Carson Kressley's True Colors

Carson Kressley is a stylist, author, fashion designer, star of TV's Queer Eye for the straight guy and, now, tour leader and groupie. Carson is going on the road with Cyndi Lauper and a gaggle of gays and gay allies for the second annual True Colors Tour, presented by Logo, and produced in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign.

Windy City Times: Hey Carson, how are you?
Carson Kressley: I'm good; I'm actually on my voyage right now. I'm in my car, driving to Boston for our first rehearsal.

WCT: How exciting. This is like going to summer camp for gay rock stars, and you're invited.
CK: It totally is. Maybe we'll do a lot more fun things than making crafts out of macaroni.

WCT: Although gays can even make that fun, come on. A little glitter.
CK: Totally. A little glitter, a little glue and a dream-that's all it takes.

WCT: Exactly. How did Cyndi invite you to be a part of these summer festivities?
CK: I was lucky enough to go to the show last summer in Atlantic City. I wanted to go see Cyndi, and Debbie Harry and the whole group that they had last year and, during the break-kind of during intermission-I got to go backstage and meet everybody, which was super-fun, and the organizer said "Hey, do you want to go introduce the next half of the show?" And I said "OK," and it was kind of like an American Idol moment, where you just go up and do your thing, and I was like, "OK, I'll try it." And I did, and it was super-fun, and I had a great time with the crowd. Then this year when they were organizing the tour, Cyndi and the [tour] producers came to me and said, "Hey, would you be interested?" And I was like, "Yeah, I'd love to see the country and have someone else pay for the gas. So bring it on."

WCT: So did you just immediately say yes because you'd had a taste of it, being on stage in Atlantic City?
CK: Yeah, basically. I just got the idea you know. First of all, any time when you collaborate with amazing, talented people like Rosie O'Donnell, Cyndi Lauper [and] the B-52s, you know it's going to be an amazing experience. And that's one of the great things from doing Queer Eye, and from doing How To Look Good Naked and some of the TV stuff I've done-you get asked to do these fun things you would never ever ever have an opportunity to do. So when those opportunities arise, I kind of just say "yes" right away.

WCT: Tell me, who else is going to be on tour with you this year? I know Rosie O'Donnell is coming back [and], of course, Cyndi is our big headliner, but who are some of the other artists who are going to be on the entire tour, and who are some of the guest artists making appearances?
CK: We have an amazing fleet of stars-of course Cyndi, Rosie and the B-52s are going to be in every venue, I believe. They're really kind of the anchors of the tour, but then we've invited special guests in different cities. We've got Andy Bell from Erasure; we have Deborah Cox coming to join us in Miami and, I think, in some of the southwestern shows; Wanda Sykes, the amazing comedian; The Cliks; we have Regina Spektor, so many people. Basically everybody good, we have.

WCT: Yeah, it's [so] exciting, and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts are coming out this year.
CK: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Put another dime in the jukebox baby. They are coming.

WCT: And then those cute little lesbian twins, the little Tegan and Sara, who are just little pocket lesbians.
CK: Oh, Tegan and Sara, yes. If you love The L Word, you're going to love Tegan and Sara. They're so cute. ... And fabulous me, in five or six different outfits.

WCT: You're going to have quick changes, huh?
CK: Yeah, I'm going to change every time I come out. Like Ellen hosting the Oscars, I thought I would change every time. You know, bring some fashion to the people.

-With assistance by Robb Olson