"The Karen Carpenter Story" (1989) with Special Guest Randy L. Schmidt

We're on the top of the world today at "Going Hollywood" as we have a truly special guest to discuss a truly special artist...Randy L. Schmidt is here to discuss the one and only Karen Carpenter! A drummer first, a once‑in‑a‑century voice second, and a reluctant star always—the Karen Carpenter Story is as riveting as the records she left behind. We sit down with the author of the bestselling book Little Girl Blue and director of "Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection" (2024), to unpack how a 1989 TV movie created a tidal wave of new fans and why his documentary brings the real Karen back to the mic. Randy takes us behind the scenes of the seminal TV movie from 1989, "The Karen Carpenter Story". We talk about the beyond-meta nature of the filming in the Carpenter home, wearing Karen’s actual wardrobe, and the surreal moment when the same local paramedics from 1983 appeared on set. Then we pivot to the documentary’s heartbeat—rare, uncut interview tapes and birthday call‑ins that reveal Karen’s wit, warmth, and resilience. Voices like Olivia Newton‑John, Carol Burnett, Kristin Chenoweth, Belinda Carlisle, and Cherry Boone add piercing insight into the art, the illness, and the person. We dig into the questions that still echo: how a perfectionist culture and a misunderstood eating disorder collided, why that infamous UK ambush interview still shocks, and what might have changed if Karen’s solo album had been released instead of shelved. Along the way, we celebrate the music—"Superstar", "I Need To Be In Love", "We've Only Just Begun"—and the arranging magic that made the Carpenters timeless. The takeaway is clear: honor the legacy, tell the truth with care, and let the songs keep doing what they’ve always done—find new hearts to live in. If this conversation moved you, follow and share the show, leave a quick review, and send it to someone who needs a reminder of how powerful a single voice can be. And don't forget to visit the "Going Hollywood" Spotify playlist to listen to the exquisite voice of the century, Karen Carpenter. It's Yesterday once more.... To watch "Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection" go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0D6ZW9N6M/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To read "Little Girl Blue: The Life of Karen Carpenter" go to https://a.co/d/0blvCi2 Text us & We'll Respond on an Episode Links to Tony's website, and Brad's website at www.goinghollywoodpodcast.com Follow us on Instagram @goinghollywoodpod To watch "The True Story of the Barrymores," go to https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CZTHYN6D/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r To watch Tony's WIRED video "Tech Support: Old Hollywood" go to https://youtu.be/6hxXfxhQSz0?si=TO4Xv6q87XhBnqDT Reach us at goinghollywoodpodcast@gmail.com Listen to our Going Hollywood Playlist Podcast logo by Umeworks