The Karel Show
The Karel Show delivers bold commentary from Karel, an openly gay entertainer, author, and nationally syndicated talk show host known for saying what others won’t. With humor, heart, and zero patience for nonsense, Karel takes listeners on a fast-paced, no-filter journey through politics, culture, and modern American life—hilarious, incisive, and always honest. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-karel-show--1368295/support.
Episodes
From Indonesia to Senegal, Bangladesh to Australia, anti-LGBTQ policies and rhetoric are making headlines around the world. Is the global fight for equality entering a dangerous new chapter?
This week on This Gay Week, Karel and Scott Jacobsen (joining us from Ukraine) break down the biggest LGBTQ stories from across the globe:
🏳️🌈 Indonesia faces international condemna...
A mischievous elephant seal from Tasmania has captured hearts around the world—and his name is Neal the Seal.
Every year, Neal returns to the beaches of southern Tasmania during breeding season, but instead of quietly finding a mate, he crashes into traffic barriers, flips fences, bumps parked cars, and causes absolute chaos. The incredibl...
After decades of projecting strength and invincibility, she’s speaking more openly about aging, loss, and what it means to grow older after losing her brother. It raises a question we all spend too much time avoiding:
Why do we devote so much of our lives to things that ultimately don’t matter?
Politics. Social media outrage. ...
America turned 250 years old—but instead of a celebration of unity, the anniversary exposed just how divided the country has become.
This week on The Karel Cast, I look at the stories that defined America’s birthday: record-breaking heat fueled by a changing climate, political fear campaigns, extremist groups marching openly in Wash...
What happens when you discuss LGBTQ rights while ballistic missiles are falling nearby?
This week on This Gay Week, Scott Jacobsen joins me live from Ukraine to examine the biggest LGBTQ stories from around the world—including the realities of living in a war zone while continuing to fight for equality.
This week’s stories include:
Congress is in chaos…again.
House Republicans abruptly shut down votes on several major bills after members of their own party revolted on the House floor, forcing leadership to cancel the legislative schedule and send lawmakers home for nearly two weeks. Instead of governing, Congress heads i...
The math of America no longer works — not even for people making six figures.
A new New York Times survey confirms what I’ve been saying for a long time: Americans are being crushed by rising prices, stagnant pay, grocery bills, housing costs, and the daily stress of simply trying to survive. If people making over $100,000 are feeling squ...
America turns 250 this week—but is there really anything to celebrate?
As the United States reaches its 250th birthday, the nation finds itself more divided than many Americans can remember. Political battles dominate Washington, global conflicts continue to create economic uncertainty, homeownership remains out of reach for millions, and many people wonder whether de...
THIS GAY WEEK: One-Third of the World’s Nations Still Target LGBTQ People
How bad is it for LGBTQ people around the world? The latest reports paint a troubling picture: nearly one-third of the world’s countries continue to criminalize, persecute, or openly discriminate against LGBTQ people. Why is progress accelerating in some places w...
Is the presidency becoming more about personal grudges than public service?
Today, Karel examines a week of escalating political drama as Donald Trump reportedly lashes out at members of his own party, refuses to support housing legislation, and makes claims without publicly presented evidence. Is this simply politics as usual—or something more concerni...
THE GREAT DISCONNECT: ARE PHONES DESTROYING HUMAN CONNECTION?
Toy Story 5 may be breaking box office records, but beneath the animation is a message that hits much closer to home. The film explores a battle between analog toys and digital devices, raising a question that affects all of us: Have we traded real human connection for screens?
Today, we dive into ...
AI is taking your job. The economy is collapsing. A new virus is around the corner. Democracy is ending. Or is it?
In this episode of The Karel Cast, we examine the rise of “Doommaxxing”—the business model of keeping people scared, anxious, and constantly engaged. From social media algorithms to cable news, from political campaigns to tech billionaires, ...
Trump says one thing. Reality says another.
As a new week begins, some things have become remarkably predictable: more claims, more contradictions, more attacks, and more headlines surrounding Donald Trump.
On today’s Karel Cast, we look at three stories raising serious questions:
• The controversy surrounding the blue-painted Reflecting...
THIS GAY WEEK | June 19, 2026
The fight for LGBTQ equality is taking dramatically different turns around the world.
This week, Karel and Scott Jacobsen of The Good Men Project join forces live from Kyiv, Ukraine, to break down the biggest LGBTQ news stories making headlines worldwide.
⚾ Pride Night controversy is exploding...
The Big One isn’t a movie. It’s a certainty.
Beneath California’s Cajon Pass, where millions of drivers travel every year without a second thought, sits one of the most dangerous geological locations in North America: the meeting point of major sections of the San Andreas Fault.
Scientists say enormous pressure has been building th...
POLICE KILL 10,000 DOGS EVERY YEAR… WHY DOES NOBODY CARE?
A family was celebrating a big Knicks victory when police arrived over a noise complaint. Minutes later, their beloved dog was dead.
The owner sat on the ground sobbing while officers stood nearby. No arrests. No charges. No consequences.
And here’s the shocking part: this isn’t r...
The American West is facing a crisis that could reshape life for millions.
The Colorado River supplies water to nearly 40 million people across the Southwest, but record drought, shrinking snowpack, rising temperatures, and increasing demand have pushed the river to a breaking point. California, Nevada, and Colorado all need the water. None want to give up their sh...
What happens if humanity learns we are not alone?
Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film Disclosure Day raises a question that has fascinated scientists, theologians, and governments for generations: If extraterrestrial life is proven beyond any doubt, what happens next?
Would confirmation of alien civilizations strengthen religious belief—or challenge it? Does the Bi...
It’s Pride Month, but in some parts of the United States, the United Kingdom, and beyond, flying a Pride flag has become a political statement, a cultural battleground, and sometimes even a target.
Why does a rainbow flag generate so much controversy? Is the outrage genuine, or is it being manufactured by politicians, media personalities, and culture-war influencers looking ...
Tomatoes are about to get a lot more expensive, and most Americans have no idea why.
This week, I retreat to the kitchen to make a comforting vegan tomato soup, but even there, politics has a way of finding us. The biggest inflation story in food right now isn’t beef, eggs, or milk—it’s tomatoes. Prices are rising fast, and policy decisions could make them climb even higher....
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