Oh, it’s coming. It’s called Carsonation. It comes out on the Oprah Winfrey Network in May. It’s a whole lot of me visiting small town America and being gay and zany and goofy and me. It’s about helping people living a better life or at least look and feel better about themselves. The cool thing is we’re doing it all across the country. It’s not taking people to celebrity stylists and going to Neiman Marcus. It’s using what’s available in small-town America, what most people have at their fingertips, and saying, “You can live a great life. Let me show you how. Believe in yourself.” And hopefully it’s funny!
—Carson Kressley, who will co-host the Oprah Winfrey Network’s Your OWN Show: Oprah’s Search for the Next TV Star, also has his own program Carsonation debuting and guuuurl, it is gonna be super positive [via]
ChicagoJimmy
Yay! Good for him. I hope the show is good!
Charlie
“It’s using what’s available in small-town America”
That IS good news. Often when I see home improvement or what not to wear shows I am left thinking “Well if I had piles of money I suppose I could do that.” Style for the rest of us.
Daez
@Charlie: Don’t confuse the fact that it comes from small town America with the fact that its cheap, but the truth is there are many ways to spruce up your home for under $100. Don’t be afraid to hit yard sales or your local thrift shop. Know what to look for, and learn how to refinish your own stuff. It makes it much easier to fix up a room (or a home) for next to nothing.
randy
There are and have been tons of these shows. They never become hits, so I’m pessimistic. Still, good for him, and good for style-challenged Americans.
the crustybastard
I saw him mobbed at an airport by little girls. He was fun and charming and signed every autograph and posed for every picture they wanted.
Cool guy.
Kieran
Just in case America hasn’t had quite enough of the annoying, vapid, effeminate gay stereotype……HERE’S CARSON!
D.R.A.
@Kieran: Carson Kressley is effeminate, yeah – so what? He’s also funny, smart, kind, and entertaining; far from being vapid. I saw him on Craig Ferguson’s show a few days ago and he was delightful. I don’t much care for reality TV but I would watch his show, ’cause he’s wonderful.
GetBalance
I ditto Kieran, diefying the gay community as a one note punchline has done us more harm than good. We may be the clowns of the planet in some 90% of peoples eyes but I’m not so sure gay rights and bullying are served well by being prissy extremists ad nausium in the media. Carson is great cute funny etc but is he the political mojo role model that keeps our kids safe at school? Maybe the Sports studs will belie w my thinking and more hot real calm collected stud types will get their balls out. We need a full on media makeover, and in thus case, tho he’s cuterncupcakes, Carson ain’t it.
Charlie
@Kieran: Ok why is it Carson’s job to exemplify every gay person in creation? When you get famous are you going to make sure to occasionally queen out so that you can represent that part of our population or are you going to just be yourself?
justiceontherocks
@GetBalance – you need to git a spel chek on yer compewter.
GetBalance
@ justiceontherockz
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scott ny'er
@GetBalance: Well there’s Nate Berkus. He’s not super masculine but he’s not very fem either. And you have Ellen, who’s not super fem, but she’s not your bull-dyke. How’s that.
OR better yet, let America get exposed to ALL the beautiful colors of the LGBT rainbow. And the more exposure, the more they can understand everyone is basically just the say underneath. We’re all people. Good, evil. smart, stupid.
scott ny'er
@Kieran: Oh, I also meant to reply to you. See my reply above.
GetBalance
@Scott ny,er
Slowly, but Shirley, is the name of the game I guess. I think Nate is an even tempered stable minded un-gay rep for rhe gay comm. I also find him hot sexy and doable which also gives him high marks for selling our image. That being said he is still the gay decrator hairdresser stereotype. I’m looking fwd to more American sports icons being added to the marquis. We do come in all colors, but don’t you think more rich grounded earth tones would help ‘balance’ out the screaming hot pinks?
Charlie
@GetBalance:
“I think Nate is an even tempered stable minded un-gay rep for rhe gay comm.”
Un-gay? He dates men so I think we can classify him as gay and not un-gay,
“That being said he is still the gay decrator hairdresser stereotype. I’m looking fwd to more American sports icons being added to the marquis.”
I agree we are a diverse crowd, but those sports icons will have to have the balls that the hip stylists have already exhibited and come out already. A lot of folks who feel like they can comfortably “pass” do so without thinking of how their choice damages the gay community. Athletes keeping silent does us more harm than a flamboyant guy with a cable show.
GetBalance
@Charlie,
You said “Un-gay? He dates men so I think we can classify him as gay and not un-gay.”
You’re right, I would edit that to say un-swishy.
You also said “Athletes keeping silent does us more harm than a flamboyant guy with a cable show.”
I agree, though I don’t think piling the hair to the ceiling does us much good either. Unlike hairdressers and decorators, if athletes did not have a societal self imposed pedestal-for-manhood to have to descend from, we might see more of them up and coming. I will say their paychecks far outweigh those of the average swish crowd stereotype so their may be more to lose on the financial end as well. Needless to say, they have more to think about than the everyday dude on the street when it comes to public image and a fall from grace.
I do wish however, they would seriously take into consideration the teenage lives that could be saved and or balanced by having stronger role models at the polar opposite of the flamer crowd.
For now I guess we can at least take the Australians lead with Gareth Thomas as the new soccer-stud-coming-out-hero on the block.
jacknastion
What a good idea! Honestly I always hate it on make-over shows where they give women these fancy hair-do’s like take a woman with graying brown hair and dye it red and straighten it…if somebody isn’t that well off they can’t afford to maintain that on their own there is no point in giving the make-over. Teaching people what to do within their own town and own budget is a great idea.
H.M.
I would like for him to help make a little prom for me and my friends.