Personality
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", "Private Detective", "Pharmacist", "Back-Up Pharmacist", et cetera, and even refers to Will as Lawyer on occasion. She does this even when they are doing other jobs ("Cook sometimes cleans, Cleaner sometimes cooks, Driver sometimes provides an alibi ..."). This rude tone is not limited to her employees, as she looks down on or openly mocks most people she meets, even her friends. Karen is often cruel to her staff at home, training them to run when she enters a room. Other times she berates them, but somehow this comes across as an act of affection.
Sometimes Karen unintentionally reveals to her friends a softer side that is carefully hidden. In one such incident, Karen's husband has an apparent 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, it is revealed that it was not a heart attack but rather acute angina (angina pectoris), she then has an emotional breakdown over the incident, during which Grace stumbles in and subsequently consoles Karen. Another episode sees Karen and Jack in her mansion with her refusing to let him enter 'the forbidden room'. When Jack finally gains access he discovers it is a nursery which Karen had prepared during a pregnancy scare in an earlier season. Although she agrees to change the room into a liquor storage room, she quickly changes her mind and the audience sees her stony facade crumble. When Jack accidentally gave away her favorite shoes to charity she rushed to buy them back, but a poor looking woman had just found them. After negotiations (up to five) Karen started counting out $500 inside her purse until the woman exclaimed it was her lucky day for receiving a free $5. Karen then gave her just the $5 but then out of compassion gave the $500 as well. She tells Jack (who was with her) not to tell anyone about this.
Read more about this topic: Karen Walker (Will & Grace)
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