Pop singing sensation Wilson Phillips is a trio of talent from Carnie and Wendy Wilson, the daughters of the Beach Boys, and Chynna Phillips, the daughter from The Mamas & the Papas. In 1990 the trio's self-titled album brought it a number-one single, "Hold On," that knocked Madonna's "Vogue" off the top spot. Other successful singles followed, such as their track "Release Me," but the group disbanded to pursue solo careers and projects.
The members have had several reunions over the years, made a Christmas album called Christmas in Harmony, cameoed in the movie Bridesmaids, and made an album called Dedicated in 2012 (that covered their parents' songs).
Their reality show, Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On, depicted their lives together on the TV Guide Network.
Carnie Wilson has had her own talk show, hosted The Newlywed Game and battled weight problems publicly. Wilson was on many reality shows such as VH1's Celebrity Fit Club, ABC's Celebrity Wife Swap and the Game Show Network's Carnie Wilson: Unstapled.
Windy City Times chatted with her before she arrived to headline Market Days in Boystown.
Windy City Times: Hi, Carnie. Thanks for doing the phone interview so last-minute.
Carnie Wilson: My pleasure. I am with the kids heading up to my dad's lake house for the weekend for the first time.
WCT: That sounds relaxing.
Carnie Wilson: It should be. They have a house right on the lake and I am bringing cheesecakes I made.
WCT: I saw you cooking on past reality shows.
Carnie Wilson: I love it. I made 175 little cheesecakes for my daughter and her friends for a Malibu party recently.
WCT: You better bring some of those cheesecakes when you come to Chicago.
Carnie Wilson: I would have to bring it with the dry ice on the plane!
WCT: You are doing our big gay street festival here.
Carnie Wilson: Woot woot—I am beyond excited! It will probably be one of my favorite days ever.
WCT: Do you have a set list yet?
Carnie Wilson: No, we don't have a set list yet. It depends on the show. It is outdoors, right?
WCT: Yes and tons of people. It was over 750,000 people last year.
Carnie Wilson: Oh my God!
WCT: It's because people come from all over the surrounding states. We had over a million people at Pride this year.
Carnie Wilson: That is incredible.
WCT: This is not some little shindig and you ladies are the headliners.
Carnie Wilson: Well, okay then I think I will wear a wig. I want to do something crazy and outrageous. This is inspiring me but gay boys do that to me.
WCT: You have had so many projects and always seem busy.
Carnie Wilson: Always busy, yep. I am a mother of two small children. One just turned 4 years old and one just turned 8. I have a busy, busy life.
WCT: Do blondes have more fun?
Carnie Wilson: Oh yeah. I just went back to blonde. It is very caramelly right now. It is very hard to get red out without your hair falling out. I don't have a lot of hair on my head anyways. I have to go in stages when changing it so I am putting some highlights in there. I like to change it up. It has been almost three years.
WCT: The group did a reality show recently. Do you know about a second season yet?
Carnie Wilson: No, they decided not to pick it up. I have no idea why. That doesn't make sense to me. They have another season of Nail Files with Katie. I am not sure why someone would watch that show more than ours but whatever.
WCT: You have the personality for reality television, having done so many. Would you like to be on Celebrity Apprentice?
Carnie Wilson: I would love to do that. If they offered I would jump right on it. I have done a lot of reality TV. I like an adventure. I like a paycheck. It is not the only motivator but you have to keep your life going. We don't sell enough albums to live off of. That is why we do concerts and different TV shows. I have my feelers in all kinds of stuff and I always have. It is fun to do a lot of different things and you meet a lot of people. You make a lot of connections. It is a blast.
There are a few people that call me a "reality whore." Who cares? It is fun and having a new project is always great.
WCT: You have been singing with your sister since you were little. Did you imagine making a career out of that?
Carnie Wilson: You know I did and I always wanted to. I can believe it but sometimes I go into a stage where I can't believe it. I have to pinch myself. I really love singing with my sister, and Chynna, too. My sister is the best work partner too because we are very respectful for our differences. We are really different. We have been through so much in our lives with our family and being in the business and still doing it 23 years later. Sometimes we will be onstage together and singing a ballad or "God Only Knows" by our dad and I will look over at her. I will start to get choked up and I will get this wave of love. Look at what we are doing and onstage right now. It is a miracle.
Look for Wilson, Wilson and Phillips at Market Days on Saturday, Aug. 10, at 8:30 p.m. on the North Stage.
