Meet the driver
WHO?IS SHE Karen Parker is a Toronto-based, Canadian Comedy Award-winning actress and a member of the three-woman comedy troupe Punch in the Box, which will be performing at the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival next month.
WHAT SHE?DRIVES A two-tone beige Toyota Corolla that my parents gave to me and I have no idea what year it is (laughs). I’ve been driving it for about half-a-year. Prior to that, I was driving a Toyota Tercel. They give me their really old cars that they can’t drive anymore because I can’t afford a car.
What do you love most about the Corolla?
It was free! It’s a pretty no-frills kind of car. Actually it has a huge dent in it from a football fan who literally ran out into the road and into my car after a Toronto FC match and then ran off like a drunk sasquatch. He ran off, but my car had a dent in it. I thought, he’s gonna feel that tomorrow.
Do you do a lot of driving?
I’m a big driver, absolutely. I grew up in the country, so I very much feel more comfortable in a car than on the TTC and the TTC just makes me angry whenever I ride it. It just takes me so long to get anywhere, whereas I can hop in the car and get to where I need to go so much faster. I sometimes have two to three auditions in a day and have to get to all of them all over the city.
What kind of driver are you?
I’m aggressive and belligerent. I’m just a really angry driver. You put me behind the wheel of a car and I turn into Rambo. I feel very comfortable blowing my horn, doing a lot of physical gestures, ones you probably can’t print (laughs).
What would we find in your trunk?
You would find a crocheted half-blanket that my mother made to keep the seat warm and a litre of oil. I really don’t go in my trunk much.
What car would you love to drive if money was no object?
A VW van with a mini-bar at the back.
