Lynda Carter

Lynda Carter – A Wondrous Woman

By: Charles Karel Bouley II

I’ve been an entertainer that works as a journalist and talk host for decades; which means that every day I field lots of interview requests. This day was like no other.

The email was from my KGO Radio producer Brian Pelletier. 

Subject: Interview for Thursday

Karel, Lynda Carter is in town to do a stage show, they asked if you would have her on, would you like to?

Suddenly, I wasn’t Karel, I was Chuckie, the 13 y/o boy in front of the TV with a cassette recorder, recording every episode of “Wonder Woman’s” audio so I could know all the lyrics to the theme and not miss a moment of any dialogue. Lynda Carter WAS the lead character and as a 13 to 16 year old soon to be gay boy, I ate it up.

So, yes, I wanted to talk to her, and we jumped right in.

“Why do you suppose there hasn’t been a “Wonder Woman” since you,” I blurt out. “TV, film nothing, no one has come along since you to fill, and I mean fill, that costume”

She laughed. Good, I made Wonder Woman laugh. 

“Well, they have cast someone now, for this new movie they’re doing,” she laughed. “But no, there really hasn’t been a franchise like ours since then. I’m not sure why…”

Feminism, I query? I mean, she’s a strong woman, a Wonder of one.

“That does play a part of it, it always has,” Carter began, sounding every bit as youthful as she was in 1975. “The role of a strong woman, of a female super hero, in society has always been tricky. Look around, there are plenty of super hero movies and TV shows, but how many of them feature strong female leads? Women still are seen as victims to be saved by the hero instead of the ones doing the saving. I think we helped change that, but remember, the 1970s was the time women were really coming of age in the U.S.”

And what a woman! She is still every bit the statuesque beauty today as she crosses the 60 barrier. Yes, Wonder Woman is 60 plus and she’s still spectacular.

Carter is out again singing at venues like Yoshi’s in San Francisco and the Cinegrill. She’ll be in Palm Springs on May 10th at Cafe Europa, Nashville in June then on the Washington DC. She doesn’t tour a lot, but she never has. Music is a passion and a love.  She flirts with entertainment, adding voices to video games or knocking them dead in the mid 2000’s in the West End revival of “Chicago” playing Big Mamma Morton. She’s had her demons, a stint in rehab for alcoholism years ago, but has managed to raise two great kids and stay married through thick and thin to attorney Robert Altman (he was accused in a scandal but later found not guilty). 

“I love entertaining, but I also love being a mom and wife, so it’s always a battle,” she reflected on a public life that balances private priorities. 

And what of the gays?

“I can’t tell you what the support of the community has meant to me during the years,” her voice peaks with excitement. “Just the best, most loyal. And oh, the drag queens! Yes, I love to see the photos. It’s just been so great to have the support of the community over my career.”

The 14 year old in me wanted to talk forever, but we had 12 minutes (It’s commercial radio). Was I disappointed? On the contrary. 

“That must have been some site,” Carter laughed when I told her of me in front of the TV in my tightie-whities. 

She asked what I was wearing now.

Priceless.

To hear or buy her music, go to www.lyndacartersings.com

To hear Karel get the Karel Cast App at http://www.thekdw.com/app.html, subscribe in iTunes to the Podcast at http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-karel-show/id84867344 or simply go to the most incredible website on all the planet, save this one, http://www.thekdw.com.