Speaker 1: This is Pet Life Radio. Let's talk pets.
Speaker 2: Hi. Welcome to this week's episode of Loving Animals on
Pet Life Radio. This is your host, Doctor Robin Ganser.
I'm so thrilled that you're able to join us for
this incredible, incredibly special episode. If you love horses, if
you love dogs, if you love cats, if you love TV,
I'm going to tell you this is the episode to
listen to. We're so thrilled that our very special guest
is Carson Presley, an EMMYDIA Award winning television personality, style expert,
fashion designer, and New York Times bestselling author. What Hasn't
Carson Done? He's amazing. Carson, you know, started his career
as a stylist before leaping into television way back in
two thousand and three as part of Bravo's Queer Eye
for This Straight Guy, an awfully fun television show. Carson
also starred in the own Networks Carson Nation. He hosted
lifetimes show, How to Look Good Naked, and ABC's True
Beauty and we all remember him when he was on
Dancing with the Stars. But animal lovers, I know you
remember Carson because he was our inaugural host for the
very first Hero Dog Awards back in two thousand and eleven.
Carson is going to join us for this week's episode
of Loving Animals, and we'll be right back in a
special minute with Carson.
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Helen Brown's Bono, The Amazing Story of a Rescue Cat
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Modern Cat Magazine calls Bono an uplifting tale about how
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Brown is on sale now everywhere.
Speaker 4: Let's Talk Pets on Petlife Radio dot Com.
Speaker 2: Welcome to Loving Animals. We're so thrilled that Carson Kresley
is on the phone with us today. Carson, how are
you hi?
Speaker 1: Robin Hi?
Speaker 2: So great to hear your voice. I know you're in
New York right now. Is it a pretty day in
New York.
Speaker 5: No, it's been so cold, so it's like eight degrees now,
so it seems like summer. It's like so balmy compared
to what we've been used to. And it's bloomy, and
there'll be lots of sirens proudly as I'm walking down
the street. But we'll just you know, it'll be live
from New York, be very authentic. So I it's all good.
Speaker 6: Love it.
Speaker 2: I love it, Carson, I love it.
Speaker 5: Well.
Speaker 2: I have to ask you before we get into talking
more about animals. How is that precious rescue pup of
yours named Scooby.
Speaker 5: Oh, he's great. And you know, I just I was
at the farm this weekend. I you know, when I'm
not working in New York City, I try to go
out to my farm in Pennsylvania and see my dogs
and my cats and my horses. So I actually even
got to ride yesterday because it had warmed up enough.
And so they're all good. All the pets are good.
Speaker 2: Oh, wonderful, wonderful, you know. I just I'm so amazed
when I see your photos on those beautiful saddle breads
that you have. I mean, you're just such an amazing equestrian.
How did you know you were going to fall in
love with horses? And what was the story like when
you first your first Well, you know, I was.
Speaker 5: Really lucky, Robin, because I grew up on a pony farm.
I know that sounds incredible, but my grandparents were in
Shetland pony and my grandmother was just such an animal
lover and they started out with one and that turned
in two, and that turned into four, and then through
geometric progression, they wound up having about two hundred Shetland
ponies and more one of the premier breeders in the
United States. And so I had to grow up around,
you know, all things equine. And then when I was
about twelve or thirteen, I was like, these ponies are great,
but I need a horse. And that's when I discovered
American baddle breads. That have been riding and showing them
since then. So I'm almost twenty three now, so it's
been about ten years.
Speaker 2: I love that. I love that. That is so great. Carson.
In those ten years of riding, I know you've achieved
world champion status and for people who are on the
listening end today, they understand that isn't equestrian, but share
with us what it means to be a world champion.
Speaker 5: Oh gosh, well, that has always been a dream of mine.
And competing with American celebrates and ex Freezians and some
other breeds, they all have their World Championships and it's
the highest level of competition. It's what you all kind
of aspire to when you compete, you hope to one
day make it to the World Championships. And the Celebred
World Championships are in Louisville, Kentucky every year. They're part
of the Kentucky State Fair, which is really something to
see regardless, and you know, you're just you're try your
very best to take the very special horse. It takes
a lot of commitment, a lot of practice riding, a
financial commitment, and then beyond all of that, it's just
it's so elusive that you know, all the stars really
have to align and you're protested to just give a
great performance that particular day and you have to be
completely in sync. And it's a rare combination, but I've
I've achieved it a couple times, and I'm very, very lucky.
I just I tinge myself every time I think about
it because it's one of my you know, fondest memories
because I'm so passionate about the horses and where it's
all come together in that way. It's really a wonderful moment.
Speaker 2: So did you achieve those world champion status on one
horse or we have been a couple of horses that
you've ridden that have achieved.
Speaker 5: A couple of different ones. Yeah, the Frisian World Championships,
I've won a couple. I don't know, maybe like seven
world titles, but a lot of those are in hand
that you win a couple in one day. Yeah, I
just saw a fam that I met the Breeders cup
horse Racist. He was on the street here say hi,
so sorry, I love but yeah. And then my one Saddlebread,
my favorite one who is dearly departed but was a
great mayor that I had since she was two years old,
was the other one that I won with in the
Saddlebread world and that was very special because kind of
found her, developed her, trained with her and then you know,
won one of the big ones. So that was really
gratifying and kind of doing it all myself with the
help of a great horse trainer of course too, right, right, And.
Speaker 2: Do you find yourself able to ride a lot? I
mean with your skin? Gosh, the times.
Speaker 5: It's a little busy, but I try to. If I'm
on the West Coast, there's a couple of great places
that I go and I stay leg liked up. If
I go home to my farm in Pennsylvania, we have
a bunch of retirees and former show horses that are
just you know, living life of leisure that I can
jump on and stay like up. And then the show horses.
I try to ride once a month, but that's a
little bit ambitious. Sometimes it's you know, once every couple
of months. But you know, saddlebreds are such a great
temperament and they're so athletic. They're really you know, to me,
they're like the luxury car of the horse world. They're
They're pretty easy to just get along with and get
on and ride. And since I've been doing it for
so long, I can kind of just even if I
haven't prepared enough, I can kind of just fake it.
Speaker 2: Don't tell anyone, I know, you're not faking it. It's
natural ability for you. It's just magical that that's so wonderful, Carson,
and I bet a lot of our listeners didn't know
that you had all this incredible passionate interest and such
grand success in the world, because it really is. It's
just an incredible, incredible story. And I love the fact
that you are still able to ride with your busy, busy,
busy career. And speaking of your busy, busy career, I
loved your book. Does this book make my butt look big?
The guy to Philly Sexier? Oh my gosh, how much fun?
And I believe wasn't that a New York Times bestseller.
Speaker 5: I've had a couple. I've been very lucky. I'd my
fourth book, and I've had a couple of New York
Times rankings, and yeah, and this one, I just you know.
I had done a men's style guide and a kid's
book and a guide book Too Queer for the Straight Guy,
but I had never done a women's style guide, and
women who were stopping me all the time, saying, oh,
what should I change? How do I look? And I
really wanted to put something out there that nobody else
has done, which is really a style guide that has
a sense of humor, that says getting dressed in the
morning is supposed to be fun and celebratory and not
not stressful. And really took that passion when writing the
book and saying, hey, hey, have fun with your clothes.
Get up, take some chances. You can make a mistake,
it's no big deal. And ultimately, I just wanted women
to have fun with the process, because we all have
to get dressed in the morning and it should be
fine and not stressful.
Speaker 2: It's exactly right. And so much that we see, particularly
through social media, are the body shaming and those kinds
of things. People can sometimes get fearful about what they're
going to do and how they're going to look, you know,
in a special work moment or a special event or
even one of those really lifetime moments, you know, weddings
and all those kinds of things, will get very nervous
and fearful. So having something like this, I think is
wonderful for women. So I'm grateful that you put that
together and I just love the.
Speaker 5: Time or thank you. Well, yeah, we wanted to have
fun with it. And like you said, all those milestones,
weddings and celebrations and job interviews, we talk about all
of them in the book. And really, you know, for me,
having great style is wearing the right thing at the
right time. You know, if it's a like you could
wear a prom gown to a prom and look like
a million bucks, if you're wearing a prom dress to
a job interview, they're going to think you're maybe a
little bit unprepared. So it's about wearing the right thing
at the right time. And I really just kind of
outline that in the book and say, here you go,
were this, this and this to this occasion and you're
going to look just perfect. And it doesn't matter if
you're size two or size twenty two. There's kind of
fool proof looks in there that are illustrated and documented,
so you can just follow the guide book and be fabulous.
Speaker 2: I love it. I love it. And really, speaking of
being fabulous, Carson, we know and love you at American
Humaine as our inaugural host for American Humaine's Hero Dog Awards,
now in its seventh year, you were our very first host.
You were fabulous, fantastic. We just loved having you involved
with our mission. And that's why I remember your rescue dog, Scooby,
because that was the same year you adopted Scooby, So
that's why I have such an affinity for that special rescue.
Speaker 5: I love the Hero Dog Awards and I also got
to I think I came back like the following year
and I got to present with Betty White, which was
so fun. Oh my god, just the once in a
lifetime thing. And my friend Kristin Chen has been there.
So you guys do an amazing job. And I love
the awards, and I love that you are recognizing hero dog.
Speaker 2: Yes, hero dogs. You know, it could be a dog,
an ordinary dog like Scooby doing something extraordinary. And every
year these dogs do do so many amazing, amazing things.
And we're so grateful that you've been part of our family.
The year that you were the inaugural host, the dog Grozelle,
And it's so appropriate that you're walking down the streets
in New York right now. Rozelle was the guide dog
that walked her owner down what seventy some flights of
stairs in the World Trade Center at diner level.
Speaker 5: I remember that, oh, what like a white lab or something.
Speaker 2: That's right, that's right, Brozille, and she had passed away
right before the awards, and so we couldn't get her
on stage, but I know there wasn't a dry eye
yours and mind included when her when her story was told. Unbelievable. Yeah, amazing. Well,
for all animal lovers, we know you've got a special
affinity for horses. But I have to ask you cats
versus dogs, what do you think?
Speaker 5: Oh gosh, I am probably more of a dog person.
I want to be more of a cat person, but
they don't want to be a Carson person. So every
time I try to like cuddle and snuggle those barn
cats are like, no, I think I'm gonna jump out
of your hands right now. But I'm more of a
dog person. I do love some cats as well.
Speaker 1: Oh that's our joy.
Speaker 2: It is ours. Sometimes it's hashtag catter day. And sometimes
they choose not to be in our lives. So that's
what cats are, that's for sure. They choose their moments. Well,
you know, speaking of dogs, I'm glad you're such a
dog fan. We'd love to get you back at Hero
Dog Awards this year September and Beverly Heels and We're
going to reach out and see if we can fit
in your busy schedule to get you back on stage.
Speaker 1: I love you.
Speaker 5: If I'm not in New York, I will be there.
Speaker 2: That would be wonderful. Well, Carson, not only are you
an advocate for animals, you're also an advocate for some
amazing philanthropic causes such as the Travel Project, which is
one of my favorites, and the Human Rights Campaign. You know,
this is what you do to give back to build
a better world, a more humane world, is so important
in today's times. What makes you so philanthropic? What makes
you want to see things better? There's something in you
that's so special to say.
Speaker 5: I just there's really nothing that you know makes I
just feel like it's just what you do and it's
just in my DNA. I guess it just seems like
the right thing to do. I've been so blessed and
so fortunate to have been embraced for who I am,
and I just I feel for especially you know are
youth lgbt Q youth that you know neil isolated and alone.
I just want to use my voice to shout from
the mountaintops and say, listen, you are loved, You're special,
you are worthy, and you have a family and a
community that it's ready to raise you up and support you.
So I just feel like I have this platform and
it would be wrong not to use it. So it's
not an option, I guess what I'm saying. It's just
you do it, and it's fun and it's gratifying and
it's what you should do. So I that's why I
do what I do.
Speaker 2: That's fantastic, Carson. We wish more people were sharing that
same spirit of giving back and being part of the
solution in the world, and you certainly are that. We're
so proud to.
Speaker 5: Know you well. Thank you.
Speaker 2: Any final thoughts Carson. For our animal lovers on the
phone or tuning in today listening to you, Oh.
Speaker 5: Gosh, I just say, you know, hats and animals are
just such great gifts and to cherish and enjoy them
and take care of ones. Indeed, I mean, I think
there's so many between horse rescues and dogg and cat
rescues who get out there and help an animal that
needs you would be great. And for me, you can
always see more of my horse capaid on my social
media at Carson Krestley on Instagram, Twitter, and if you
love horses, you can watch me hosting a quest fest
on I think it's called Cowboy TV and RFT Network.
I think Wow running right now and then Thursday on
DH one and all new season of Root pul Steragory's
All Stars and I'm one of the permanent judges. Yeah,
that's very fun. It's just great TV. So I hope
you all will tune into that and then stay tuned
for some new projects this spring.
Speaker 2: Can't wait, Carson, I can't wait to see you on
Rue Paul's tune. Just love that show.
Speaker 5: Can't wait.
Speaker 2: Well, thank you again, Carson for all you do for animals,
and we want to get you back to the Hero
Dog Awards this September.
Speaker 5: Okay, thanks so much, Robin.
Speaker 2: Bye bye bye, take care, stay tuned, and thanks for
tuning into this week's episode of Loving Animals.
Speaker 5: We'll be right back.
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Speaker 2: Welcome back to Loving Animals with your host Robin Ganzard.
Don't you just love Carson Kresley. He's one of my
favorite ambassadors for American Humane of all time. He's really
just an outstanding person, an outstanding humanitarian and philanthropist and
animal lover.
Speaker 1: You heard about.
Speaker 2: Those great stories of his grandparents and having that Shetland
pony farm, and then of course he grew up to
be a world champion writer of saddlebreds and incredible equestrian.
And of course we know he rescues animals because they're
near and dear to his heart. But what I also
want to tell you is I so appreciate Carson as
a strong supporter of so many other philanthropic causes too,
the Trevor Project, human rights campaign, AIDS WALK. He has
done so much to help reach out and use his
platform to share his vision for love and building a
better world. So grateful that Carson joined us today, and again,
if you want to learn more about Carson Kresley, he
gave you all of his social media sites, particularly interested
in seeing what he called his horse escapades. I know
they're a lot of fun. Well, friends, thanks again for
tuning into this week's episode of Loving Animals with your host,
Doctor Robin Ganserd. Thrill that you spent this time with
us today. We look forward to a brand new episode
feature another animal lover next week, so I hope you
join us. Thanks again. I remember this week and every
week we're loving.
Speaker 3: Animals, and I know you are too. Take care.
Speaker 4: Let's Talk Pets every week on demand only on Patlifradio
Dot com