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A quick scroll online shows there’s no shortage of people pushing entitlement to the max. And the so-called ‘Karens’ — a shorthand for entitled middle-class white women (and sometimes, men) — never miss a chance to steal the spotlight.

These are the folks who have a knack for demanding to “speak to the manager” over the pettiest things.

We’ve rounded up some of the worst, and often hilariously absurd, moments of entitled women who clearly thought the world revolved around them.

Some got instant karma, while others ended up immortalized online in the court of public opinion.

Bored Panda also spoke to some experts to understand what makes a person a “Karen.”

#1 Here’s Some Lady At A Grocery Store Sitting On Some Bread

#2 National Parks

A woman who uses her social clout or white privilege to harass industry workers, cut corners, or demand special treatment in public is usually called a “Karen.”

But you might be wondering why this name in particular.

Although the meme’s origin is more like a chicken-and-egg situation, the name Karen was super popular for baby girls in the US in the 1950s and 1960s. This means a lot of women now in their 40s–60s actually are named Karen, so the stereotype fits a real age group.

There are a bunch of threads that eventually helped the name become a meme and more.

#3 The World Doesn’t Revolve Around You, Patricia

Some people believe it started with the “Oh my god, Karen, you can’t just ask someone why they’re white” meme from the movie Mean Girls. Others believe the name may have caught on because of the character Karen from the 1989 gangster film Goodfellas.

Given how much online culture influences trends, it’s not surprising that fewer and fewer people are naming their kids Karen now. Experts note its popularity had already been falling for 50 years, but the memes accelerated it.

#4 This Woman Brought Her Own Bell With Her To Get Her Server’s Attention. How Would You Handle This?

#5 This Parent Became Part Of The Show So She Can Get A Close-Up Of Her Kid

When the ‘Karen’ meme first showed up online around the mid‑2010s, it wasn’t this huge cultural thing. It was more like a dumb joke people used for annoying behavior — basically someone who put themselves first and acted like they were always right.

But the term blew up around 2020. A Black man was in New York’s Central Park when he asked a woman, Amy Cooper (no relation), to leash her dog in a restricted area. Instead of complying, she called 911, claiming an “African American man” was threatening her life.

The whole thing was filmed, went viral, and she instantly became known as the “Central Park Karen.”

That’s when the name started being used in a much broader way to call out people using their white privilege to harass, intimidate, or engage in racist behavior.

“When it got to the protests and the avalanche of incidents where white ladies were calling the cops, that’s where it began to get a bit more menacing. I think when people started pointing out who a Karen in real life was, like the ‘Can I speak to the manager?’ figure and starting to zero in on the exact kind of person they were talking about, it became a lot easier to see those types of people in real life,” says Adam Downer, associate editor at Know Your Meme.

#6 600 People Were In The Seated Section, And Only One Felt The Need To Stand For The Entire Show

#7 A Karen Is Trying To Catch A Cat In My Neighborhood Because She Thinks The Owner Trained It To Spy On People

#8 Thanks, I Hate This Terrifying New Level Of Karen

When COVID‑19 hit, a whole pandemic Karen stereotype cropped up too.

It was used for a person refusing to wear a mask, spreading conspiracy theories, promoting anti-vaccine ideologies, or acting like safety rules should bend just for them.

There was a Karen who intentionally coughed on someone who called her out for not wearing a mask while at a coffee shop in New York City.

#9 Karen Thinks My First Class Seat Is Her Foot Rest- Calls Me “Stupid” For Asking Her To Stop Touching Me With Her Gross, Unsanitized Foot

#10 Karen Tweets Complaints To Ryanair. And Ryanair Responds In The Most Ryanair Way Possible

But long before Karen became the go‑to insult online, Black communities historically used names like Miss Ann to call out white women whose actions were oppressive or racist.

Later alliterative nicknames like Barbecue Becky, Permit Patty, or Golf Cart Gail were used for specific incidents.

These incidents usually involved a white woman calling the police on Black people for trivial or made‑up reasons.

Gen Z is now trying to replace ‘Karen’ with ‘Jessica’ as the new slang term for demanding women.

#11 Karen

#12 Woman Insists She’s Allowed To Take Photos In Protected Dunes

On how to deal with entitled people, Dr Amy Marschall says: “In theory, I think that if someone starts screaming at you, you ought to have the right to say, ‘That’s not an appropriate way to speak to me. Get out,’ but some businesses will side with the customer no matter how irrational they are.”

“As a bystander, my usual take is to loudly comment on the entitled behavior. For example, if the person in front of me in line is going off on the cashier, when it is my turn I will say, ‘Wow, that was really weird! I can’t believe they would talk to you like that!'”

#13 For The Sake Of All Love That Is Holy, If You Do This, Please Pick A Side And Get Out Of The Way

There are over 1.5 million posts with the hashtag #Karen on Instagram.

They’re a mix of videos and pictures of women yelling at store clerks, cutting in line, calling the police over minor disputes, or just staring into the camera with that signature condescending smirk while pointing a finger like they’re in charge.

#AndThenKarenSnapped also became a viral trend, describing white women losing their tempers.

A recent survey found that 62% of UK adults associate the name Karen with traits including entitlement, obnoxiousness, privilege and being demanding.

At least 69% of UK adults aged 40 to 54 said they would not name their child Karen due to the associated connotations.

#14 This Old Karen Asked How Serious We Were About The Satanic Church Bc We Have An Inflatable Dragon For Halloween

#15 Karen Missed The 10 Announcements That Her Flight Was Boarding & Then Closing & Now Cannot Believe That They Didn’t Hold The Flight For Her

She claims she has been at the airport for an hour. She came to the gate 2 minutes before the scheduled departure for the flight “This is about ME! Not you”.

#16 Not Sure If This Counts. Store Opens At 9. Time Was 8:55. Karen Bangs On The Glass And Points At Her Watch, Telling Them To Open

Staff were doing a prayer circle before they opened up the store, but basic respect is an alien concept to a Karen.

A male version of the Karen meme has also emerged — names like Ken, Josh or Chad get thrown around when people want a male equivalent. But none have really stuck in the same way.

People online sometimes call men who act just as demanding or privilege‑driven a “male Karen.”

That’s partly why some critics argue the meme is sexist.

British feminist Julie Bindel tweeted in 2020: “Does anyone else think the ‘Karen’ slur is woman-hating and based on class prejudice?”

Other critics have said the term is classist and ageist.

Sometimes a woman gets called a Karen just because of how she looks, what she’s wearing, or her hairstyle.

Some men, especially incels and other trolls online, have even used the meme as a weapon to attack women they don’t like.

#17 Karen Spat At The Owner Of A Local Pizzeria, And He Slapped Her Back

However, people who use the term argue it’s not just a catch‑all for middle‑aged white women. Instead, it’s meant to tag specific behaviors, not a gender.

Writer Karen Geier responded to Bindel’s tweet: “As the only Karen replying to you: No. If you have a problem being called ‘a Karen’ then don’t be one? I don’t call the police on people or ask to speak to the manager. Very simple!”

Some people define the term as a cultural tool to expose behavior that harms others, especially when it’s tied to inequity or bias.

#18 Oh, The Horror. Posted In A Local Ladies’ Group Based In The Area Where I Used To Live

#19 Local Karen Just Hates It When They Keep Roads Safe

#20 Apparently You’re Not Allowed To Walk On Public Streets Anymore Without Having Karens Call The Local Sheriff To Run You Out Of Town

Memes have a way of turning hurt into humor, but they can also shine a light on serious issues.

By turning real-life Karen encounters into viral clips and memes, netizens highlight acts of entitlement and aggression that might otherwise go unnoticed.

“They are helping us have this dialogue about casual racism or seemingly casual racism, because it’s not actually casual. But it appears to be when it happens on camera and we can sort of laugh about it. And they also call for restitution. They’re saying it’s not okay for you to do this. We’re not going to tolerate it,” says Apryl Williams, a faculty associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society.

#21 Entitled Karen Cut The Line With 6 Carts Full

Went to my local thrift store. This entitled Karen would block off aisles so she would get what she wanted. I overheard her saying it’s for her new consignment shop and was checking the retail price on her phone. I went to get in line with my few things, and I started hearing the rusty wheels of carts. EK decided to cut in front of the person in front of me. She had 6 carts packed with designer clothes.

#22 Review Of My Family-Run Local Chinese Takeaway

The Karen memes also inspired recent legislation in the US.

The “CAREN” Act, which stands for Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies, “would make it a hate crime to call the police for a racially-exploitative non-emergency.”

It was introduced in California in 2020, but similar initiatives are emerging in other states as well.

“That humor really helps us to cope with trauma, especially as a collective. There’s always the saying that laughter is the best medicine, and we’ve actually found that to be true — that in a lot of cases humor can really help you to relieve the stress. And so I like to think of the memes in particular as this collective release of stress,” says Williams.

#23 I Found Karen Complaining About Her Cake Not Being Ready When She Came 4 Hours Early To Pick It Up. That’s The Manager On The Right. She Called For

#24 Awful, Old Karen Is Not Giving Up Her Seat For A Pregnant Woman

At the end of the day, the Karen meme is funny because of the absurdity it captures. But it’s also a way for all of us to think about how entitlement and privilege show up around us.

Maybe you’ve seen it happen in stores, online, at work, or even in your own neighborhoods. And maybe you’ve got a story that belongs on the internet for everyone to see. Drop it in the comments and let’s hear it.

#25 Local Karen Is Complaining That No One Is Checking Her Out. In The Self-Checkout

#26 Stealing Flowers From Someone’s Garden Is Pretty Trashy

#27 Karen Brings In About 50+ Items In The 15-Item Or Less Self-Checkout Line

#28 Karen Doesn’t Want Anyone Parking On The Public Street In Front Of Her House

#29 I’m In A Brand New House. My Neighbour Feels My Air Conditioner Is Too Loud, So He Deliberately Shines His Lights Into My Bedroom

Our house is 2 weeks old, and we haven’t installed blinds yet. They are Karens who whinge about everything, and he is complaining our air conditioner is too loud when his is in the same spot on his side of the fence. He emailed the other day saying our air con is against the law, and he had an independent assessor review the noise level. I asked for the report and nothing since. We have infant children trying to sleep in the room. Insane.

#30 Look At This, Karen. Less Than An Hour Into My Shift. Said No One Helped Her. She Probs Waited One Minute

#31 Karen Steals Table And Refuses To Leave

Went to the breakfast buffet. Karen decided to place her stuff on the table; I had already put my food on the table. Went to get some water, and when I came back, I saw her. She insisted she was there first, even with the table next to us saying otherwise. Both of us stood our ground and just kept on eating. She had her husband keep getting her stuff while she ate. Got her to leave by asking the server for some preserved Mackerel in mustard.

#32 Standing Room Only Terminal. Karen Held This Row For An Hour And A Half. About To Start Boarding

#33 Okay, Karen

#34 What Did Those Dinosaurs Ever Do To You?

#35 Came Across This Lovely Karen Today. She’s Demanding That An Admin Contact Her For Deleting This Post As Well

#36 A Local Karen Is Now Following People Home, And Would Not Leave My Property When I Asked Her To, And Was Also Threatening Me

#37 Karen Has A Problem With The Street View Car

#38 Phillies Karen Getting In Another Man’s Face After Getting Heckled For Taking The Ball From A Kid

#39 Some Karen Raged Into The Apple Store And Asked For A Refund For Her iPhone 5

I didn’t listen to the convo, but when I walked past, I heard the manager ask her if she charged it, and she said no.

#40 My Local Neighborhood Karen On The Nextdoor App Is Complaining About These Harmless Pop-UPS

#41 Local Karen Is Fed Up With Outdoor Pets Sitting On Her Car In The Middle Of The Night

#42 My Family And I Were In Tennessee, And Trying To Cross The Road When Two Ladies In A Car Drive Up The Sidewalk

We didn’t confront them, but oh my god, my sister and I went nuts.

#43 A Wild Karen Appears

So, I had a wild experience on the road today at State and Grove. I’m driving along and minding my own business. Suddenly, this driver in front of me starts going way below the limit, like 27-28 mph in a 35 mph zone. I keep my distance, no tailgating, but this driver keeps brake-checking me and flipping me off out of the convertible. I decide to pass safely when it’s clear, but this driver speeds up and swerves to block me. Okay, weird.

Then we hit a green light, and they just sit there, refusing to move, with a line of cars piling up behind us. Apparently, they were upset about something I did. And they decided to hold up traffic to make a point. I stayed calm, pulled out my phone, and started to record. She turns around and starts yelling at me, saying she’s not moving the vehicle until I behave. I said, “Ok, Karen,” rolled up my window, and didn’t engage; this made her even more furious. I and the cars behind me just waited it out, but man, it was frustrating watching the green light go to waste. How do you handle these situations without losing your cool?

#44 Lady Drove Into The Ditch At My Former Job. She Was Super “Karen” And Mean When A Few Of Our Employees Offered To Pull Her Out With The Giant Forklift

We left her there after that.

#45 Karen, Running A Group I Infiltrated, Posted This

#46 A Local Karen From My Home State. Apparently, We Are North Korea Now

#47 Karen, You Really Need To Get Your Eyes Checked

#48 A Karen Chose Me. And A True Karen. This Woman Stopped Her Car In The Middle Of The Road, Got Out, And Came Over Screaming And Smacked My Hood

We’re driving fine for about 2 minutes down the road. Then we come up to a 90-degree left curve in the road. There is a car in the other lane coming up to the curve. She GETS IN THE OTHER LANE TO PASS ME. MID 90 DEGREE TURN. She has to get back over because she’s about to collide with the other car, and I have to slam on my brakes and go off to the side of the road a bit to prevent her from hitting my car.

Also, I was just frozen in fear. She makes it up to my front windshield, still screaming, winds her arm back so far, and smacks my hood. It left a 5-star print, but no damage. I unfortunately was so frozen I didn’t get my phone out until after she turned around. I don’t know how people are so quick about it. I was frozen in fear and confusion. She gets back in her car, and we drive, both taking the same turn (I’m not following her, I’m going to work), and I was behind her for about another minute, and the whole time she’s throwing both her arms in the air, out the window, flipping off, it was insane. Anyway, I called the local police non-emergency line at work to file a report, and they said it’s the Highway Patrol’s jurisdiction. Since she didn’t actually damage my car, they probably wouldn’t do anything about it. I don’t think she should be on the road; she’s instantly dangerous.

#49 Local Pizzeria In My Hometown Run By An Older Couple Is Being Harassed Enough To Close On A Saturday Night Because Of This Karen

#50 Karen Is Sad That Teenagers In Our Town Who Would Dare To Walk On The Road Near Her House

#51 A Couple Of Facebook Posts From The Neighborhood Karen

We live within walking distance of the elementary school. The neighborhood is full of families with kids, and this lady is very annoyed when they play basketball.

#52 Dog Park, Karen Is Complaining About The Size Of A Free Treat From Starbucks

#53 Even Karens Are Complaining About Karens

#54 The Kids In My Complex Have Gone To War With The Karens

Most residents are fine with this, except for some Karens who take issue with the drawings. Someone even brought it up at a board meeting, and predictably, the HOA decided to try to ban chalk art.

This decision has turned our community Facebook group into a battleground. The naysayers claim the kids are ruining the aesthetic of the complex, while others are baffled by their negativity.

My favorite part is that the kids “somehow” figured out the area where the complainers live and have turned it into a Louvre of chalk art. Not only that, but one kid is signing his work! I’ve added some of my favorite pieces.

#55 This Karen Parked Her Tesla And Took A Call In Front Of Our Driveway When We Were About To Pull In

#56 Karen, With Three Kids In The Back On I-76, Is Taking Notes And Talking On The Phone

#57 Karen Is Back To Return $150 Of Stuff

#58 My Wife Is Already Getting Up At 4 AM To Prepare For Her Classes These Days, But Go Off, Karen

#59 Karen Is In A Bridal Group I’m In

#60 Saw This On Facebook

#61 At McDonald’s, Yesterday, Two Karens Were Hosting A Baby Shower And They Wanted Only Women To Serve Their Food For Them

They screamed at a boy to make sure “only women” were allowed to serve. Apparently, a bunch of people were going to show up, but it was only them. I laughed so hard I cried.

#62 We’re On Our Honeymoon, And This Karen Just Lit Up. Besides The Non-Smoking Sign

#63 What Would Be An Acceptable Response To This Email? My Kids’ High School Teacher Sent This To My Wife, And I’m Speechless

#64 Karen Refuses To Check Out Her Own Groceries After 10 PM And Was Very Rude To Employees. A Woman Is Complaining About The Self-Checkout

She is checking out her own things.

#65 Extremely Upset That Her Pizza Is Going To Take “15 Minutes“

#66 Karen Was Late For A Haircut Appointment For Her Kid And Was Mad At The Business

#67 It’s A Drive-Through, And She Stood There For Like Five Minutes Making Small Talk, Waiting For A Piece Of Paper

#68 It’s A Karen

#69 Of Course, It Is Okay To Modify The Roadways As You See Fit

#70 She Leaned Out Her Window And Yelled At Me To Learn To Park. She Was Backing In At The Same Time I Was Pulling In. I Was Not Too Happy

#71 Final Boss Level Karen Stole My Parking Spot. Snapped This Picture To Share Her Extreme-Karenness

#72 Neighborhood Karen Complains Construction Company Puts Port-A-Potty Near The Town Sign And Tags Local Councillor

#73 Karen Forgot To Close Her Trunk Door And Lost Her Bags Of Kitty Litter On The Way Home. Didn’t Even Stop When Multiple People Honked At Her

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