Carnie Wilson

Carnie Wilson (born April 29 1968 in Los Angeles, California) is an American singer and television host, best known as a member of the early 1990s singing group Wilson Phillips.

Musical career

The daughter of American 1960s pop icon Brian Wilson and his first wife Marilyn Rovell, she co-founded Wilson Phillips with her younger sister Wendy and childhood friend Chynna Phillips when they were in their teens. They released two albums, "Wilson Phillips" and "Shadows and Light" and had six top 20 singles before breaking up in 1993.

Carnie & Wendy Wilson continued to record together, releasing the Christmas album "Hey Santa!" in 1993, and they joined with their father for a critically successful (yet commercially unsuccessful) 1997 album, "The Wilsons."

In 2003, Carnie attempted to launch a solo music career with the album "For the First Time." The album featured a remake of the Diane Warren penned Samantha Mumba ballad "Don't Need You To (Tell Me I'm Pretty)," retitled "I Don't Need You To," as its first single. However, the single failed to gain interest and the album was ultimately shelved when Carnie regrouped with Wendy and Chynna as Wilson Phillips in 2004.

Reunited, the band released a third album, named "California," which appeared on Sony Music's record label. The album featured cover songs primarily from the 1960s and 1970s, and specifically highlights the musical glory days of their parents' California-based musical groups: The Mamas & The Papas and the Beach Boys.

In 2006, she finally launched her solo career, with an album of lullabies, "A Mother's Gift: Lullabies from the Heart", created shortly after the birth of her daughter Lola.

She released her second solo effort in October 2007, a Christmas album entitled "Christmas with Carnie" featuring a song written by her husband, "Warm Lovin' Christmastime."

Television career

From 1995-1996, Carnie hosted her own short-lived syndicated television talk show "Carnie!". The series was launched during the mid 1990's wave of popularity in "tabloid" talk shows, which followed the sudden successes of Ricki Lake and Jerry Springer.

She later guest-starred on episodes of "That 70s Show" in 2001 and "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" before joining the fourth season of the VH1 reality show "Celebrity Fit Club" in 2006.

Wilson has also been a correspondent on "Entertainment Tonight" and in 2006 hosted a special on E! entitled "101 Celebrity Slimdowns". Wilson became a cast member of the CMT series "Gone Country" in 2008. Later in 2008, she was a cast member of the VH1 series "Celebracadabra." In July, she starred in a new show called "Outsider's Inn."

Weight problems

Wilson has had a lifelong problem with obesity and during her Wilson Phillips fame, she reached a lifetime weight peak of almost 300 lb on her 5'3" frame. Her weight led her to be parodied on "Saturday Night Live" by Chris Farley and also publicly mocked by Howard Stern. In addition, she was frequently pushed to the background of most of Wilson Phillips' music videos behind the much slimmer Wendy and Chynna.

Dieting was ineffective; she lost weight only to regain it later. In August 1999, she underwent gastric bypass surgery, which she felt was a life-saving decision. The procedure was broadcast live on the internet. As a result, she went from a size 28 to a size 6 and lost 150 pounds. In 2003 she posed for "Playboy" to display her new body. Carnie later toured TV talk shows and hosted her own infomercial to publicize her satisfaction with the procedure. However, she eventually gained back some weight and ended up as a contestant on the fourth season of VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club" in 2006. Over the course of the show she lost 22 pounds, which she later gained back. [ [http://www.tmz.com/2008/03/11/carnie-wilsons-big-comeback/ "Carnie Wilson's Big Comeback," "TMZ.com"] March 11, 2008.]

In May 2008, she was ridiculed by the media for her weight gain [ [http://www.tmz.com/2008/05/22/carnie-wilson-from-Playboy-to-oh-boy/ "Carnie Wilson: From Playboy to Oh, Boy," "TMZ.com"] May 22, 2008.] and vowed to get back in Playboy shape. [ [http://www.momlogic.com/2008/05/carnie_wilsons_plan_of_revenge.php "Carnie Wilson Blasts 'Fat Pics'," "momlogic.com"] May 23, 2008.]

Personal life

*Wilson married Rob Bonfiglio in 2000. In April 2005 they welcomed their first daughter, Lola Sofia Bonfiglio.
*She has publicly acknowledged having a lesbian experience in her teens. [ [http://www.nypost.com/seven/11182006/gossip/pagesix/pagesix.htm Either Sex Suits Lots of Stars] at "New York Post" (November 18, 2006)]

References

External links

* [http://www.carniewilsonmusic.com/ Official web site]
*imdb name|id=0933139|name=Carnie Wilson