The Karel Show

Karel

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.

  1. 17h ago

    2026 Midterm Elections: Will Trump and MAGA Accept the Results? | The Karel Cast

    2026 Midterm Elections: Will Trump and MAGA Accept the Results? | The Karel Cast America is heading into one of its most contentious midterm elections. But will the results settle anything—or ignite an even bigger political battle? With the 2026 midterm elections just hours away, voters are angry, political tensions are boiling over, and control of Congress hangs in the balance. Will Democrats capitalize on dissatisfaction with the Trump administration? Will Republicans defy historical trends? And what happens if Donald Trump and MAGA supporters challenge the election results? On today's The Karel Cast, we're examining the polls, the political predictions, voter frustration, and what the election could mean for America's future. PLUS: My attempt to vote became a national news story. I've appeared on ABC, CBS, Fox, and in four newspapers. I've faced what I believe was police intimidation, received support from the ACLU, and become the target of relentless online attacks and misinformation from MAGA supporters. All because I wanted to exercise my right to vote. What happened to me raises a much bigger question: When participating in democracy brings harassment, intimidation, and public attacks, how many Americans will simply stop speaking up? And after Election Day, will anything actually change? Join the conversation. Your voice matters. SUPPORT INDEPENDENT MEDIA Patreon: https://patreon.com/reallykarel Watch and subscribe: https://youtube.com/reallykarel WATCH THE KAREL CAST LIVE Monday–Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Spreaker, and other major podcast platforms. Follow The Karel Cast on TikTok and Instagram. ABOUT KAREL Karel is a history-making broadcaster, entertainer, author, and political commentator based in Las Vegas. Alongside his beloved service dog, Ember, he brings independent perspectives, outspoken commentary, and real-life experiences to the issues shaping America. #MidtermElections2026, #Election2026, #Trump, #MAGA, #Democrats, #Republicans, #ElectionDay, #VotingRights, #VoterIntimidation, #USPolitics, #PoliticalCommentary, #Democracy, #BreakingNews, #TheKarelCast, #Karel Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-karel-show--1368295/support. The Karel Show is supported by your donations at patreon.com/reallykarel and streams live Monday–Thursday at 10:30am PST. Available on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Apple Music, Spotify, iHeart Media, Spreaker, and all major platforms.

    2026 Midterm Elections: Will Trump and MAGA Accept the Results? | The Karel Cast
  2. 5d ago

    Your Gut Wants More Than a Quick Fix | Fermented Foods Explained

    Your Gut Wants More Than a Quick Fix | Fermented Foods Explained Curious about gut health but don’t know where to start? From kimchi and tempeh to yogurt and kombucha, fermented foods can open the door to a whole new way of thinking about what you eat. On today’s No Show Show, Karel meets Ping—an oncologist, caregiver, mother and inventor of the Ferment Pro—to explore gut health, fermented foods and how beginners can get started. What’s the difference between prebiotics and probiotics? Why are people rediscovering traditional fermentation? And how can you make room for these foods in your everyday routine without getting overwhelmed? We discuss: - The connection between gut health and overall wellbeing. - Prebiotics, probiotics and the foods that contain them. - Traditional fermented foods, including kimchi, tempeh, yogurt and kombucha. - Ping’s inspiration for the Ferment Pro and her approach to home fermentation. Recipes and demonstrations are coming in future episodes. Today, we’re starting with the fundamentals—and the questions worth asking. What fermented food do you love—or want to try? Tell us in the comments, and subscribe for the upcoming demonstrations. Support independent media: Patreon.com/reallykarel Watch and subscribe: YouTube youtube.com/reallykarel Listen to The Karel Cast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Spreaker and other major podcast platforms. Follow Karel on TikTok and Instagram. LIVE Monday–Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific. Karel is a history-making broadcaster, entertainer and commentator based in Las Vegas, joined by his little service dog, Ember. #TheKarelCast, #Karel, #NoShowShow, #GutHealth, #FermentedFoods, #Fermentation, #Probiotics, #Prebiotics, #GutMicrobiome, #Kimchi, #Tempeh, #Yogurt, #Kombucha, #HomeFermentation, #FermentPro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_kTCQ9tuog Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-karel-show--1368295/support. The Karel Show is supported by your donations at patreon.com/reallykarel and streams live Monday–Thursday at 10:30am PST. Available on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Apple Music, Spotify, iHeart Media, Spreaker, and all major platforms.

    Your Gut Wants More Than a Quick Fix | Fermented Foods Explained
  3. 6d ago

    My Insurance Copay Costs MORE Than Paying Cash. How Is This Healthcare?

    My Insurance Copay Costs MORE Than Paying Cash. How Is This Healthcare? What’s the point of health insurance if your copay costs more than paying cash? On today’s No Show Show, Karel shares the medical bill surprise that hits at the heart of America’s healthcare crisis. Then his sister calls during the show in tears: she says she’s lost her Medicaid coverage in Arizona, can’t get an explanation and fears what happens next. Why is healthcare on every election ballot, yet affordable care remains out of reach for so many? Karel makes the case for universal healthcare through a government-run, single-payer system—and asks why Americans keep accepting a system that ties access to care to jobs, income and insurance company decisions. The struggle reaches the entertainment industry, too. We discuss Cheyenne Jackson’s effort to help actors find work so they can keep their health insurance, plus Vince Gill’s comments about making a living in music as streaming platforms generate enormous wealth. Medical costs. Medicaid cuts. Artists fighting to stay insured. These are personal stories behind a political debate that never seems to end. Have you ever paid less for healthcare without using your insurance—or unexpectedly lost coverage? Share your experience in the comments. Support independent media: https://patreon.com/reallykarel Watch and subscribe: https://youtube.com/reallykarel Listen to The Karel Cast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Spreaker and other major podcast platforms. Follow Karel on TikTok and Instagram. LIVE Monday–Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific. Karel is a history-making broadcaster, entertainer and commentator based in Las Vegas, joined by his little service dog, Ember. #TheKarelCast, #Karel, #NoShowShow, #Healthcare, #HealthcareCrisis, #UniversalHealthcare, #SinglePayer, #HealthInsurance, #Medicaid, #MedicalBills, #HealthcareReform, #AmericanPolitics, #CheyenneJackson, #VinceGill, #IndependentMedia https://youtube.com/live/C_zZMZ5YHiU Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-karel-show--1368295/support. The Karel Show is supported by your donations at patreon.com/reallykarel and streams live Monday–Thursday at 10:30am PST. Available on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Apple Music, Spotify, iHeart Media, Spreaker, and all major platforms.

    My Insurance Copay Costs MORE Than Paying Cash. How Is This Healthcare?
  4. Oct 26

    Who Profits From Keeping America Afraid? | The No Show Show

    Who Profits From Keeping America Afraid? | The No Show Show America is exhausted, anxious and struggling to trust anyone. Who benefits when we stay that way? On today’s No Show Show, Karel takes a walk and asks how politicians, corporations and the media use fear, anger and distrust to keep us watching, buying and fighting each other. From MAGA and Republican politics to our bosses, neighbors and local leaders, distrust touches nearly every part of American life. What happens when we’re always bracing for the next crisis—and what is that emotional strain costing us? This is a candid conversation about political fear, everyday anxiety and the toll of living on high alert. Can we hold people accountable while finding a way to trust again? Who—or what—do you still trust? Share your thoughts in the comments. Support independent media: https://patreon.com/reallykarel Watch and subscribe: https://youtube.com/reallykarel Listen to The Karel Cast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Spreaker and other major podcast platforms. Follow Karel on TikTok and Instagram. LIVE Monday–Thursday subscribe for times and alerts. Karel is a history-making broadcaster, entertainer and commentator based in Las Vegas, joined by his little service dog, Ember. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-karel-show--1368295/support. The Karel Show is supported by your donations at patreon.com/reallykarel and streams live Monday–Thursday at 10:30am PST. Available on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Apple Music, Spotify, iHeart Media, Spreaker, and all major platforms.

    Who Profits From Keeping America Afraid? | The No Show Show
  5. Oct 25

    Have We Reached a Tip-ing Point?

    Tipping Has Gone Too Far? Las Vegas Pushes Back Tip screens everywhere. Pressure to pay for a photo. Viral outrage over restaurant tips. Have we finally reached the tipping point? Las Vegas Strip signs now remind visitors that tipping street performers—including those posing as showgirls—is optional. Karel examines the backlash, the pressure to tip, and where appreciation ends and obligation begins. Should tipping reward great service—or has it become a way to guilt customers into paying more? Join the conversation: Where do YOU draw the line on tipping? Also: Christina Applegate says her doctor told her she was misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Karel shares his own experience with diagnostic uncertainty and discusses why getting answers can be so complicated. Plus, more news of the day with Karel and his service dog, Ember. Support independent media: https://patreon.com/reallykarel Watch and subscribe: https://youtube.com/reallykarel LIVE Monday–Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific. Listen to The Karel Cast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Spreaker, and other major platforms. Follow Karel on TikTok and Instagram. #KarelShow, #LGBTQ, #Vegan, #LasVegas, #TippingCulture, #TippingFatigue, #TippingPoint, #LasVegasStrip, #TipOrNoTip, #CustomerService, #ChristinaApplegate, #MultipleSclerosis, #IndependentMedia, #TheKarelCast, #CurrentEvents https://youtube.com/live/-jOGcVHlJKI Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-karel-show--1368295/support. The Karel Show is supported by your donations at patreon.com/reallykarel and streams live Monday–Thursday at 10:30am PST. Available on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Apple Music, Spotify, iHeart Media, Spreaker, and all major platforms.

    Have We Reached a Tip-ing Point?
  6. Oct 20

    I Know Why Democrats Seem Powerless

    I Know Why Democrats Seem PowerlessYesterdayI Know Why Democrats Seem PowerlessI know what Democrats seem powerless in the USA right now, and why so many non-MAGA people feel frustrated, afraid, anxious. I get it now more than ever.It's like a cancer diagnosis; when you first get it you feel powerless, depressed, like you want to just give up. You feel like you have no control and are facing insurmountable odds. Then, for many, the F*ck cancer mode kicks in and they begin to fight, even against the odds. They take their power back.Democrats have not reclaimed their power, because I'm not sure they ever really felt they had or deserved it. MAGA felt powerful from day one; they felt they were unbeatable, and have been. The act like they are untouchable, and so they are. And they act like are always going to win at all cost, and so they do.And why? Because the other side doesn't have that same belief. Because Democrats, and 260 million Americans have forgotten who they are, they've lost themselves in the struggle. A drowning person can't see the horizon, doesn't see the stars. They are fighting for their lives and only see water. Maybe we all need a reminder of who we are, what we have done, and what we can do. And then we need to make the hard choices. Are we not doing what we need to because it's harder now, and we just don't want to fight that much for the reward we'd get. Does the cost outweigh the benefit?We are powerful beings, each of us. And we can face big odds, and win. It's time we start swinging at windmills again, it's time we start taking back our power, our country and our lives. How? Well, it starts by realizing we can.#KarelShow, #LasVegas, #Vegan, #LGBTQ, #TheKarelCast, #Democrats, #MAGA, #AmericanPolitics, #PoliticalCommentary, #PoliticalPower, #Democracy, #CivicEngagement, #PoliticalFrustration, #FindingYourPower, #CurrentEventshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq8doFweQGU Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-karel-show--1368295/support. The Karel Show is supported by your donations at patreon.com/reallykarel and streams live Monday–Thursday at 10:30am PST. Available on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Apple Music, Spotify, iHeart Media, Spreaker, and all major platforms.

    I Know Why Democrats Seem Powerless
  7. Oct 15

    LGBTQ+ Rights: Hungary Advances, The World Retreats | The Karel Cast

    LGBTQ+ Rights: Hungary Advances, The World Retreats | The Karel Cast LGBTQ+ rights are advancing in Hungary while crackdowns and threats elsewhere show how fragile equality remains. From harsher prison sentences in Senegal to a fight over LGBTQ+ youth protections in Washington state, Karel connects the headlines—and asks what real freedom requires. This episode of The Karel Cast examines the gap between promises of acceptance and the reality of living openly: - Hungary: The repeal of anti-LGBTQI “propaganda” provisions marks progress, but barriers affecting trans people and rainbow families remain. ILGA-Europe - Senegal: Human Rights Watch documents a crackdown as tougher legislation doubles the maximum prison sentence for consensual same-sex conduct to 10 years. Human Rights Watch - Taiwan and Japan: A controversial gay-bar raid raises questions about police accountability, while Japan’s LGBTQ+ policy faces criticism over the gap between awareness and legal protection. The Diplomat, East Asia Forum - Washington state: GLAAD warns that two ballot measures threaten transgender students’ participation in school sports and vulnerable students’ privacy. GLAAD - Berlin: Reporting on a deadly vehicle incident at a Pride celebration raises urgent questions about community safety and the ongoing investigation. ABC7 There is hope, too: Zara Larsson’s support for LGBTQ+ young people, recognized by The Trevor Project, and the community celebrated at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Models of Pride show why visibility, belonging and outspoken allies matter. The Trevor Project, LA Times High School Insider Which story deserves more attention—and what would meaningful equality look like where you live? Join the conversation in the comments, share this episode and subscribe for independent commentary. Support independent media: Patreon Watch and subscribe: YouTube LIVE Monday–Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Pacific. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Spreaker and other major platforms. Follow along on TikTok and Instagram. Karel is a history-making broadcaster, entertainer and commentator based in Las Vegas, joined by his little service dog, Ember. #TheKarelCast, #Karel, #LGBTQNews, #LGBTQRights, #HumanRights, #TransRights, #Equality, #Hungary, #Senegal, #Taiwan, #Japan, #LGBTQYouth, #ZaraLarsson, #Pride, #IndependentMedia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLVlGbiVaeo Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-karel-show--1368295/support. The Karel Show is supported by your donations at patreon.com/reallykarel and streams live Monday–Thursday at 10:30am PST. Available on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Apple Music, Spotify, iHeart Media, Spreaker, and all major platforms.

    LGBTQ+ Rights: Hungary Advances, The World Retreats | The Karel Cast
  8. Oct 14

    The Lost American Value: The Truth

    The Lost American Value: The Truth We live in a country where the most controversial thing you can do is tell the pure, unvarnished truth. Why? Because many think the truth is relative, that the truth changes, and that the truth can be argued and debated. Take the recent weather issues all across our country and our globe, from Long Beach to Long Island. The truth? We did it to ourselves, we were warned, we ignored it. All of us. Oh, I went vegan for the planet. And I drive a 70 mpg motorscooter. But I still have a 2001 Lexus SUV that take 17 gallons of gas. I blame not being to afford electric, I blame the oil companies, I blame government for not making cities more walkable. But the truth? I know driving it kills the planet every single time I drive, but I still do it. It's convenient. It's necessary. And it's killing my home. I could take busses. Walk, Bike. But I don't. And my home is not solar. I blame the HOA. But I could move to where I could be solar. But doing the right thing takes sacrifice, and myself, and others, will only do so much. The truth? Donald Trump should have been removed the first time around, and then jailed. He wasn't. MAGA is an infestation that started during the civil war, because we never dealt with the South properly, just like we didn't deal with the J-6ers properly. They should have been tried, and capital punishment for treason dished out. But nope. Here's the truth. Most of this is because we won't face the truth. Because it's often uncomfortable, and ugly. And that goes for me like anybody else. #TheKarelCast, #Karel, #TheTruth, #UncomfortableTruths, #AmericanValues, #ClimateChange, #ClimateCrisis, #ExtremeWeather, #PersonalResponsibility, #ClimateAccountability, #PoliticalAccountability, #Trump, #MAGA, #LGBTQ, #vegan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYDASEDLXVg Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-karel-show--1368295/support. The Karel Show is supported by your donations at patreon.com/reallykarel and streams live Monday–Thursday at 10:30am PST. Available on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Apple Music, Spotify, iHeart Media, Spreaker, and all major platforms.

    The Lost American Value: The Truth
4.4
out of 5
39 Ratings

About

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.

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