Carnie Wilson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carnie Wilson
Wilson in 2014
Born	(1968-04-29) April 29, 1968 (age 57) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Singer television host
Spouse(s)	Robert Bonfiglio ​ (m. 2000)​
Children	2
Parent(s)	Brian Wilson Marilyn Wilson-Rutherford
Relatives	Wendy Wilson (sister)
Musical career
Genres	Pop pop rock
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1989–present
Labels	SBK Sony Columbia

Carnie Wilson (born April 29, 1968) is an American singer and TV star. You might know her famous dad, Brian Wilson from the band The Beach Boys! In 1989, Carnie started a super popular pop music group called Wilson Phillips. She formed the band with her younger sister, Wendy. Since 1995, Carnie has also been on TV a lot, hosting shows and making guest appearances.

Carnie's Early Life and Music Journey

Carnie Wilson was born in Los Angeles, California, on April 29, 1968. Her dad is Brian Wilson, a famous member of the band the Beach Boys. Her mom, Marilyn Rovell, was also a singer in a group called the Honeys. Carnie comes from a family with many different backgrounds.

Starting the Band Wilson Phillips

In 1989, Carnie, her younger sister Wendy, and their childhood friend Chynna Phillips started the band Wilson Phillips. They quickly became a big hit!

• Their first two albums sold twelve million copies together.
• These albums were called Wilson Phillips and Shadows and Light.
• They had three songs reach No. 1 on the music charts.
• One of their most famous songs was "Hold On".
• Six other songs also made it into the top 20 hits in the U.S.

The group decided to take a break in 1993.

Music After Wilson Phillips' First Break

Even after Wilson Phillips paused, Carnie kept making music.

• She and her sister Wendy released a Christmas album.
• It was called Hey Santa! and came out in 1993.
• In 1997, they made an album with their dad.
• This album was named The Wilsons.
• Carnie also sang a song for the animated movie Cats Don't Dance.
• The song was called "Our Time Has Come" and she sang it with James Ingram.

Going Solo and Wilson Phillips Reunites

In 2003, Carnie tried to start a solo music career. She planned to release an album called For the First Time. She released a song called "I Don't Need You To." However, the song didn't become a big hit. The album was not released because Wilson Phillips got back together in 2004!

When they reunited, Wilson Phillips released their third album, California. This album was full of cover songs. Most of them were from the 1960s and 1970s. It celebrated the music of their parents' famous bands. These included The Mamas & the Papas and the Beach Boys.

More Solo Music and Special Appearances

In 2006, after her daughter Lola was born, Carnie released an album of lullabies. These are gentle songs for babies. The album was called A Mother's Gift: Lullabies from the Heart. The next year, in 2007, she released another solo album. This one was a Christmas album called Christmas with Carnie. It even had a song written by her husband!

You might have seen Carnie, Wendy, and Chynna in the 2011 movie Bridesmaids. They made a special appearance. They sang "Hold On" at the wedding in the movie's final scene. This helped bring their music to a new audience.

More recently, in 2022, Wilson Phillips released a cover song. It was "Boyfriends" by Harry Styles.

Carnie on Television

Wilson singing with Wilson Phillips in 2013

Besides singing, Carnie has been on TV a lot!

Her Own Talk Show and Early TV Spots

From 1995 to 1996, Carnie had her own TV talk show. It was simply called Carnie! It was part of a trend of popular talk shows at the time. However, Carnie found the experience to be a big learning curve.

Later, she made guest appearances on other shows. These included That 70s Show in 2001. She also appeared on Sabrina the Teenage Witch. In 2006, she joined the fourth season of VH1's Celebrity Fit Club.

Hosting, Reality Shows, and Competitions

Carnie has been busy on TV in many ways:

• She worked as a reporter for Entertainment Tonight.
• In 2006, she hosted a special on E! called 101 Celebrity Slimdowns.
• She was a cast member on the CMT series Gone Country in 2008.
• In April 2008, she was on the VH1 show Celebracadabra.
• In July 2008, she starred in a show called Outsider's Inn.
• She hosted a new version of the game show The Newlywed Game.
• This show was on the GSN from 2009 to 2010.
• In 2010, her own reality show started on GSN.
• It was called Carnie Wilson: Unstapled.
• In 2011, Carnie was a judge on the ABC show Karaoke Battle USA.
• On January 2, 2012, she was on ABC's Celebrity Wife Swap.
• She swapped lives with actress Tracey Gold for a week.

Wilson Phillips Back on TV

In the spring of 2012, Carnie, her sister Wendy, and Chynna Phillips starred in their own reality show. It was on the TV Guide Network. It was called Wilson Phillips: Still Holding On. The show followed the band as they got back together. It showed their life on tour, in the music studio, and at home as working moms.

Cooking Shows and More Competitions

Carnie also showed off her cooking skills on TV!

• She competed on Chopped in an "All Stars: Celebrities" episode.
• She came in second place in that competition.
• In 2013, she was on "Team Rachael" in the second season of a Food Network show.
• This show was called Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off.
• She finished second again and won $10,000 for a charity.
• This charity supports autism research.
• She often filled in as a guest host on the CBS talk show The Talk.

Recent TV Appearances

• In 2015, she appeared in a Progressive Insurance TV commercial.
• In 2016, she was a contestant on The New Celebrity Apprentice.
• She was the second person to leave the show.
• In July 2016, Wilson Phillips performed on ABC's Greatest Hits.
• In February 2017, Carnie made a guest appearance on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
• In 2022, Carnie, Wendy, and Chynna competed on The Masked Singer.
• They were known as the group "Lambs."
• They sang "I'm Every Woman" and "I Want to Know What Love Is" in the finale.
• They finished in second place!
• In April 2024, she started a new cooking and reality show.
• It is called Sounds Delicious with Carnie Wilson on AXS TV.
• In March 2025, she appeared on American Idol with her 19-year-old daughter, Lola.
• Lola auditioned with the song "Hold On."
• Carnie's husband and sister Wendy were there to support them.

Carnie's Life Outside of Showbiz

Family Life

Carnie Wilson married Robert Bonfiglio, a musician and producer, in 2000. They have two daughters together.

Her family is full of musicians! Her uncles were Dennis Wilson and Carl Wilson. They were also in the Beach Boys. She's also related to Mike Love, another co-founder of The Beach Boys. His brother, Stan Love, was a basketball player. Stan's son is Kevin Love, who plays for the Miami Heat basketball team.

Carnie's stepmother, Melinda Ledbetter Wilson, passed away in January 2024. Melinda was married to Carnie's father Brian. Melinda and Brian adopted five children together. So, Carnie has five step-siblings.

Health and Wellness Journey

Carnie has openly shared her journey with health. She has talked about facing very difficult times in the past. She found the strength to overcome these challenges.

Carnie has also been open about her relationship with food and her weight. To help with her health, she had gastric bypass surgery in 1999. This is a type of surgery that can help people lose weight. In 2012, she had another procedure. It was called lap-band surgery.

Bell's Palsy Diagnosis

On March 18, 2013, Carnie shared on Twitter that she had been diagnosed with Bell's palsy. Bell's palsy is a condition that can cause temporary weakness. It affects the muscles on one side of the face.

A Sweet Business Venture

On August 26, 2017, Carnie and her childhood friend Tiffany Miller started a bakery. It was called Love Bites by Carnie. It was located in Sherwood, Oregon, near Portland. The bakery made special, small cookies. The business closed in 2021.

Discography