Being Carson Kressley

my conversation and UH, here is my conversation with Carson Cressley. So, Carson, where are you now? I met my farm in Pennsylvania. Oh, Nice, nice, yeah, how about you? Are you in Montclair, New Jersey? I know, I know you're a Mont clary and I love Montclair. It's so pretty. Yeah, thank you. You know, it was a perfect amount of being close to New York City but getting out of New York City, so I could you know. Yeah, yeah, so cool. Well, I mean, I haven't seen you in so many years. I don't know

if you remember the first time I met you. Um, I don't know what was the first time. I don't remember hired when you were on queer I as a makeup artist to get a bunch of firemen ready for a calendar that you guys were shooting. Oh Yeah, lucky. Yeah, yeah, I mean that was a long time ago and I also met the photographer and his wife at the time and I ended up hiring her as my creative director and you know, and he shot a lot of my campaign. So it was one of the yeah, wonderful. How how

great that worked out? Yeah, no, it was. You know what it just you never know who you're going to meet. When have you had that moments in your life where you're like, I don't know, like random meetings with people? Oh yeah, there's there's just people that you on Jael with who are like your people and just even doing like home collection projects and going to like the trade shows and like high point I'll be like, oh my Gosh, how does this person not work with us like that?

Like they're amazing. And there's like, you know, five or ten people I've met like during my career where I'm just like okay, I literally like write them down in my book. I'm like we need to hire them for something at some point. So there you know, they're rare, but you know, kind of instantly when, Um, you found someone that's sympathic. Go Yeah, so, you know, the truth is, I don't know that much about you. So I have

a million questions, you know. Yeah, shoot, I am from Allentown, Pennsylvania, but not really like Allentown, like twenty minutes outside of Allantown, which is actually when people think about allantown Pennsylvania, they think about like the Billie Joel Video Um for his Song Allan toown and Steel Mills and uh, you know, steel towns. But I'm from the countryside. Out To Valentine, where I'm from it, you know, it looks like the

Shenandoah Valley. We've got Blue Mountains and rolling hills and there's lots of Pennsylvania Dutch people and my family was like practically amish. And Yeah, you could hear butter churning in the distance. What is that? I mean, I know Amish,

but what is practically? Well in Pennsylvania? There, UM, there's a huge group of people that came in the you know, from the late seventeen hundreds through like the mid eighteen hundreds that are dubbed Pennsylvania Dutch and they're really Pennsylvania German, but the word for German was Deutsch, so they said we're Deutsche. People were like, Oh, you're Dutch, welcome, but it's been a misnomer. So all Amish people are Pennsylvania Dutch, all like, but not all Pennsylvania Dutch people like me

are amish. I was Lutheran, which is just a different religion. and Um, but very midwestern, even though we're from the eastern seaboard and grew up around horses and Um, you know, that was that's that's where I come from. Bobby Brown. Well, no, I come from the suburbs of Chicago, Midwest. So I you know, you know, putting the pieces together makes sense. Did you have a big family, a lot of brothers and sisters or Um? No, I have one brother and

one sister and I'm the youngest. Big shocker. I'm like hello, over here, look at me. Yeah, and Um, yeah, I grew up a very suburban, you know, uh life in the seventies and you know it was people always say like where did you get your like sense of style, and I was like, I grew up in the seventies. I grew up watching like, you know, three's company and the Carol Burnett Show and seeing share wearing Bob Mackie and there was a very rich um era for fashion

and flair in general. You. Have you ever met share? I have. Yeah, I did. Um. Oh Gosh, I'm trying to remember the first time. I guess the first time I met her was Um, she did a movie premiere in New York. She did a film with the fairly brothers called stuck on you, and it was not one of her like greatest cinematic, uh accomplishments, but it's a it's a good movie and they had a big party for it, back when they would have big parties, like

in the early two thousand's, and it was that. I think it was at the SBA theater on twenty three street, and then they had a party after and I walked in and I got you babe was playing and share was sitting in a booth in the distance and like I made eye contact with share and she made eye contact with me and then I started going like this and I was like what is share telling me to

come over? But it was during like the frenzy of queer eye and I guess she had watched the show and she was a fan so she invited me to sit with her and she was very, very, like warm and wonderful. And then I was doing a column for us weekly and I was going to go interview her the next day at her suite at the lows regency. It sounds like it's nine. I went to do the interview and I was like, Oh my God, what am I gonna wear? What would what would share where? Um?

So I wore black Roberto Cavali leather pants with Purple Python insects and like a Tuxedo shirt that was open and I had like some Brazilian scapulare like medallion's on, because everyone was doing that. And we did the interview and she was like yours and I was like, Oh, you can have a share, and I'm like my body.

And then she had like a do rag on, because allegedly she has volumes of like hair up in braids and always wears like and she had like a Bandana on and her assistant was in the other hotel room that I connected. And so the interview was over and I was standing above share and I was trying to put this necklace on her, which is very fine, and I couldn't get it over her head and it was like struggling and she was like making a funny noise and I was standing over top of her and then

the assistant came in. They're like are you attacking share Um and I said no, no, I'm just trying to put this necklace on, and so I did that and then I didn't see her for like a while and then one day I was sitting at my kitchen table in Chelsea paying bills and my phone rang and I was like, oh no, what's it's a mystery number. I hate answering those, but I hate getting voicemails even more.

So it's just like hello, and on the other it was like and I was like yeah, it's sure, and I was like Oh my God, and share called me. I don't know how she got my my cell number, but she did, and she wanted to thank me for like the necklaces and Um. So yeah, I have a I think I'm kind of friends with share. That's such a great story. Did you get a picture of you and her? I did, I do have it's a polaroid and I've scanned it and I have it. You know. I have the real one in a safe somewhere. That's

so cool. I I actually once got a call from Ali McGraw, who is my my share, so I know the amazing feeling. Before you were on Queer I, because Queer I blew you up. Who Were you before? So Um, I uh growing up in Allentown. I knew I always wanted to live in New York City. So literally, like I went to college and then the day after I moved to New York City, I went to get Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania and I think I graduated like on May six and on May seven, like I'm moving to

New York. So I took I took the bus and Um, moved in with two other friends from college, two girls. We lived in a one bedroom apartment on ninety six and third and I slept in the dining alcove and they took the bedroom and I started working for the US Equestrian Federation and uh, I had that job lined up before college ended and I was making thirty thousand dollars a year and I didn't know about New York City, like how expensive it was. So I was just like,

oh my Gosh, how I'm going to spend all this money? Um, thirty thousand a year. I was like I'll get great suits and it was like the Armani era and I was like, Oh, I'll be fabulous, and then I found out that the rent of the apartment was like seventeen hundred dollars. M It was like wait a minute, like everything I make for the year. Um. So the three of US split that and we managed. But Um, eventually, Um, I decided I wanted to work for Ralph Lauren because

I loved the brand and I loved the VIBE. And Uh, I was at my gym one day wearing like Black Watch track pants and a sweatshirt with a teddy bear holding a Black Watch basketball. And I had a Black Watch basketball that I got from buying seventy five dollars worth a fragrance at bloomingdale's. and Um, someone at the gym was a headhunter and she's like, I don't know who you are, but you need to work at Ralph Lauren.

I was like I do, and it was one of those moments where like, you dressed for the job that you want and I somehow conjured it up and uh, I started working for Jerry Lauren, who's Ralph's brother. So Hook,

you got a job inside, not the store. Yeah, no, I got a job inside Um being being Jerry's assistant and I would, you know, get startine sandwiches and I would drop off shampoo and I would go to the apartment and I was I was basically Anne hathaway in the Devilwa's products that everyone was really nice and preppy and had a fantastic time there. I loved Jerry and Ralph and Bobby Renett, Alice and everybody who I worked with.

They were just it was such a fantastic education and it's one of those companies um where so many people have come through, whether it's Vera Wang or uh a million people have come from Ralph Lauren. It's just a great place to learn and Um you're able to climb through the ranks. They're so beautiful. Like if you're a hard worker and you get it Um, you just like before I knew it, I was like, after two years of working with Jerry, he's like you can do whatever

you want, like where do you want to work? And I was like I'd really like to work in design. So I worked in men's design and I did that for a bunch of years and then I thought I had the greatest job in the world. Um, I would style all the looks for all the ad campaigns. Oh, go on, you know too all that Bruce Weber and the whole gang and Patrick and marcial yea and Mark Selliger and just all the you know, not every day. I also, you know, I did a lot of NACY'S

DOT com shoots to like, you know, in Chelsea. So when you would get to go like someplace, you know, go to like the war haul of state in Mont talk for a week with Bruce Weber and like people are getting their nails done and I'm just like, Oh my God, this is great, I love it. So I did that for a number of years and then one day one of my producers, who booked the photographers and makeup artists and all of the talent Um, said I heard about this show like in a cab on the radio.

It's called queer eye and it's gonna be on Bravo. And I was like what's Bravo? And nonstick cooking spray, like I didn't know Bravo. I was, you know, young and live in New York City. I didn't even have cable. You know, you just don't. You're out you're out being fun, so they said. I I asked Jeeves. We didn't even have Google back then. Um, I asked Jeeves, like where's Bravo, and it gave me like a number in Jericho, Long Island. I called them. They were like, Oh no, a production

company makes the show, weest hair it. And I was like okay, I knew nothing about TV. Called the production company. They from Boston. Got An intern. She was like no, they're only New York casting this show. I'm like, I know, that's what I'm calling about. She said send a headshot and like a letter via messenger or something to this

casting agency and Chelsea, which I had no headshot. I had a picture of me like that Arnaldo and IA Luca had taken, like, you know on set or something, holding some sweaters, and I was like I'll send that and then I went down and I was my Sassy self and they're like we really like you. and Um, we made a pilot in two thousand two and I remember telling my boss at Ralph Lauren like I'm just gonna take a couple of days off on vacation. I'm gonna make this thing, but I just won't let you know.

We made it in two thousand two and nothing did happen and we didn't hear anything for like a year and then, like in the beginning of two thousand three, the production company called and said, yeah, Bravo was purchased by NBC. They're revamping the network. It's going to be very splashy. They want your show to be like the lead, you know, for the rebrand. You need to quit your job and I was like, do you even have dental insurance?

Like I didn't even know. Like I was like wait, I'm supposed to quit my amazing job to do eight episodes of a TV show for like three thousand dollars in episode and then maybe never work again. But I had the most amazing boss at Ralph Laurence. She's like you should try it, it sounds amazing and if it doesn't work out, we'll figure out a way to get you back. And I was I was like, thank you Jesus. Heard Liz Paley and I owe Um, I owe my life to her because she gave me that Um flexibility

to take a risk. Yeah, but you also, I love the fact and whoever's listening like what you did, like when I moved to New York. I opened up the yellow pages because I didn't know anything, sourceful and not afraid, like you have a like you seem naive, like all right, I'm just gonna do this and I think great quality. Yeah, I have the ignorance is bliss Um Syndrome, and I've heard that some people have the opposite, where they're like

they always feel like an imposter. I just always felt like I could maybe do it, like I didn't know that, like I wasn't this enough or that enough to like do what I was trying to do. I just said, Oh, I'm going to go to an interview at Ralph Lauren, I'm gonna Wear Cute Ralph Lauren outfit and I'm gonna do my homework and I'm gonna be very enthusiastic, and it continued to work. Yeah, I think it's being naive and I kind of am the same way. So I get it. So you did. So you quit your job.

To do ever go back to Ralph Lauren? Or No? No, no, I never. Um, we started making the show in March of two thousand three. It aired in July of two thousand three and like a week or two later we were on the tonight show and Doing Ellen and Um, I have. Fortunately, I've been working in of bits for twenty years now and and there are moments, like show

Biz or like fashion or the beauty business. Um, you know, their their highs and lows, where you're just like, Oh my God, I'm gonna pack it in, like this is not working, um. But you, if you're persistent and you keep, Um, the right attitude and always looking for opportunities, you can, you know, make it through those slow periods and then you you know, start to ride the wave again. So I've been doing that for a long time. Okay. So, so, how many years were you on query? And I'm sorry,

that's my dog scratching in the back. Don't worries, Um, Um, I we did Um, I think it was about five years. We did five seasons and a hundred episodes. So that was also like a great you know, who gets that as their first television show? Like I was like, Oh, I guess, you know, you do a TV show and then you just event you get an emmy the next year.

Like I didn't know how, Um, how rare was and how lucky we were, and we were just so caught up in the whirlwind and I wish we had instagram back then because people will literally say to me remember that time we all went to the White House and we met and I was like no, I don't. I vaguely remember, but there were so many fun things and it was such a whirlwind for those first two or three years, Um, that I wish I had a better record of it. But you also you must have gotten

an agent right to negotiate your deal, or did? Yeah, I mean, and then then things just kind of took off right. I mean, besides Queer, I didn't. I mean you did a whole bunch of other things. Yeah, yeah, once the show was successful. Um, then you can get an agent, which is, you know, kind of backwards, but that's how it works, and then you're able to people know you and it becomes easier and they say, oh, we were doing this show about beauty queen contestants and

there's a big makeover element. We should get Carson. So what are some of your highlights, like what are like? Um, well, Queer, I obviously, and then, Um, this one was dancing with the stars. So you are on dancing with the stars. I was. Yes, I think I was, like I lasted for like five or six weeks and I was a terrible dancer, but I had really great costumes and I did full on productions with like smoke effects and like I was really into it, you know, like like does it? What?

Does anything make you nervous? You know, that should have made me very nervous. And, Um, my philosophy and life and with show bizines that I usually say yes and then I figure it out later. Um, and this is like a theme throughout my life, like, Oh, I want to buy this farm in Pennsylvania, I'm just gonna do it. I'll you know, fast forward to me like in February with like frozen pipes, like, Um, who do I call about this? I don't have the super anymore. Um, so I you know, I just kind of say yes and

then I figured it out later. So I should have been nervous about dancing with the stars. I didn't realize how hard it was. and Um, here's some backstory that nobody knows. But Um, they had wanted me to do the show a couple of times and I was like, I'm gonna wait, like so I have like more of a lull or something, or have more time or just

doesn't seem like I need to do it now. And then the year that I did it, which was like ten years ago, they had called just before Labor Day, because the show always starts like in the first week in September, and they said, oh, we had a last minute cancelation, somebody had backed out. Um, we really need you to do the show, and I was like okay.

So they called and said, okay, we're gonna, you know, here you up with your partner and I said, Oh yeah, I just want to go to fire island for the weekend, it's Labor Day, and then I'll start on Tuesday. And they're like no, no, no, you're like a week behind already. You need to start now. And I went for like that for rehearsal and I was like, Oh my God, this is no joke. And I am very bad with numbers in general, so like choreography doesn't make sense to me.

They're like and on the three count and I'm like, it's music. Why are we counting like we're supposed to just be feeling Um. So I was terrible, but I had a great time and I embraced it. Your partner, I had this amazing Russian Um professional dancer named Anna Treblin Skaya, and she was really, really fantastic and very like stern and a good Yang to my Yang, and we had a deal that I would buy her like

Lu Boton's every week that we made it through. We did five weeks and we actually we had I think the very first dance I did was the encore dance that they wanted. They wanted to see again the next night because they enjoyed it. So it was a great experience. So what are you working on now? Right now I'm I've been very lucky, Um, where I was the groundbreaking show for several reasons. Um, twenty years ago, and I'm lucky. I've been working for the last ten years, ten seasons

on Rupaul's drag race. Um, we won four Emmys for, you know, Best Reality Competition series the last four years. Um, and Um it's just it's Super Fun. First of all, Rupaul was amazing because he seems like he'd be a really nice guy. Um, he is. There's a few people I've worked with in my, you know, lifetime, whether it's like a share or Dolly or Oprah, Um, and there are people that are just so wise and they just

they understand people. They understand life, they understand show business like it's not that deep Um, and he has that very um grounded, wise Um Um vibe and um he is the reason why that show is such a big hit. And we have amazing producers and amazing contestants and but you know, it's it's from the top down and that Um, the aesthetic, the sensibility, the heart, Um, that's all kind of Um comes from Ruth. So I'm very happy that

I get to work on that. And I worked on fear I too, shows that have really helped a lot of Um, young people, I think. You know, can see these shows all over the world and see marginalized people or people who maybe used to be marginalized, be celebrated, and I think that's really powerful because you can be like, Oh, I can I can use every crayon in the box, as rue says, and I can express myself and I don't have to be different, I can just be who I'm supposed to be. Um. So I'm very lucky to

work in these spaces. And how old were you when you, you know, came out of the closet? Like how, like, how old are you, and how did your parents take it? Oh, UM, well, Um, you know, I think I'm one of those gay kids that you know when you're like my kindergarten picture, I have it right here. Hold on, okay, getting some real scoop here, Bobby Brown, that's that's me, like kindergarten, wearing nail Polish. Your mother let you wear nail polished to school.

I don't think she really knew. and like my cousins and my older sister were always like putting makeup on me and painting my nails. So I just thought that was normal. So I went to, you know, Picture Day with my painted nails and I was always one of those little boys too. Were like you'd be in the grocery store and they'd be like, oh my gosh, what is her name? She is so cute, like pretty effeminate, and I don't think my parents were ever really like surprised. Um,

and we're always amazing about it. You know, I think that. You know, I had a grand law who would like buy me t sets and dollhouses for Christmas because that's what I wanted, and she's like, well then that's what he gets. So I was very fortunate and luckier than I realized. Yeah, and I and it is amazing that you've been such a role model to so many, you know, kids that don't have the support of families, and it is because haven't you been an advocate for that for

a long time? Yeah, I worked for a long time with Cindy lauper on her foundation called true colors united, and we worked specifically, Um, to help end youth homelessness, especially within the LGBT community, because gay kids are still much more likely to become homeless, because sometimes they're turned away by their families, where sometimes they're turned away by shelters that are maybe run by religious organizations that don't Um, except that Um their orientation. So, Um, I know how

lucky I've been. So I just think I've got to help other people who aren't as lucky, and helping kids is, I think, the most important thing, because they're the most vulnerable. No, that's so, so nice and so wonderful. And you know, you don't hear a lot about your personal life. Are you with some? Haven't been? Are you? No? Well, I am single, if you know anybody. Um, I was. Um, I wasn't married, but I was practically married for a

long time. Um, and that was over about three years ago and then you go through that, you know, like who am I? What am I like in the ether for a while? So now I'm ready to mingle right. Well, now that, now that we're kind of out of our houses and our basis. Yeah, that must have been a tough time, though. Yeah, no, it was, but it was also,

I think, like the pandemic. For me and I think a lot of people, it was a very reflective time too, and it allowed us to like take a breather from all of the white noise of work and family and travel and, Um, start to figure out what's really important. So now I know what I want. Okay. Well, that's good. You gotta, you gotta, and like you gotta start somewhere and you visualize it. So what about your health and wellness? How do you take care of yourself? Oh, I should

be better about that. Um, yeah, I take going to the doctor and I'm like one of those people that goes like twice, once every two years. You know, I'm just bad, Um, but I do try to just do like the common sense stuff, like I, you know, I parked far away at the grocery store, I take the stairs when I go to a hotel, I watch what I eat. Um, I exercise more than I realized because most of the time I'm in New York, I'm walking everywhere. If I'm here in the country, I'm like, I cannot

sit still. In one of those people. So, like I'll have people over and they're like laying by the pool having drinks and I'm the person like pulling weeds because there's a weed over there and I have to be busy and they're like would you calm down? I'm just like no, no, no, I like it. It's relaxing for me. Like I like to do stuff. So I stay active and Um, yeah, and I stay aware and I you know, I try to be good about it, and also lots of water, good sleep and, Um, my secret weapon are

those little vitamin sea packets. I think they're great for the skin, but they're also good to keep your immune system up, because when you're always on airplanes and you're always going from job to job, you really need to, Um, keep an eye on that, because you can get run down. You need to recharge. Are you someone that needs to

like take time? Yeah, I'm really, really good. Um, I love to entertain the troops and razzle dazzle like six days out of the week, but then like on the seventh day I need to not see anybody and like literally like either just be with my horses or like floating around in my pool cool or like pulling weeds or doing or just vacuuming my house. Like I just need a day of like no talking to anybody. What are you wearing when you're home doing those things? Are

you in sweats? No, I'm like wearing this, like, you know, like a Ralph Lauren like cotton cable knit sweater and some you know, uh uh, some jeans from Scotch and Soda Um or like, you know, vineyard vines. People are like you wear a vineyard I was like, yeah, I'm just like bouncing around at home like or if I go to the barn, you know, I usually we're just like a pair of breeches and like a white Polo shirt. Um,

but I don't. I mean you're very preppy. I am very preppy in general and I think it was my long history with Ralph Lauren, but it's also just my my natural like comfort zone. So like I do like, you know, going to the EMMYS and wearing La Givanshi and being all sparkly. Um. But one thing I learned from my mom Um, and I think it's a really most important fashion less than anyone can learn, is that, um, it's not about like the most sparkliest and the most

expensive of the most high end label. It's about what's appropriate for what you're doing. So if, if I'm at the farm, I'm gonna wear like, you know, Ralph Lauren, and I'm going to wear like Oxford, and it's more rugged and it can, you know, hold up to like, you know, wear and tear. And if I'm going to the EMMYS, I'm gonna wear, you know, Givanshi or Gucci. Um. So it's it's all about wearing the right thing at the right venue. Um. That's like the key to always

looking good. And what do you think about fashion trends? Are you like you know, I'm not a big beauty trend person, like, I just don't. I'm not a big trend person either, especially for me personally, because I think

men's trends to like that ship has sailed. For me, like now it's all about being classic and I look to people like Tom Ford whoor like, listen, you need a black suit, a bunch of white shirts, a great pair of darkwashed jeans, a loafer, a good watch and like, if you're like a fifty year old man, that's what you need and you're done. I'm trying to embrace that.

I love clothes so much, though, that, like, you know, every time there's like a new Ralph Lauren like Santa Fe inspired thing, I'm like buying all the NAVA host sweaters and Um, if there's d squared like sparkly encrusted Shambrai shirts, I have to buy those. So I still have fun with it. So did you get a Ralph Flauren? Discounts? Still, I actually do. Okay, you better, I mean, come on, I think. I think you're such good, you know, spreading of the Ralph Lauren brand. Are you a guy on Tiktok?

I'm not on TIKTOK. I mean I have a Tiktok, you know, just because I needed to get one, but I have never used it and I love like doing Martha's Stuarty kind of things, like around the farm, like landscaping and, uh, potting, you know, beautiful pots with flowers like. I love all those domestic arts. So I should start doing TIKTOK's about that? Yeah, because, I mean I'm kind of sensing that you're coming into another phase in your life. Absolutely, no, I totally am. Um. I think it's like being in

my fifties and emerging on the other side of the pandemic. Um, I really kind of you know, know what I want to do and I know what's important, and your priorities change. Yeah, what, what haven't you done that you wish you know that you want to still do? Oh, Um, I would. I would love to, you know, do something maybe in like the daytime TV space about like lifestyle. Um. I do love all things like cooking, entertaining, decorating, fashion, Um, and

they're all kind of like, you know, text styled driven. Um. And then personally, Um, I do have a farm now, but there's another one that it's ridiculous, like I have this real estate like obsession. Um. There's another one that was my grandparents where I learned to ride and it's very sentimental and it's beautiful and it was, you know, sold when I was a kid and now it's maybe

potentially available again. So I'm I'm trying to figure out like if I can be like the real estate guru and like have an airbnb and maybe have like a farm to table something. So I'm just feeling very entrepreneurial. And you know what, yes, the answer is yes, you could do all of those things and we will be either coming to visit to have dinner there or we'll be buying the things you're making to get that feel. So I'm excited to hear it all. So I always

asked this question. Is the last question I ask everyone, and whatever pops out of your head, but if you could tell everyone listening to this podcast what's the one thing that they could do that could change the course of their life just by listening to us talk today, what could it be? Oh, I'M gonna go back to my life, my philosophy of life, which is just, you know,

the say yes and figure it out later. And I it's good to be cautious and prudent and all of that, but sometimes I think we're a little bit too hamstring by fear and sometimes you just need to say yeah, I'm gonna do that and then figure it out later. I love that. I love that and honestly, I expected different from you today and I'm so happy, like what what I experienced talking to I just thought you were going to be much more something from being and loud. I can do that too, but you know, this is

so intimate. was just like a one on one um wow amongst friends. So, but this is the real you. I mean the other is your I like this, Carson, so of them. I like the other one too, but it's I've been really fun talking to you and I really appreciate you coming on the podcast. I loved you every second and I will come back any time. Just let me know. Thanks. Thank you. Bye. Thanks for listening. Follow us on social apt the important things podcast on

instagram and just Bobby Brown on Tiktok. See you guys next time.