Karen Duffy
Duffy in 2021
Born	(1962-05-23)May 23, 1962 (age 63)[1][2] New York City, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Colorado at Boulder
Occupation(s)	Writer, model, actress, television personality
Years active	1989–present
Spouse	John Lambros ​ (m. 1997)​
Children	1

Karen "Duff"Duffy (born May 23, 1962) is an American writer,model,television personality, and actress. She is a certified hospital chaplain, a formerConey Island Mermaid Queen, and one ofPeople Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful Women" in 1993.^[3] In 1995, Duffy was diagnosed with a rare form of the diseasesarcoidosis calledneurosarcoidosis.^[4] Since then, she has written two books about her experience living with chronic pain and is a member of the Alliance for the Ethical Treatment of Pain Patients.

Duffy was raised Catholic, and is of Irish ancestry.^{[5][6][additional citation(s) needed]} She attendedPark Ridge High School inPark Ridge, New Jersey, graduating in 1979.^[7] She received a bachelor's degree in recreational therapy from theUniversity of Colorado Boulder.

By 1989, Duffy was modeling and appearing in television commercials. She was aVJ forMTV in the early 1990s, under the name "Duff." She had small roles in a handful of films includingDumb and Dumber andBlank Check, and by 1995 was working as a correspondent for documentary filmmakerMichael Moore on his television showsTV Nation andThe Awful Truth. She also was aRevlon "Charlie Girl" as well as the face of Almay Cosmetics, and co-hosted the pay-per-view television event,Elvis: The Tribute from theMemphis Pyramid in 1994 withKris Kristofferson.

In 2006, Duffy hostedHouse of Tiny Terrors on TLC.^[8] On July 7, 2007, she appeared on theLive Earth telecast on theBravo Channel as a co-host atGiants Stadium,East Rutherford, New Jersey.

In 2008, Duffy began working with New York City'sNYC Media on a series of emergency preparedness videos.^[9] The videos, which mimic the style of the network TV showSecrets of New York, help raise awareness of the perils of natural disasters and preventative actions families should take to prepare for them.

In 1995, Duffy was diagnosed with a rare form of the diseasesarcoidosis calledneurosarcoidosis. Her brain and spinal cord were affected,^[10] leaving her partially paralyzed.

Duffy is the author of the New York Times bestselling memoirModel Patient: My Life as an Incurable Wise-Ass. In her latest book,^[10]Backbone: Living With Chronic Pain Without Turning Into One, she describes her ongoing incurable disease and constant pain, using humor and acceptance of her condition to cope. She was inspired to write the second book byLord Byron, who wrote "Always laugh when you can, it is cheap medicine."

Her articles, on a range of subjects, have appeared in media outlets, includingThe New York Times^[11] andOprah Magazine.^[12] She spoke at the 2018 US Pain Foundation annual gala.^[13]

She married John Lambros in 1997. They have one son, who was born via surrogate in 2003.^[14] On Boston comedian Ken Reid's podcast, Duffy stated she's a devout Catholic.^[15]

• Karen Duffy.Model Patient: My Life as an Incurable Wise-Ass. 2001.ISBN 0-06-095727-1.
• Karen Duffy.A Slob in the Kitchen. 2004.ISBN 1-4000-5115-0.
• Karen Duffy.Backbone: Living With Chronic Pain Without Turning Into One.ISBN 1628727950

• Karen Duffy atIMDb
• Former MTV VJ tells of battle with chronic illness, by Kat Carney. September 19, 2003,CNN.com.
• COURTTV.COM ONAIR
• Bravo TV Live Earth Bio
• Karen Duffy onFacebook
• Karen Duffy speaks about love at House of SpeakEasy'sSeriously Entertaining at Joe's Pub in 2022

• Female models from New Jersey
• 1962 births
• Actresses from New York City
• Actresses from Bergen County, New Jersey
• American film actresses
• American television actresses
• American Roman Catholic writers
• Television personalities from New York City
• American women television personalities
• American people of Irish descent
• American actors with disabilities
• American voice actresses
• Living people
• Park Ridge High School alumni
• People with sarcoidosis
• People from Park Ridge, New Jersey
• American video jockeys
• 20th-century American actresses
• 20th-century Roman Catholics
• 21st-century American actresses
• 21st-century Roman Catholics
• Catholics from New York (state)
• University of Colorado Boulder alumni
• Female models from New York (state)
• Models from New York City

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• Articles needing additional references from March 2023