David Karofsky
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| David Karofsky | |
| | |
| General Information | |
| Gender: | Male |
|---|---|
| Age: | 18 |
| Hair Color: | Brown |
| Eye Color: | Hazel/Green |
| Occupation(s): | Student |
| Aliases: | Karofsky (Multiple characters) Manimal (Artie Abrams) David Paul, Will, Figgins, Sue Kurt) Dave (Santana, Kurt, Will Schuester) Ham Hock (Kurt Hummel) Bear Cub (Patrons at Scandals, the Gay bar featured in The First Time) |
| Family & Friends | |
| Family: | Paul Karofsky (Father) Grandpa Murray (Mentioned in Rocky Horror Glee Show Unnamed mother |
| Relationships: | Kurt Hummel (kissed; crush) Santana Lopez (beard; ended) |
| Friends: | Azimio (maybe not since Dave started the Bullywhips.) Kurt Hummel Santana Lopez (sort of) Finn Hudson (sort of) Glee Kids (possibly) |
| Enemies: | Scott Cooper and the Hockey Team Nick |
| Other Information | |
| Clique: | Jocks |
| Education: | Thurston High School William McKinley High School (former) |
| Talent: | Hockey, Football (Right Guard), Dancing |
| Vulnerabilities: | His sexuality |
| Awards: | 2011 High School State football championship (shared with the rest of football team) 2011 WMHS Prom King |
| Series Information | |
| First appearance: | Mash-Up |
| Portrayer: | Max Adler |
Dave is portrayed by Max Adler.
Contents |
Biography
Edit
Dave Karofsky is an ex--football player at William McKinley High School. He also played right guard on the football team while he was at McKinley. He is initially portrayed as the stereotypical jock and bully, having slushied or at least helped slushie just about every single member of New Directions (with the exception of Brittany). Dave also harassed Kurt for a long time because of his sexuality, due to his own closeted sexuality. After he kissed Kurt forcefully yet passionately, Kurt realized that Dave was in the closet and was struggling with his own sexuality. However, he still kept coming after Kurt to continue covering it up, which eventually lead to Kurt transferring to Dalton Academy. When Santana (who was also in the closet at the time) asked him out on a date, she stated that she knew about his sexuality and they decided to date each other as "beards" and they subsequently convinced Kurt to come back to McKinley. Dave soon tearfully apologized to Kurt before prom night. Dave also won Prom King while Kurt won Prom Queen as a joke. When the "King and Queen Dance" came up, Kurt urged Dave to come out, but he said he couldn't and walked off. He was not seen at McKinley after that. It is later revealed in The First Time that he transferred schools to avoid gay rumors from his peers at McKinley, so he could be able to enjoy his senior year playing football at his new school. Dave Karofsky attempts suicide in 'On My Way'. Kurt is later seen visiting Karofsky in the hospital where he informs him that there is nothing wrong with being gay, and helps Dave imagine a future where he is able to be open about his homosexuality and happy,
Season One
Edit
Dave Karofsky first appears in the episode Mash-Up, splashing Finn and Quinn with a grape slushie. 
Added by BroadwayBoy22In Mattress, Dave and Azimio corner Finn in the locker room and write on his face as "practice" for doing it to his to glee club yearbook photo later. They then tease Finn about having a big forehead. Dave is later seen defacing the glee yearbook page, surrounded by other laughing jocks.
In Hell-O, Dave and Azimio are briefly seen slushying Rachel, Kurt and Mercedes.
In Bad Reputation, he is seen serenading Sue Sylvester by quoting lyrics from Physical.
Added by TytowIn Theatricality, Dave and Azimio continue to make fun of the Glee club. He pushes Tina into a locker, and Kurt yells at him for it. He berates them for dressing in Lady Gaga costumes, roughing them up again later when they have not changed their clothing. The duo attempt to beat up Kurt once more in the end of the episode, but Finn (wearing a Lady Gaga costume of his own) stops them, backed up by the rest of the glee club. Dave says he and Azimio will "bring some friends" the next time.
Season Two
Edit
In Audition, he is seen in the background, while Jacob interviews Finn and Rachel about her "expected return to the Shire". Rachel gives both Dave and Azimio $100 to slushie herself, Kurt, and Mercedes in front of Sunshine's locker, hoping she'll be scared out of auditioning (this is not seen onscreen). However, after consulting Kurt and Mercedes, makes a change of plans. She directs Sunshine to a fake audition at a crack house instead.
In Britney/Brittany, he and Azimio rip Finn's varsity jacket into half, since he is no longer on the football team. Finn was about to fight them, but Artie comes in between them. Neither he or Azimio are comfortable with the thought of hurting a kid in a wheelchair, so they leave. Later in the episode, Dave and Azimio comment on Rachel's schoolgirl outfit. While Azimio makes catcalls, Dave asks Finn why all the gay dudes get the hot chicks.
Dave next appears in Duets, where he, along with Azimio, slushies Sam Evans for being the newest member of the glee club.
In The Rocky Horror Glee Show, Dave and Azimio make fun of Finn for walking down the hallway in his boxers.

Added by Tytow
Added by Zeroxify13In The Substitute, Kurt is sitting with Mercedes at lunch as he tries to set her up on a date reassuring her that "love is just around the corner". Dave suddenly appears and winks at Kurt, taunting him one again. Later, he confronts Kurt at his locker and demands to know whether or not he's told anyone else about the locker room kiss, phrasing it as though it was Kurt who kissed him. Kurt tells Dave that he's the one who kissed him and he hasn't told. Dave threatens to kill him if he does.

Added by Tytow
Added by TytowIn Special Education, Dave and Azimio heckle Puck during his Glee Club pitch. He looks nervous when Puck brings up Kurt, glancing at Azimio. After Puck finishes, he and Azimio soundly reject the idea. They incite the football team into roughing him up, though they are not the ones who lock him in a Porta-John.
In A Very Glee Christmas, he is seen throwing a slushie into the faces of Mike, Tina, and Mercedes.
In The Sue Sylvester Shuffle, Dave is first seen on the field during a football game. He throws the game after Finn makes a comment about how it's funny that Dave is always calling people gay but never seems to have a girlfriend. In the locker room, a fight breaks out between the Glee guys and the players. Dave stubbornly announces that he refuses to block for Finn due to his being in the Glee Club. After a brutal group slushie attack on Artie, Dave and the jocks are sent to the choir room where they and the Glee kids are shocked and angered by Mr. Schue's and Coach Beiste's announcement that the jocks are to be in Glee Club for an entire week, no exceptions. After a few rehearsals, Dave seems a little less intimidated by the thought of being a Glee Club loser.
Added by Tytow
Added by TytowDuring the performance, Dave walks by, but then stops to watch. He notices the crowd is loving the show and not booing it as he thought they would, and the Glee Club is having a blast. He smiles, puts on his zombified football shirt and happily joins in. After the show, the football team play the other half of the game and win.Some day after the game, Finn greets Dave at his locker, and the two actually seem to get along. When Finn asks him to join in on a trip to Dalton Academy to apologize to Kurt before other Glee Club members would allow him to join Glee Club permanently, Dave shoots him down refusing to ruin his reputation and not willing to face Kurt as doing so would mean admitting his true sexuality.
In A Night of Neglect, he slushies Santana only to sarcastically apologize. Later, he begins to taunt Kurt and Blaine who have come to attend the benefit concert. He seeks them out and mentions about how he was 'pumping iron in the gym,' and one of the guys told him that Kurt and Blaine were 'spreading their fairy-dust'. This causes Blaine to say, "You can live whatever lie you want, but don't pretend like the three of us don't know what's really going on here." That is when you can see Santana in the background listening to the conversation (foreshadowing that she is the next one to discover the secret of Dave's sexuality). After Dave calls Blaine "buck-boy", meaning male prostitute, Blaine shoves him, and Dave shoves back almost starting a fight when Santana intervenes and threatens him. Dave leaves immediately.
In Born This Way, Santana, in order to bring Kurt back to the school and make herself favorable to win Prom Queen, blackmails Dave after finding out his sexuality by telling him that if he won't be her gay beard and prom date, she would reveal his secret to the school. Seeing as he has no other choice, he accepts. With the blessings of Principal Figgins, he and Santana start an anti-bullying group called the Bullywhips.
Added by TytowKurt asks him what his real reason is for starting the anti-bullying group, and Dave claims he just wants to make everything right. Kurt reminds him that he remembers the kiss and hasn't told anybody anything. When Dave asks him why he hasn't told anyone about the kiss, Kurt replies he doesn't believe in outing people but still accepts them for who they are, though he does add that Dave owes him the truth for his silence on the matter. Dave confesses that it's part of Santana's plan to become prom queen and people might vote for them if Kurt comes back. Kurt then stresses to Dave that even if he is unable to come out to the world he needs to be educated, and he tells Dave to help him co-chair a local chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).

Added by Tytow
Added by TytowLater that evening, Kurt and Dave are chosen as Prom King and Queen. The selection of Kurt was of course meant as a cruel joke. Kurt first runs away, but he later decides to back into the gym to accept his crown. Dave and Kurt need to share a dance. As they walk to the dance floor, Kurt tells Dave to come out of the closet. Dave responds with "I can't," and he turns around and walks away in tears. It seems that no one goes after him.
Season Three
Edit

Added by LindsayFan2010
Added by Raven00In Heart, Kurt walks into the cafeteria, excited and happy by the letters and the gorilla gram that he receives from a secret admirer, who he automatically assumes is Blaine.
Kurt arrives at Breadstix early to meet up with the secret admirer before Sugar's party. The person in the gorilla suit appears, Kurt is confused when the card he is given reads "I think I love you" and questions,"Wait, you think you love me?". Then the person in the gorilla suit pulls his mask off, and Kurt is shocked to see that Karofsky has been his secret admirer all along.
Added by Raven00They sit down, and Karofsky confesses to Kurt saying that he "hated who he was" for bullying Kurt, and that he is trying to be honest with what he is feeling. Kurt is flattered and proud of Karofsky, but eventually turns him down by saying that he doesn't really love him, and also that he is with Blaine. Kurt also tells Karofsky that he likes him as a friend, but only just as friends. Disappointed and heartbroken, Karofsky tries to leave, but eventually runs into his friend, Nick, who suspects Kurt and Karofsky are hanging out for Valentine's day. Kurt explains that they used to go to the same school, and they've just bumped into each other. Nick still suspects the two, and Karofsky leaves.
In On My Way, Dave is outed at his new school by someone, probably Nick, who saw him at Breadstix with Kurt on Valentine's Day, spray-painting "FAG" across his football locker. As he tries to leave, the football jocks bully him, intimidate
Added by Simple.PlanNERPersonality
Edit
Dave Karofsky is a stereotypical jock bully. He enjoys terrorizing the kids in New Directions, and seems to favor targeting Kurt Hummel and Finn Hudson in particular. While Azimio's bullying and prankster behavior seems to be motivated by a larger sense of maintaining order and keeping the herd in line, Karofsky's seems to be more personal in nature. He's been harboring a grudge against Finn since fifth grade, and seems to target Kurt in a desperate attempt to cover up his own sexual feelings, or as a way to get closer to his possible crush. In fact most of Karofsky's bullying behavior seems to be because of the social order of the school and the opinions of his friends, rather than anything he was raised believing at home as his father in fact seems to behave completely different from Dave, showing an understanding and enlightened opinion of homosexuality.
It was revealed by his father that Dave is actually quite intelligent academically, usually getting A's and B's in school, suggesting that his dolt-like behavior is an act to make himself appear "normal" to his friends. In the weeks leading up to the kiss confrontation between Dave and Kurt, his grades began to decline, and he has started acting out and talking back both at home and school. It became severe enough that he threatened to kill Kurt, prompting his temporary expulsion. Since Kurt has transferred to Dalton Academy, his violence seems to have returned to its previous level. It is speculated that he feels less threatened now that the person who knows his secret is gone. However, his more violent tendencies seemed to flare up upon seeing Kurt and Blaine again, which was only stopped by the actions of Santana.
Max Adler, who portrays Karofsky, has called him the "insecure, afraid, and shy boy in the corner with this crazy secret, with a rough and tough exterior, a hard edged bully who doesn't take anything from anybody." Dave is "very scared of what he is, scared of telling people his big secrets. He's afraid that it will ruin his life and shatter his whole world. He has to keep up that manliness, be the guys guy, be the jock and fit in with them while he's hiding completely who he is and what he wants."
According to Max Adler, Karofsky's fears come from society instead of his father. "He's obviously a very loving father who is concerned for his son," Adler says. "He knows about his grades, the groups he's involved with, the teams he's playing on. I like the fact that Ryan Murphy chose to not make him what everyone thought — including me — as this beer-drinking, abusive, berating father. It was a more interesting choice to have him actually be the loving, supportive, caring father to show that Karofsky's fears aren't really coming from home. It's more society that's really scaring him into denying who he is." Source
Relationships
Edit
Kurt Hummel
Edit
Main Article: Dave-Kurt Relationship
In Never Been Kissed, it is revealed that Karofsky's favorite target is Kurt, who he goes out of his way to bully at every opportunity. This results in Kurt falling further into a depressive state, until his new friendship with Blaine leads him to confront Karofsky. Following him into the locker room, Kurt demands an explanation and begins belittling him. This upsets Karofsky, who demands Kurt to back off. Kurt refuses, continuing his rant and daring him to punch him. The final straw seems to be calling Dave extraordinarily ordinary. Karofsky snaps and lunges forward, grabs Kurt, and forces a kiss on him. He makes an attempt at a second one, but a stunned and scared Kurt pushes him back. Visibly upset, Karofsky hits a locker and runs out of the locker room. Kurt and Blaine attempt to confront him in the stairwell the next day, but Karofsky refuses to talk about what happened. When Blaine keeps trying, Karofsky rams him against a wall, though he is easily freed when Kurt pushes Karofsky away and demands he stop. Karofsky runs off again, looking frightened. Afterwards, Kurt tells Blaine that until the day before, he had never had a kiss that "counted." Later, Karofsky shoulder checks him into his locker, showing Kurt that nothing has changed.

Added by Tytow
Added by SuperGleekIn Special Education, Dave's eyes get shifty when Puck scolds him for forcing Kurt out (perhaps because of his choice of words: "Don't push me, Karofsky," and "My boy, Kurt"), alternately switching between Azimio and Puck. Azimio gives him a suspicious look.
In Born This Way, Santana, in order to bring Kurt back to the school and increase her chances of winning Prom Queen, blackmails Dave after finding out his true sexuality. She tells him that if he won't be her gay beard and prom date, she will reveal his secret to the school. Seeing no other choice, Dave accepts. With the blessings of Principal Figgins, he and Santana start an anti-bullying group called the Bully Whips and he makes an apology to the members of New Directions for his past actions against them and Kurt. With his father Paul Karofsky and Principal Figgins, he talks to Kurt and Burt. Burt still holds a grudge against him for threatening the life of his son, but Paul asks that Burt grant Dave the time it took him to learn his lesson, given that it took Burt and Paul years to realize homosexuality is no reason to discriminate against someone.
Kurt, still skeptical, wishes to talk to Dave alone and sends the adults out of the room.
Added by Tytow
Added by TytowLater at the prom, they win the Prom Royalty together (with Kurt as the Prom Queen, as part of a prank). As they are about to dance, Kurt tells Dave that this is his moment to come out and make a difference. Dave says he can't, indicating that he has already come to terms with his sexuality but is still unable to come out.
Dave made his next appearance in The First Time, when Kurt runs into him at the gay bar Scandals. It was revealed that he changed schools to avoid any rumors about being gay at McKinley, since he wants to have a normal senior year where he can play football. However, he is slowly coming to terms with his sexuality and has been a regular at the bar since the summer. He and Kurt share a toast "to baby steps."
In Heart, Kurt walks into the cafeteria, excited and happy by the letters and the gorilla gram that he receives from a secret admirer, who he automatically assumes is Blaine.
Kurt arrives at Breadstix early to meet up with the secret admirer before Sugar's party. The person in the gorilla suit appears, Kurt is confused when the card he is given reads "I think I love you" and questions, "Wait, you think you love me?". Then the person in the gorilla suit pulls his mask off, and Kurt is shocked to see that Karofsky has been his secret admirer all along. They sit down, and Karofsky confesses to Kurt saying that he "hated who he was" for bullying Kurt, and that he is trying to be honest with what he is feeling. Kurt is flattered and proud of Karofsky, but eventually turns him down by saying that he doesn't really love him, and also that he is with Blaine. Kurt also tells Karofsky that he likes him as a friend, but only just as friends. Disappointed and heartbroken, Karofsky tries to leave, but eventually runs into his classmate, Nick, who suspects Kurt and Karofsky are hanging out for Valentine's day. Kurt explains that they used to go to the same school, and they've just bumped into each other. Nick still suspects the two, and Karofsky leaves.
In On My Way, after Dave's suicide attempt, Kurt reaches out to Dave and promises to help him get through this. Dave tells Kurt that he wants to be friends with him and Kurt says that he would like to be friends with Dave, and they hold hands.
Santana Lopez
Edit
- Main article: Santana-Dave Relationship

Added by Adlerama
Added by TytowIn Prom Queen, they go to the prom together. Both Dave and Santana seem to having fun and dancing around during the prom performances. They slow dance at Rachel's Jar of Hearts, although both clearly look uncomfortable. Dave is then announced as Prom King, but Santana doesn't win the Prom Queen due to the prank against Kurt, who is voted Queen. In the end, it's unclear whether their beard relationship continues or not.
Trivia
Edit
- Usually referred to by his last name.
- Introduced as a hockey player, but never mentioned as being one afterwards, even by the hockey team themselves.
- Used to be picked on by Finn in fifth grade for having pubic hair.
- Although it was said that he has slushied almost every member of the New Directions, he only slushied a few more than half of the original 9 on screen. He was never shown to have slushied Brittany, Mercedes, Tina, or Lauren.
- It's a common misconception that Dave tormented specifically Kurt for years. In season 1, until earlier in season 2, he was focusing the bullying on Finn and the Glee Club in general- he only started targeting Kurt specifically around the time of Never Been Kissed. In fact, he's never seen even touching Kurt until that episode.
- Dave is the character that has been shoved the most by other characters. He's been shoved by Finn, Puck, Sam, Burt, Beiste, Kurt, Blaine, and other football players.
- Goes to McDonald's after school.
- Dave, with Azimio, used to slushie Rachel at 10AM.
- His jersey number changed from 67 to 77 in The Sue Sylvester Shuffle.
- Was a member of New Directions for a week when Coach Beiste forced the Titans to join the Glee Club.
- Dave's quote "walk tall and carry a big stick" in "The Sue Sylvester Shuffle" is a modified version of Theodore Roosevelt's original quote "speak softly and carry a big stick".
- One of the ten kids (Quinn, Finn, Kurt, Puck, Rachel, Becky, Mike, Sugar and Sam) whose parent(s) have been shown.
- Never had a girlfriend before his pseudo-relationship (each other's beards) with Santana.
- Pumps iron at school in the evening.
- Seen mostly in his letterman jacket, even during his meeting with Santana at the Lima Bean.
- Calls Azimio "Z".
- Like Finn and Sam, he was a Cub Scout.
- Dave didn't know about Eve Harrington and PFLAG, however, he seems to know about Liberace mannequins.
- Takes Calculus in his junior year.
- Named after Brad Falchuk's former classmate.
- In Dave and Santana's prom campaign posters, the picture of Dave is actually a press photo of Max Adler from the Glee season 2 premiere party.
- According to Max Adler, Dave and Santana actually kissed while filming the Prom episode, to prove that they were straight, however, the scene was deleted for their storyline's sake.
- Dave and Santana's dance moves in Prom Queen were unscripted- Max and Naya did it for fun and were surprised when it actually made it to the final editing.
- Dave's first kiss with a male was with the one seen in Never Been Kissed, when he kissed Kurt.
- Names his fist "The Fury".
- There are parallels in the dialogue with Dave and Azimio's confrontation with Kurt at the end of Theatricality and what happens in the locker room with Kurt and Dave in Never Been Kissed. Both times, Kurt says being beaten up will never change who he is and would allow himself to be hit because he is proud of his difference.
- There are parallels in the dialogue with Kurt persuading Dave to come out at the end of Prom Queen and the conversation between Kurt and Mercedes in Acafellas. Both times Kurt/Dave said "I Can't" when asked to come out. (The same situation happens between Santana and Brittany in Rumors. Brittany had planned to ask Santana out to prom during her webshow Fondue For Two to make Santana's coming out easier, but Santana cancelled last minuted with a text saying, "I can't.").
- When writers in Fanfiction put Dave and Kurt together, their relationship name is Kurtofsky.
- Butterscotch candy is his favorite.
- He's the first and so far only character to attempt suicide.
- The school that he transferred to is called Thurston High School, as you can see the words "Thurston Dragons" on the wall in the locker room in On My Way