YouTube is full of people known as Karens. These individuals put forth little to no effort in their videos and tend to receive negative comments for it.
Karens often find themselves in trouble for their bad behavior, but not all of them are guilty.
1. Optimus Prime
Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobots, a group of Cybertronian robots that rivals the Decepticons. He has become one of the franchise’s most iconic characters and has been portrayed by various actors over time.
Optimus Prime, originally known as Orion Pax, became the leader of the Autobots after Sentinel Prime was killed in battle. Though unsure whether he wanted this responsibility or not, visions from the Matrix of Leadership drove him to defend his homeworld.
After a fierce battle against Megatron, Optimus Prime and his fellow Autobots were finally able to escape Cybertron. He went on to become the world’s most powerful robot.
He is renowned for his strength, speed, and superhuman reflexes. He can transform into a truck capable of reaching faster speeds than any human being and boasts an impressive arsenal. Plus he’s capable of flying and withstood extreme temperatures with ease.
When not in robot form, he can transform into a long-nose semi-truck with telescopic vision and various bladed weaponry. Plus he has a grappler, negative friction spray, fire extinguisher and more!
His transformation is programmed with 39 built-in phrasal commands. These include commands like “roll out,” “move forward,” and even “flash your electric blue eYes!” He can even perform various dance poses!
Optimus Prime was brought back to life during Transformers: Age of Extinction by Quintessa, a mysterious sorceress. She explained that Optimus had been frozen in space but had crashed-landed on Cybertron’s surface, reviving him and showing him his home planet was actually Unicron’s ancient enemy.
However, he is determined not to give up and will use whatever means necessary to protect his fellow Autobots from the evil Decepticons. He has become a hero to many people, especially those left traumatized by the death of his predecessor Sentinel Prime.
He is an effective leader, willing to delegate authority and trust his employees. Furthermore, his lack of gullibility allows him to avoid disastrous partnerships with deceptive Decepticons who would use him for their own agendas. Furthermore, his strong moral character enables him to sacrifice his life for others’ benefit.
2. Connor Pugs
There has been an uptick in “Karen” videos appearing online, featuring white women who are being called out for allegedly racist or misogynist behavior. This trend began with Amy Cooper’s viral video of her calling the police on a Black man last May but has since spread to everyday incidents.
Today, another “Karen” clip surfaced online: a woman attempting to assault a Black customer at Victoria’s Secret. This latest incident appears to be one of many “Karens” that have gone viral, though this time it appears the victim may have had the last word.
This clip shows a white woman, known as “Victoria’s Secret Karen”, attempt to strike out at a black woman named Ijeoma Ukenta at Short Hills Mall in New Jersey. Luckily, Ukenta was present and took out her phone to record the entire exchange.
The video depicts a white woman lunging toward Ukenta with an intent to strike her with her hand. But as soon as she notices the camera, she alters course and attempts to contort her face in an effort to appear innocent – an effective tactic used when acting as an attacker on TikTok.
Karen panics upon realizing her actions are being recorded, and begins to sob in despair. Despite the fact that many people in the store are ignoring her, Karen follows Ukenta around multiple aisles screaming for employees to keep her away.
This behavior is completely unacceptable, particularly in a busy shopping mall. It breaches shop policies and goes against what any reasonable person would do.
Ukenta received the punishment she deserved for her bad behavior. She was charged with harassment and arrested by police, receiving one year of probation, as well as having to pay a $500 fine and receive mental counseling. According to the judge, her actions “were in direct violation” of the store’s policy.
3. Abigail Elphick
Recently, the internet has been inundated with Karen videos which depict white women who have done offensive or problematic things. These range from parking lot Karens to sidewalk chalk Karens to coughing Karens.
One of the more recent and disturbing cases involving Karen moniker involves Abigail Elphick. She was called out for her behavior at Victoria’s Secret in New Jersey; video of which was posted to TikTok by Ijeoma Ukenta on July 12 went viral.
In the clip, a blonde woman dubbed “Victoria’s Secret Karen” allegedly attacked another Black woman while shopping at the store. Thankfully, Ukenta was recording and posting everything online for her own safety.
Once she saw Ukenta filming her, Elphick became enraged and threatened to hit Ukenta in front of other shoppers. The video also shows Elphick screaming and crying to gain sympathy from other white people.
Ukenta did what many Black women do when someone they care about is being threatened: She turned on her phone camera and began recording everything in real time. It appears that this behavior continued throughout the entire episode.
She was recorded asking law enforcement to come and inspect the store, but officers refused to come.
Though the video of this incident did not lead to legal action, it serves as a reminder that white women can be dangerous when they feel entitled. Their lack of empathy often causes them to act out and become violent against people of color.
Elphick was unquestionably a bad person and should be held accountable for her actions. Her lack of remorse and fear of being photographed make it evident that she should not have charged Black women multiple times, screamed like a banshee, or thrown herself onto the floor.
This incident serves as yet another illustration of how women of color often face contempt and retaliation when they engage with White people in conversation. This has become especially true in cities that have experienced an uptick in violence against women of color, such as Baltimore and Washington D.C.
4. Jaime Juanillo
On Saturday, San Francisco resident Jaime Juanillo wrote the words “Black Lives Matter” with chalk on a retaining wall outside his own home. Little did he know it would become so popular – he posted the video to Twitter and it has already amassed over 10 million views.
He explains in the video that he has lived at his house since 2002 and was motivated to ensure the message of Black Lives Matter was visible in his Pacific Heights neighborhood, one of Chicago’s most expensive. He noted that other Black Lives Matter messages had already been added to the retaining wall before he added his own.
But Lisa Alexander, who was with her husband at the time, accused him of defacing her property and called police. Afterward, she apologized to him and they have since made up.
As the video has gone viral, so have some inflammatory comments. Some online vigilantes have taken to Twitter to label the couple racist while others have condemned Juanillo for his behaviour.
However, Juanillo himself told VOA his actions weren’t racist at all. He claimed he was simply painting the wall to express his beliefs about Black Lives Matter and claimed the couple failed to recognize him as a local resident, so therefore were wrong to call the police on him.
Juanillo may not be a racist, but his irrational behavior did not sit well with those living nearby. Some even questioned if he had a dog-walking business in the area.
Karen attacks are not the first online. A woman at Victoria’s Secret in Millburn, New Jersey became a YouTube sensation after she was caught on camera assaulting another customer.
Victoria’s Secret Karen” video features the blonde woman breaking down in tears and pretending to pass out, while another customer, Ijeoma Ukenta, recorded the entire incident and posted it on her YouTube channel.
In her video, the woman identified herself as a “Karen,” an entitled white woman who used her power to demand and threaten without considering how it could hurt others. While this term originated with a 2004 movie, according to Matt Schimkowitz of Know Your Meme, its meaning has since evolved over time.
