The UK’s first ‘Karen Convention’ flopped after just one woman turned up – and her name was Susan.
A ‘Karen’ is a term for a self-righteous, usually middle-aged woman, who tells people how to do their jobs, asserts their rights and complains to the manager.
A Karen meme is often combined with the quote: ‘Can I speak to the manager?’
The inaugural Karen Convention was held at the Black Tap in Redditch, West Midlands, but the launch failed to attract any Karens whatsoever, with Susan Rooms, 44, being the only willing participant.
Self-confessed ‘Karen’ Susan was in fact the landlord of the Worcestershire pub hosting the bizarre event on Friday, August 29.
She said: ‘If I could I’d ask to talk to the manager but I can’t because that person is me!’
The brains behind of the event was Kevin Beresford, who even produced bar mats and badges for the launch.
Kevin is famous for producing hilariously boring calendars and is notorious for being known as Britain’s ‘dullest man’.
The inaugural Karen Convention was held at the Black Tap in Redditch but the launch failed to attract any Karens’ whatsoever, with Susan Rooms, 44, (pictured) being the only willing participant
The brains behind of the event was Kevin Beresford, who even produced bar mats and badges for the launch
Kevin (pictured right) is famous for producing hilariously boring calendars and is notorious for being known as Britain’s ‘dullest man’
A ‘Karen’ is a term for a self-righteous woman, sometimes racist and usually middle-aged, who tells people how to do their jobs, asserts their rights and complains to the manager.
The term became popular in meme culture on internet forum Reddit to describe problematic women.
A Karen meme is often combined with the quote: ‘Can I speak to the manager?’
The male version of a ‘Karen’ is sometimes referred to as a ‘Kevin’.
He first shot to fame in 2003 with his calendar celebrating roundabouts which sold 100,000 copies globally.
His past creations have also focused on benches, rubbish tips and even Manchester City player Jack Grealish’s calves.
The 73-year-old helped stage the Karen Convention after photographing 12 ‘Karens’ for his 2026 calendar.
Kevin said: ‘It’s actually pretty typical Karen behaviour not to turn up to an event held in your honour so I’m not surprised.
‘The funniest thing is that one of the only people who showed was the manager of the pub and she wasn’t even called Karen.’
Another Karen, who featured in the calendar, arrived later but due to her being a ‘teetotal’ she refused to enter the pub.
Kevin said: ‘You actually couldn’t make it up. I’d photographed 12 Karens, both in name and in personality, but only Susan showed.
‘It hasn’t put me off putting on another Karen Convention but next time I might bus them in myself to make sure they actually come.’
For his 2025 calendar, Kevin photographed 12 mobility scooter riders after getting the idea while in Benidorm during a holiday with friends.
The pensioner is part of the Dull Men’s Club – an international group which celebrates the ordinary – and says he takes inspiration from the unassuming and dull aspects of life and turns them into art.
Self-confessed ‘Karen’ Susan was in fact the landlord of the Worcestershire pub hosting the bizarre event on Friday, August 29
Kevin Beresford, 72, first shot to fame in 2003 with his calendar celebrating roundabouts
Speaking to the Mail in 2023 Kevin said: ‘These calendars don’t sell for the thousands, but it covers the cost for the printing.
‘It gets me out. I do all the design, I make them. It’s fun coming up with different content.
‘I like to capture slice of English life and put that into a format.
‘Artists have always focused on the mundane. Van Gough would paint his pipe on the chair. I am the dullest man in Britain.’
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Britain’s first Karen Convention flops when only one woman turns up – and she’s a Susan