Karl Schmid speaks with TV personality Carson Kressley about The Laurel Foundation (@thelaurelfdn) and the incredible work they do for people living with HIV & AIDS.
KARL
Carson Kressley up next. Welcome to “Plus Talk” on Plus Life, where we’re all about turning positive into a plus. And today, my guest has been doing that on TV screens for almost 20 years. It’s Carson Kressley, the effervescent bubbles in the champagne of life.
CARSON
Thank you, I’ll take it, I’ll take it. I feel a little bit, you know, full of alcohol as well most of the time, but not right now, not right now.
KARL
Not at this hour of the morning. Let’s talk about The Laurel Foundation. This is a great organization, another one that you are lending your hand to, you’re putting your voice and your celebrity behind. They’ve got a big event coming up. Tell me about what the foundation is, who they are, and what you guys have coming up.
CARSON
Yeah, Laurel Foundation was started a long time, I think over 20 years ago, to support people living with HIV and AIDS. And they’ve always done amazing work within that community, making sure people have access to healthcare, and medicine, and food, and housing, but they also do amazing work with LGBTQ kids and trans youth. And they do a great camp every year, where kids can get out of their norm, you know, their typical environment and really be themselves, which is so important, and they’re all about self-expression. And to support those camps where kids get sent to, you know, just have fun, and express, and be themselves, they need to raise money. So May 12th, here in Los Angeles, at Bonhams, we’re having a fantastic art event. It’s an art auction with pieces from like David Hawkney, and Andy Warhol, and all kinds of amazing, accomplished artists to raise money for the program. And I think you can bid online as well. But we are gonna have a gala, or a gala I like to say, on May 12th. And the celebrity committee, I’ll be there, I know Jamie Lee Curtis is lending her name, a bunch of other celebrities. And you can get to see the art, you can see it in person, you can bid on it, you can mix and mingle, you never know who’s gonna be there! And it’s just a great night to celebrate the arts, but really to celebrate supporting our community.
KARL
If there had of been camps like that back when you were a kid, do you think you would’ve gone? How were you as a child? Were you, you know, out and about or?
CARSON
Yeah, I was a fabulous child, you know. And I have to credit my parents for being so amazing and staying out of my way. Because I was just even home recently back in Allentown, which is not always the most progressive, and I had like my kindergarten picture, and I had like a corduroy onesie on, with a floral silk shirt from like “Saturday Night Fever.” I had painted nails because I just thought having painted nails was fun. And it’s what, you know, my sister did. And I was like, “I’m gonna paint my nails for my kindergarten photo.” And I never got a, “Don’t you do that!” You know, it was always just… I’m sure there were many raised eyebrows, but they let me just be myself. So, I think a camp like this would’ve allowed me to see further that it’s absolutely fine to express yourself however you feel in your heart to express yourself. And I think about how powerful that is for young kids today, and how it can literally change their life for the better. Going away for a week or two to a camp where you get to be yourself and have that celebrated, can change your entire trajectory. ‘Cause I even know just a little bit, I was like, “Oh, I shouldn’t be so flamboyant. Oh, I should work in like accounting, I shouldn’t be like a hairdresser or something.” I was always thinking like “I shouldn’t.”
KARL
Right.
CARSON
And it’s a great environment these camps to show kids that yeah, you should actually, you should be exactly who you’ve been meant to be and you should really express that, and that’s life changing work.
KARL
Yeah, and the work that the Laurel Foundation does, especially when we talk about kids with HIV, at such a young age to destigmatize HIV because as you and I both know, even in 2022, there is so much stigma still surrounding… I mean, I still face it, and you know I’m almost 40-something.
CARSON
What?
KARL
I know, shocking.
CARSON
Shocking.
KARL
But for kids to sort of have it really normalized is so important.
CARSON
Yeah, again, that changes everything because anytime you’re a young person and you feel this pressure of something on your shoulders, whether it’s being gay, whether it’s being HIV positive, whether it’s being the tallest kid in your kindergarten class, whatever that difference is can be a big weight. And anything we can do to educate and lift that weight and say, “You’re absolutely fine, and you’re supported, and you’re loved,” again can change their life forever. So, that’s why it’s so important that everybody come on May 12th or bid on online and get yourself a Warhol.
KARL
I’ll take two.
CARSON
Yeah, you really should have a pair so we can have really fabulous camp this summer for these kids that deserve it so much.
KARL
A personal question for you. As I said, whenever I meet you in person and even just now, you’re always so happy and as I said, “The effervescent bubbles in the champagne of life.” But I know that we can’t always be like that, and you know, we have moments where we’re quiet or we don’t feel so great about ourselves. When you find yourself in a moment like that, what do you do to pick yourself up? How do you get up off the floor when you feel knocked down?
CARSON
Oh, well if there’s a Neman Marcus around, that usually helps. What do I do? I mean, I just really have always thought I’ve been so blessed and so fortunate, that I think it’s really always about perspective. And you know, we’re all allowed to like have those moments, and be sad, and be reflective, and not like, “Woohoo, life is great!” But for most of us, compared to a lot of people in the world, life is great. And the problems that we have are sometimes just more in our heads than they are a reality. And I just try to focus on the glass being half full, maybe of champagne, and thinking, “Gosh, I have so many good things going on. Let’s get past this momentary setback.” And in show biz, you know, that there’s a lot of setbacks, there’s a lot of like rejection, and they’re just like, “Nope, you didn’t get this. Oh nope, they don’t want you for that.” But there’s always…
KARL
How do you handle the rejection?
CARSON
I have a very healthy mindset about that, I think. And that it’s kind of like dating. It’s just like, you’re not for everybody. And every project is not for you, and it’s not meant to be that way. And if you got hired for something that you weren’t right for, that wouldn’t be fun either. So it really needs to be the perfect fit, and that’s rare. So you know, you get out there and you try out as much as you can for as many things as you can, and then the ones where it’s meant to be, those happen, and they’re usually wonderful. So that’s how I do that.
KARL
I love it. Carson Kressley, we love you. Thank you for everything you’re doing for the Laurel Foundation and just everything you do in spreading light, happiness, and your effervescent self.
CARSON
Thank you so much, I’ll take it. I appreciate you as well, Karl, thank you.
KARL
Thanks, Carson. That is gonna do it for this episode of “Plus Talk.” If you wanna find out more about the Laurel Foundation, check out our website pluslifemedia.com. And remember, you can follow “Plus Life’ across all social media platforms. We are @pluslifemedia, check us out. Until next time, stay safe, stay happy. We’ll see you soon.