# If Will & Grace was real life **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 4, 2003, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951 "2003-05-04T01:25:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/1 "2003-05-04T01:25:28Z")
How long would Karen Walker’s life span be considering her boozing and pill popping? Also, would she seem as healthy and coherent as she does in the show? ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/2 "2003-05-04T02:05:23Z")
I love Karen. I want her to be my sugar-momma. ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/3 "2003-05-04T03:14:54Z")
I love Karen, too. I wish the show was Jack & Karen instead of Will & Grace. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/4 "2003-05-04T03:29:29Z")
You want realism from Will & Grace? c’mon, does anybody even remember the excuse they used for the at-the-time incredibly rich socialite to be a non-working receptionist for Grace? ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/5 "2003-05-04T14:33:50Z")
Grace hired her because she wanted to use her contacts to help her business. Did they ever say why it was Karen took the job? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/6 "2003-05-04T15:32:29Z")
Karen took the job out of boredom, I think. She didn’t even cash her paycheques until her husband put her on an allowance. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/7 "2003-05-04T17:46:31Z")
You are correct sir Ha Ha Ha!!! ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/8 "2003-05-04T17:56:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Exapno Mapcase \* > \*\*You want realism from Will & Grace? c’mon, does anybody even remember the excuse they used for the at-the-time incredibly rich socialite to be a non-working receptionist for Grace? \*\* I wasn’t asking for realism from Will & Grace, I was asking **if** it was real, how bad an effect the drugs and alcohol would have on her. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/9 "2003-05-04T19:05:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*Gr8Kat \*\*\* > I love Karen, too. I wish the show was Jack & Karen instead of Will & Grace. So I’m not the only one. ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2003, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/10 "2003-05-04T23:20:32Z")
Yeah, my first thought on reading the thread title was “Karen would be on a transplant list.” She’s very Valley of the Dolls, isn’t she? Personally I think it should be the Karena and Rosario show. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/11 "2003-05-05T01:27:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by irishgirl \* > \*\*… > > Personally I think it should be the Karena and Rosario show. \*\* True. That has “spinoff” written all over it. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/12 "2003-05-05T01:48:36Z")
I wanted it to be the Will & Jack Show. Where each week they make passionate love to each other and a gueststar. In the meanwhile Grace, Karena & Rosario are playing poker across the hall. What? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/13 "2003-05-05T02:02:03Z")
I’d kill myself. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/14 "2003-05-05T02:05:13Z")
😕 😕 😕 ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/15 "2003-05-05T02:19:19Z")
If W&G were real life… Jack would be gay-bashed… BY FELLOW GAYS! ---
**Author:** ![whistlepig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/73ab20/32.png) [@whistlepig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whistlepig)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/16 "2003-05-05T02:34:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joel \* > \*\*How long would Karen Walker’s life span be considering her boozing and pill popping? Also, would she seem as healthy and coherent as she does in the show? \*\* Four words: Keith Richards Hunter Thompson ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/17 "2003-05-05T05:52:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FriarTed \* > \*\*If W&G were real life… > > Jack would be gay-bashed… > > BY FELLOW GAYS! \*\* Really? _Why_? There are many gay men like Jack. Not necessarily as narcisisstic, but very much like him. Gee. Do you have a problem with Emmett on Queer as Folk too? ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/18 "2003-05-05T07:36:47Z")
Well, since the actress who plays her is 45 years old and quite attractive, I’ll assume her character is supposed to be at least 10 years younger. Now, we know Karen is an alcoholic and takes a number of prescription mood-altering drugs, which isn’t a good combination. The alcohol probably doesn’t phase her much, if she’s been drinking heavily for long she probably has a huge tolerance. I know of at least one episode which indicates she smokes marijuana as well. I have never seen anything on the show that indicates she does cocaine or any harder drugs, but since we are assuming a ‘real life’ version of her character, I think it’s probably pretty likely she does. I have never seen anything saying how long she’s been living like that. If she started relatively late in life, I could imagine her being realistic for a 30 or 35 year old, though she would probably have some health problems and some plastic surgery. If she had been using drugs and booze heavily since her teenage years, I could imagine her character still being alive, but not anything like how she is portrayed in the show…the kind of wear and tear that even the most expensive surgeons can’t hide, and a completely paranoid personality that couldn’t form relationships as deep as the ones she has in the show (and that’s saying a lot). ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-will-grace-was-real-life/172951/19 "2003-05-05T13:33:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by whistlepig \* > \*\*Four words: > > Keith Richards > Hunter Thompson \*\* Keith Richards is dead. Yeah, I know he’s still walking around and playing a guitar, but he’s obviously a mummy rised from the grave.