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{{Short description|American talk show host}}
'''Karel''' is an American ] host, best known for his work on ] in ] before his firing by station management for controversial on-air statements. Bouley is also an occasional columnist for ], a contributing blogger for '']''. A currently ] book of essays authored by Bouley, ''You Can't Say That'', was published in 2004 by the LGBT publishing house, Alyson Press.<ref></ref>
'''Charles Karel Bouley''', known on-the-air as '''Karel''', is an American ] host, singer, TV personality, and author.


He began his career as a comedian and singer. Karel released one album and multiple singles in the 1990s, including the album ''Dance... Or Else''. While promoting a record, he was signed to do a radio show on ] called "Different After Dark." After that show Karel and his now co-host and domestic partner Andrew Howard became morning drive at Triangle Broadcasting in Palm Springs, heard in the Seattle area <ref name="Anthony, James 1999">Anthony, James (May 11, 1999). "Queering rush-hour radio&nbsp;– openly gay radio talk show in Los Angeles, CA, hosted by Karel and Andrew", The Advocate.</ref>
==Biography==
. Then they went on to become the first openly ] radio talk show hosts on ] in Los Angeles.<ref name="fullerton2001">{{cite web|url=http://www.trn1.com/the-rusty-humphries-show-talk-show-host-karel-joins-rusty-to-talk-sexuality |title=The Rusty Humphries Show: Talk Show Host Karel Joins Rusty to Talk Sexuality – Talk Radio Network |publisher=Trn1.com |access-date=December 4, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Calvo |first=Dana |date=2001-05-22 |title=Andrew Howard; Part of the First Openly Gay Radio Talk Show Duo |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-may-22-me-1085-story.html |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>


Andrew Howard died unexpectedly in 2001<ref name="Kowalski">{{Cite web |last=Kowalski |first=Eileen |date=2001-06-05 |title=Andrew Howard |url=https://variety.com/2001/scene/people-news/andrew-howard-1117800645/ |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> and Karel stayed on KFI for two years solo. After a shift in management at KFI, Karel was let go; he subsequently hosted a show on San Francisco-based ]. He was fired from KGO in November 2008 when his profane off-air comments about ] were inadvertently broadcast live.<ref name="fong" /> He would then regain his job in 2010 and stay at KGO until 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Club |first=San Francisco Press |date=2011-03-14 |title=Karel returning to KGO |url=https://sfpressclub.org/2011/03/14/karel-returning-to-kgo/ |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=San Francisco Press Club |language=en-US}}</ref> After being let go he began The Karel Cast as well as performing his stage show Karel Stands Up nationally.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hartgrave |first=Buzzin’ Lee |date=2011-05-27 |title=Blue Man Group – "Remarkable!"; Karel – "A Comic for the Ages" |url=https://beyondchron.org/blue-man-group-remarkable-karel-a-comic-for-the-ages/ |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=Beyond Chron |language=en-US}}</ref>
Charles Raymond Bouley, Jr. was born November 7, 1962 to father, Charles Raymond Bouley Sr. and mother, Rose Marie (née Tremblay) Bouley.


Bouley subsequently has hosted a show on ], in 2014. He is also a writer.
==Before radio==
Before his radio career, Bouley released a 1999 album entitled "Dance...Or Else"; named the number ten pick-of-the-year by ''Billboard'''s Dance Music editor Larry Flick.{{citation needed}} Bouley later recorded the single "Don't Stop" with Steve Bronski and the single "I Am" with ] as well as "Take Your Heartache Away" also on the Jellybean label. Several of Bouley's recording projects included Thea Austin, a personal friend of Bouley and former lead singer of ].{{citation needed}}


==Radio talk show host== == Early life ==
Karel was born Charles Raymond Bouley II in Miami Beach, Florida, in 1962. His family moved to California in 1975 where he stayed until 2015 before moving to Las Vegas. He has had one domestic partner, Andrew Lee Howard, who died in 2001. He began performing in college, did drag in the early 1980s as The Divine Miss Mess (impersonating Bette Midler) and began singing in LGBTQ clubs. He entered radio in the late 90s along with recording singles and an album. He has written for the media since 1978. His early life is chronicled in his semi-autobiographical 2004 release "You Can't Say That".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bouley |first=Charles Karel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sf-YZKSQWT8C |title=You Can't Say That! |date=2004 |publisher=Alyson Books |isbn=978-1-55583-808-9 |language=en}}</ref>


== Career ==
Bouley and his on and off-air partner, Andrew Howard, started in radio together at KYPA Los Angeles in addition to Triangle Broadcasting based in ]. For the latter, they hosted the program "''Good Morning Gay America''".


=== Musical career ===
In 1998, Bouley and Howard became the first ] ] couple to host a drive-time radio show on a major station.<ref>{{citation |title=Andrew Howard |first=Eileen |last=Kowalski |url=http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117800645.html?categoryid=25&cs=1 |periodical=] |accessdate=2008-11-19 |date=4 June 2001 }}</ref> At ]' ], the duo replaced John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou (known on-the-air as ]) in the afternoon drive-slot.<ref name=moxley>{{citation|first=Scott|last=Moxley|date=27 Mar 2003|accessdate=2009-09-17|title=Dr. Kooshian vs. the Gay Community|url=http://www.ocweekly.com/2003-03-27/news/dr-kooshian-vs-the-gay-community/1}}</ref>. The pair were moved from the afternoon drive to the evening drive slot, to accommodate Phil Hendrie's national feed time slot.{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}}
In 1993 Karel recorded "Everybody Get On Up". Billboard reviewed the single April 3, 1993. In 1994 he released "Turn It Up" produced by Sabby Reyes and ]<ref>{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-BEEAAAAMBAJ&q=Karel&pg=PA63 |title=Billboard |date=1993-09-04 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}}</ref> Karel did a cover of the ] hit "Live to Tell" in August 1995.<ref>{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xwsEAAAAMBAJ&q=Single |title=Billboard |date=1995-08-05 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}}</ref> In 1995 he released the album "Dance...Or Else"; Larry Flick named the it one of the Top 10 Dance Albums of 1995.<ref>{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mw4EAAAAMBAJ&dq=larry+flick+billboard+karel+dance...or+else&pg=PA34 |title=Billboard |date=1995-10-21 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nQ0EAAAAMBAJ&q=Karel&pg=PA44 |title=Billboard |date=1995-12-23 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}}</ref> In 1996 he was nominated for a Gay And Lesbian American Music Award (GLAMA).<ref>{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wAcEAAAAMBAJ&q=Indies |title=Billboard |date=1996-08-24 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}}</ref> In 1996 he recorded a remake of the late ] hit "Don't Stop" produced by ] of ] and remixed by the Factory Team.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Karel |url=https://www.eurokdj.com//search/eurodb.php?name=Karel |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=The Eurodance Encyclopaedia}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xAsEAAAAMBAJ&q=Karel&pg=PA24 |title=Billboard |date=1995-08-12 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}}</ref> In 1997, Karel signed with Jellybean Recordings and recorded "I Am" and "Take Your Heartache Away" both produced by Jellybean.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DA8EAAAAMBAJ&q=KarelJellybeanIAM&pg=PA35|title=Billboard|page=35|date=26 April 1997|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|access-date=25 June 2023|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7w0EAAAAMBAJ&q=KarelJellybeanTakeYourHeartacheAway&pg=PA25|title=Billboard|page=25|date=27 June 1998|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|access-date=25 June 2023|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eurokdj.com//search/eurodb.php?name=Karel|title=Karel|website=The Eurodance Encyclopaedia|access-date=25 June 2023}}</ref>


In 2018, he released "Stronger Together" co-written by himself and Morgan Mallory and featuring himself, Mallory, Thea Austin (from Snap!) and Daniel Charleston on vocals.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2017-06-25 |title=Stronger Together Debuts |url=https://gedmag.com/afterdark/stronger-together-debuts/ |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=GEDmagazine |language=en-US}}</ref>
After twenty-two months on KFI, Bouley and Howard were replaced by returning hosts ] in May ]. KFI's owner was reportedly preparing to launch them on Los Angeles area station, but Howard's death on May 21 in the same year of cardiac arrest due to arteroscelorotic cardiovascular disease changed that course.<ref name=moxley/> Following Howard's death, Bouley went on to win a battle in appellate court in ] that allowed him to sue as a ] in the alleged malpractice in Howard's death. His court victory effectively rewrote the wrongful death laws in ], making them retroactive.<ref>{{citation|first=Amanda|last=Bronstad|date=28 Mar 2005|accessdate=2009-09-16|title="Surviving partner in gay couple can sue after revision of law"|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Surviving+partner+in+gay+couple+can+sue+after+revision+of+law-a0131365043}}</ref> Karel returned to KFI and hosted his own talk-show there for almost a year after Andrew's death until he was fired by station management in 2002.<ref>{{citation|title=My Ground Zero of Fear|first=Charles Karel|last=Bouley|periodical=The Huffington Post|date=10 Oct 2006|accessdate=2009-09-16|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/my-ground-zero-of-fear_b_31399.html}}</ref> It was then that he was hired by ] radio station ].
In 2020 and 2021, Karel co-wrote "Toast" performed by the Black Donnelys,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Erik |date=2020-09-08 |title=Dan Levy, Janelle Monáe, Billy Porter, Regina King and more set to appear in first LGBTQ Entertainment Critics TV Awards special |url=https://awardswatch.com/dan-levy-janelle-monae-billy-porter-regina-king-and-more-set-to-appear-in-first-lgbtq-entertainment-critics-tv-awards-special/ |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=AwardsWatch |language=en-US}}</ref> "Flickering Life"<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |last2= |first2= |title="The Voice" alum Morgan Mallory's "Flickering Life" premieres on Sunday's Dorians TV Toast 2021 awards special|website=Greginhollywood.com |url=https://greginhollywood.com/the-voice-alum-morgan-mallory%e2%80%99s-pop-tune-%e2%80%9cflickering-life%e2%80%9d-premieres-on-sundays-dorians-tv-toast-2021-awards-special-212609 |access-date=2023-06-14}}</ref> and "Look In To the Light" <ref>{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Erik |date=2021-04-15 |title=GALECA: Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics' 2021 Dorian Awards to air live on Revry April 18 |url=https://awardswatch.com/galeca-society-of-lgbtq-entertainment-critics-2021-dorian-awards-to-air-live-on-revry-april-18/ |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=AwardsWatch |language=en-US}}</ref> for the Dorian Awards 2020 and 2021, the latter two performed by Morgan Mallory on the show.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-02 |title=LGBTQ entertainment critics reveal their 2021 Dorian TV Award nominations |url=https://thequeerreview.com/2021/07/01/lgbtq-entertainment-critics-reveal-their-2021-dorian-tv-award-nominations/ |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=The Queer Review |language=en-US}}</ref>


==Controversy== === Hosting ===
Bouley, along with his ], ], started in radio at ] Los Angeles doing the weekend show "Different After Dark". They then did a morning program, "''Good Morning Gay America''".<ref name="Anthony, James 1999"/> Professionally known as "Karel and Andrew", Bouley and Howard became the first openly gay ] hosts on a US major-market radio station with their move to KFI AM 640 in 1998.<ref name="latimes2">{{cite news |last=Keck |first=William |date=July 14, 2000 |title=They Like Things to Be Out in the Open |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jul-14-ca-52655-story.html |access-date=May 24, 2010}}</ref>
'''Ronald Reagan'''


In March 2000, "Karel & Andrew" was moved from the afternoon-drive slot into the evening-drive slot to accommodate the nationally syndicated ].<ref name="latimes2" /> The show followed Hendrie's until April 2001 when the station again went through changes. Andrew Howard, who had AIDS, died unexpectedly of a pulmonary embolism on May 21, 2001.<ref name="Kowalski"/><ref name="LA_Times-May_2_2001">{{cite news |last=Sharkey |first=Betsy |date=May 2, 2001 |title='John and Ken Show' Returns to Afternoon Spot on KFI |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-may-02-ca-58108-story.html |access-date=May 24, 2010 |archive-date=December 2, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202065925/http://articles.latimes.com/2001/may/02/entertainment/ca-58108 |url-status=live }}</ref>
On ], ], Bouley opened his weekend KGO program with a clip of '']'' song, "Ding-Dong the Witch is Dead!" as a "tribute" to former President ], who had died earlier that day. Bouley ranted about Reagan during the first two hours of his show because of what he saw as the inaction of Reagan and his administration in the face of the then-new AIDS crisis. On the Monday following Reagan's death, Bouley was castigated and panned by listeners in addition to being strongly reprimanded by ] management. He later apologized on the air for choosing to air his comments the same day as the former president's death and later included an open letter of apology to Nancy Reagan in his book ''You Can't Say That''.


Following his partner's death, Bouley returned to KFI and hosted a talk show there until station management changed and he and others were dismissed in April 2002.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|title=My Ground Zero of Fear|first=Charles Karel|last=Bouley|periodical=HuffPost|date=October 10, 2006|access-date=September 16, 2009|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/my-ground-zero-of-fear_b_31399.html|archive-date=April 7, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090407035213/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/my-ground-zero-of-fear_b_31399.html|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently independent/secondary (]).|date=June 2023}} <ref>{{Cite web |title=~Los Angeles Radio People, Where Are They Now, K |url=https://www.laradio.com/wherek.htm |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=Laradio.com}}</ref> Seven months later, Karel was hired as an on-air host by San Francisco radio station ] for the weekend evening time slot.<ref name=":0" />{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently independent/secondary (]).|date=June 2023}}<ref name="Karel still shouting at windmills">{{Cite web |title=Karel still shouting at windmills |url=https://www.ebar.com/story.php?ch=news&id=241749 |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=Bay Area Reporter |language=en-us}}</ref>
'''Tony Snow'''


Bouley hosted a ] series called ''Life in Segments'', described as a "reality talk show", in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zonkel |first=Phillip |date=13 December 2014 |title=Radio host Karel adds TV talk show to resume with 'Life In Segments' |url=https://www.presstelegram.com/lgbt/20141213/radio-host-karel-adds-tv-talk-show-to-resume-with-life-in-segments/ |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=] |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2020 and 2021, Karel hosted the ] both film and television awards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tangcay |first=Jazz |date=2021-04-19 |title='Nomadland' and 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' Named Top Films at Dorian Awards (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2021/awards/awards/2021-gay-lesbian-entertainment-critics-dorian-awards-winners-1234954316/ |access-date=2023-06-08 |website=Variety |language=en-US |archive-date=April 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419025710/https://variety.com/2021/awards/awards/2021-gay-lesbian-entertainment-critics-dorian-awards-winners-1234954316/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
On ], ], Bouley wrote the following for the online ], regarding reports that White House spokesman ] had developed colon cancer:
<blockquote>''"I hear about Tony Snow and say to myself, well, stand up every day, lie to the American people at the behest of your dictator-esque boss and well, how could a cancer ''not'' grow in you?" </blockquote>


=== Books ===
Consequently, the draft was replaced and Bouley's inflammatory statements removed without a notation in the blog that it had been edited from the original version.<ref>{{cite web |work=The Huffington Post |title=There's All Types of Cancers Growing |date=2007-03-27 |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/theres-all-types-of-canc_b_44369.html |first=Charles Karel |last=Bouley}}</ref> The original post, however, got wide airplay in print, on television, and the internet, compelling ''Huffington Post'' editor ] to speak out about the issue on '']'' shortly after the row.<ref>{{cite web |work=Hot Air |title=Video: Michelle versus HuffPo editor on O'Reilly |url=http://hotair.com/archives/2007/03/30/video-michelle-versus-huffpo-editor-on-oreilly/ |date=2007-03-30}}</ref>
In 2004, Bouley authored a book of essays titled, ''You Can't Say That''. The book was published by the ] publishing house, Alyson Press.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.queerculturalcenter.org/Pages/Keehnen/Boulet.html |title=Owen Keehnen: Interviews |publisher=Queerculturalcenter.org |access-date=December 4, 2013 |archive-date=February 27, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130227035700/http://www.queerculturalcenter.org/Pages/Keehnen/Boulet.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/s?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Charles+Karel+Bouley&x=0&y=0 |title=Charles Karel Bouley: Books |publisher=Amazon.com |access-date=May 24, 2010}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently independent/secondary (]).|date=June 2023}} Karel also contributed to "''When I Knew''" by Robert Trachtenberg, stories of "]" directed at Gay and Lesbian youth.<ref>{{Cite book |title=When I Knew |publisher=] |year=2005 |isbn=9780060571467 |editor-last=Trachtenberg |editor-first=Robert |location=New York City |editor-last2=Bachtell |editor-first2=Tom}}</ref> Bouley's second book, ''Shouting at Windmills, BS From Bush to Obama'' was released in June 2011<ref name="Karel still shouting at windmills"/>


== Appellate court battle ==
'''Joe The Plumber'''
Following the sudden death of his domestic partner, Andrew Howard, in 2001, Bouley went on to file and win a lawsuit in the Court of Appeal of the ] in ] to establish the rights of ]s to be recognized as such and giving them the right to sue for wrongful death. This decision, handed down in 2005, meant that domestic partnerships were retroactively recognized in the State of California.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Outtraveler Staff |date=17 March 2005 |title=California man wins right to sue over partner's death |work=] |url=https://www.advocate.com/news/2005/03/17/california-man-wins-right-sue-over-partners-death-15449 |access-date=8 June 2023 |archive-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209134251/https://www.advocate.com/news/2005/03/17/california-man-wins-right-sue-over-partners-death-15449 |url-status=live }}</ref>


==Controversy==
When Karel was hosting his weekly 7-10 p.m. call-in program on ] Saturday, ], ], the sound engineer unintentionally failed to mute Bouley's microphone during the national news break. When a reference to ] came up during the news, Karel was clearly heard on-air to yell "Fuck goddamn Joe the goddamn mother-fucking Plumber! I want mother-fucking Joe the Plumber dead!".<ref>http://newsbusters.org/blogs/k-daniel-glover/2008/11/12/liberal-talker-fired-over-joe-plumber-rant</ref> Following the news break, Karel apologized to the audience for his comments, explaining that his words were not intended to be aired. Bouley's comments earned him the title "pinhead" from ] on ] '']'' on Monday, Nov. 3, 2008. Karel posted on his website Nov. 4, 2008, that he had been "suspended pending review from KGO" and as of Nov. 5, 2008, his profile and blog on ]'s website were removed. On Nov. 6, 2008, ] host Ronn Owens confirmed on-air that Bouley had been suspended indefinitely<ref>{{cite episode|title=Ronn Owens Program|airdate=2008-11-06}}</ref>. KGO issued a news release on the afternoon of November 11, 2008 stating that Karel had been fired.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kgoam810.com/Article.asp?id=979729&spid=15884|date=2008-11-11|accessdate=2008-11-18|title=KGO Talk Host Karel Fired|last=Bouley|first=Charles Karel}}</ref> Bouley stated on Nov. 11, 2008 via the blog on his web site that he had been fired from KGO.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.mac.com/karel/Karelchannel.com/Welcome/Entries/2008/11/11_fired.html|date=2008-11-11|accessdate=2008-11-11|title=Fired|last=Bouley|first=Charles Karel}}</ref> Bouley stated on ], ] on his own website blog that he takes responsibility for the incident but " not my fault", blaming the newly-hired ] engineer instead. The entire blog entry has since been removed from Bouley's website, but is still viewable at the blogsite "Thoughts of A Conservative Mind".<ref></ref> Bouley went on to blame KGO for his remarks being aired in ]'s ], ] column in the ]. He stated, "Weekends are cheap and they were using a cheap engineer for my show... shouldn't have had an inexperienced engineer for my show, which is done remotely, and in which the host doesn't have an on/off switch on his mic. They put an inexperienced driver in the seat and the show crashed."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.examiner.com/x-448-SF-Radio-Examiner~y2008m11d11-Karel-and-Engineer-Fired-in-a-One-Paragraph-Email-and-Three-Minute-Phone-Call|date=2008-11-11|accessdate=2008-12-06|title=Karel and engineer fired in one-paragraph e-mail and three-minute phone call|last=Kava|first=Brad}}</ref>
In November 2008, while Bouley was hosting on ], a sound engineer failed to mute Bouley's microphone during the national news break. When a reference to ] came up during the news, Bouley was heard on-air ranting: "Fuck goddamn Joe the goddamn mother-fucking Plumber. I want mother-fucking Joe the Plumber dead."<ref name="fong">{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/30/PKO7147PF1.DTL |title=KGO DJ Karel loses his job |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=November 30, 2008 |access-date=May 24, 2010 |first=Ben |last=Fong-Torres |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629053714/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/30/PKO7147PF1.DTL |url-status=live }}</ref> KGO issued a news release on November 11, 2008 stating that he had been terminated.<ref name="fong" /> He was then rehired by KGO in 2010 and remained until 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2011-03-14 |title=Karel returning to KGO |url=https://sfpressclub.org/2011/03/14/karel-returning-to-kgo/ |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=San Francisco Press Club |language=en-US}}</ref>


==Current life== == References ==
;Notes
Presently, Karel is hosting a ] on ] AM 540 broadcasting from ]<ref></ref> and radio station ] AM 1080 broadcasting from ].<ref>http://www.kudo1080.com/staff.asp</ref>
{{Reflist|2}}
A week after KGO-AM (810) let him go for accidentally swearing on air, when he thought his
microphone was turned off, Karel announced a live standup appearance at the Rrazz Room at the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco,<ref{{http://www.examiner.com/x-448-SF-Radio-Examiner~y2008m11d18-Fired-Radio-Host-Karel-Back-in-San-FranciscoWith-a-Standup-Comedy-Ac }}/ref> where he has since appeared several times.
Bouley is married platonically to longtime friend Karen Dittman for insurance protection; Dittman has since moved to Texas.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://homepage.mac.com/karel/Sites. /blog/archivedblog.html|date=2006-01-26|accessdate=2008-12-06|title=Time to Breathe|last=Bouley|first=Charles Karel}}</ref Karel has announced several times on-air, that "she is soon to be his ex-wife." <ref latest announcement, 09/18/09, KXRA />


⚫ == External links ==
==References==
⚫ * {{Official website|http://www.reallykarel.com|Karel Bouley's official website}}
{{reflist}}
⚫ * {{cite news |work=HuffPost |title=Charles Karel Bouley |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karel-411}}
*


{{Authority control}}
⚫ ==External links==
⚫ *
⚫ *{{cite web |work=The Huffington Post |title=Charles Karel Bouley |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley}}


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Latest revision as of 06:33, 27 December 2024

American talk show host

Charles Karel Bouley, known on-the-air as Karel, is an American talk radio host, singer, TV personality, and author.

He began his career as a comedian and singer. Karel released one album and multiple singles in the 1990s, including the album Dance... Or Else. While promoting a record, he was signed to do a radio show on KYPA Los Angeles called "Different After Dark." After that show Karel and his now co-host and domestic partner Andrew Howard became morning drive at Triangle Broadcasting in Palm Springs, heard in the Seattle area . Then they went on to become the first openly gay radio talk show hosts on KFI in Los Angeles.

Andrew Howard died unexpectedly in 2001 and Karel stayed on KFI for two years solo. After a shift in management at KFI, Karel was let go; he subsequently hosted a show on San Francisco-based KGO. He was fired from KGO in November 2008 when his profane off-air comments about Joe the Plumber were inadvertently broadcast live. He would then regain his job in 2010 and stay at KGO until 2015. After being let go he began The Karel Cast as well as performing his stage show Karel Stands Up nationally.

Bouley subsequently has hosted a show on Free Speech TV, in 2014. He is also a writer.

Early life

Karel was born Charles Raymond Bouley II in Miami Beach, Florida, in 1962. His family moved to California in 1975 where he stayed until 2015 before moving to Las Vegas. He has had one domestic partner, Andrew Lee Howard, who died in 2001. He began performing in college, did drag in the early 1980s as The Divine Miss Mess (impersonating Bette Midler) and began singing in LGBTQ clubs. He entered radio in the late 90s along with recording singles and an album. He has written for the media since 1978. His early life is chronicled in his semi-autobiographical 2004 release "You Can't Say That".

Career

Musical career

In 1993 Karel recorded "Everybody Get On Up". Billboard reviewed the single April 3, 1993. In 1994 he released "Turn It Up" produced by Sabby Reyes and Thea Austin Karel did a cover of the Madonna hit "Live to Tell" in August 1995. In 1995 he released the album "Dance...Or Else"; Larry Flick named the it one of the Top 10 Dance Albums of 1995. In 1996 he was nominated for a Gay And Lesbian American Music Award (GLAMA). In 1996 he recorded a remake of the late Sylvester hit "Don't Stop" produced by Steve Bronski of Bronski Beat and remixed by the Factory Team. In 1997, Karel signed with Jellybean Recordings and recorded "I Am" and "Take Your Heartache Away" both produced by Jellybean.

In 2018, he released "Stronger Together" co-written by himself and Morgan Mallory and featuring himself, Mallory, Thea Austin (from Snap!) and Daniel Charleston on vocals. In 2020 and 2021, Karel co-wrote "Toast" performed by the Black Donnelys, "Flickering Life" and "Look In To the Light" for the Dorian Awards 2020 and 2021, the latter two performed by Morgan Mallory on the show.

Hosting

Bouley, along with his domestic partner, Andrew Lee Howard, started in radio at KYPA Los Angeles doing the weekend show "Different After Dark". They then did a morning program, "Good Morning Gay America". Professionally known as "Karel and Andrew", Bouley and Howard became the first openly gay radio talk-show hosts on a US major-market radio station with their move to KFI AM 640 in 1998.

In March 2000, "Karel & Andrew" was moved from the afternoon-drive slot into the evening-drive slot to accommodate the nationally syndicated Phil Hendrie Show. The show followed Hendrie's until April 2001 when the station again went through changes. Andrew Howard, who had AIDS, died unexpectedly of a pulmonary embolism on May 21, 2001.

Following his partner's death, Bouley returned to KFI and hosted a talk show there until station management changed and he and others were dismissed in April 2002. Seven months later, Karel was hired as an on-air host by San Francisco radio station KGO for the weekend evening time slot.

Bouley hosted a Free Speech TV series called Life in Segments, described as a "reality talk show", in 2014. In 2020 and 2021, Karel hosted the Dorian Awards both film and television awards.

Books

In 2004, Bouley authored a book of essays titled, You Can't Say That. The book was published by the LGBT publishing house, Alyson Press. Karel also contributed to "When I Knew" by Robert Trachtenberg, stories of "coming out" directed at Gay and Lesbian youth. Bouley's second book, Shouting at Windmills, BS From Bush to Obama was released in June 2011

Appellate court battle

Following the sudden death of his domestic partner, Andrew Howard, in 2001, Bouley went on to file and win a lawsuit in the Court of Appeal of the State of California in Los Angeles County to establish the rights of domestic partners to be recognized as such and giving them the right to sue for wrongful death. This decision, handed down in 2005, meant that domestic partnerships were retroactively recognized in the State of California.

Controversy

In November 2008, while Bouley was hosting on KGO, a sound engineer failed to mute Bouley's microphone during the national news break. When a reference to Joe the Plumber came up during the news, Bouley was heard on-air ranting: "Fuck goddamn Joe the goddamn mother-fucking Plumber. I want mother-fucking Joe the Plumber dead." KGO issued a news release on November 11, 2008 stating that he had been terminated. He was then rehired by KGO in 2010 and remained until 2015.

References

Notes
  1. ^ Anthony, James (May 11, 1999). "Queering rush-hour radio – openly gay radio talk show in Los Angeles, CA, hosted by Karel and Andrew", The Advocate.
  2. "The Rusty Humphries Show: Talk Show Host Karel Joins Rusty to Talk Sexuality – Talk Radio Network". Trn1.com. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  3. Calvo, Dana (2001-05-22). "Andrew Howard; Part of the First Openly Gay Radio Talk Show Duo". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  4. ^ Kowalski, Eileen (2001-06-05). "Andrew Howard". Variety. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  5. ^ Fong-Torres, Ben (November 30, 2008). "KGO DJ Karel loses his job". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  6. Club, San Francisco Press (2011-03-14). "Karel returning to KGO". San Francisco Press Club. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  7. Hartgrave, Buzzin’ Lee (2011-05-27). "Blue Man Group – "Remarkable!"; Karel – "A Comic for the Ages"". Beyond Chron. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  8. Bouley, Charles Karel (2004). You Can't Say That!. Alyson Books. ISBN 978-1-55583-808-9.
  9. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1993-09-04.
  10. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1995-08-05.
  11. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1995-10-21.
  12. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1995-12-23.
  13. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1996-08-24.
  14. "Karel". The Eurodance Encyclopaedia. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  15. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1995-08-12.
  16. "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 26 April 1997. p. 35. Retrieved 25 June 2023 – via Google Books.
  17. "Billboard". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 27 June 1998. p. 25. Retrieved 25 June 2023 – via Google Books.
  18. "Karel". The Eurodance Encyclopaedia. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  19. "Stronger Together Debuts". GEDmagazine. 2017-06-25. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  20. Anderson, Erik (2020-09-08). "Dan Levy, Janelle Monáe, Billy Porter, Regina King and more set to appear in first LGBTQ Entertainment Critics TV Awards special". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  21. ""The Voice" alum Morgan Mallory's "Flickering Life" premieres on Sunday's Dorians TV Toast 2021 awards special". Greginhollywood.com. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  22. Anderson, Erik (2021-04-15). "GALECA: Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics' 2021 Dorian Awards to air live on Revry April 18". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  23. "LGBTQ entertainment critics reveal their 2021 Dorian TV Award nominations". The Queer Review. 2021-07-02. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  24. ^ Keck, William (July 14, 2000). "They Like Things to Be Out in the Open". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  25. Sharkey, Betsy (May 2, 2001). "'John and Ken Show' Returns to Afternoon Spot on KFI". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 2, 2008. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  26. ^ Bouley, Charles Karel (October 10, 2006). "My Ground Zero of Fear". HuffPost. Archived from the original on April 7, 2009. Retrieved September 16, 2009.
  27. "~Los Angeles Radio People, Where Are They Now, K". Laradio.com. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  28. ^ "Karel still shouting at windmills". Bay Area Reporter. Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  29. Zonkel, Phillip (13 December 2014). "Radio host Karel adds TV talk show to resume with 'Life In Segments'". Press-Telegram. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  30. Tangcay, Jazz (2021-04-19). "'Nomadland' and 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' Named Top Films at Dorian Awards (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  31. "Owen Keehnen: Interviews". Queerculturalcenter.org. Archived from the original on February 27, 2013. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  32. "Charles Karel Bouley: Books". Amazon.com. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  33. Trachtenberg, Robert; Bachtell, Tom, eds. (2005). When I Knew. New York City: Regan Books. ISBN 9780060571467.
  34. Outtraveler Staff (17 March 2005). "California man wins right to sue over partner's death". The Advocate. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  35. "Karel returning to KGO". San Francisco Press Club. 2011-03-14. Retrieved 2023-06-14.

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