBC Sounds.

1:05.0

She's coming.

1:07.0

Happy day.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.