Karl Schmid: Giving HIV Awareness the Red-Carpet Treatment

By Alexander Rodriguez

You may have drooled over Karl Schmid in his shirtless, international vacation selfies or oh’d and ah’d at his slim fit tuxedos, rubbing elbows with A-List celebs on the Oscar red carpet, or admired his tight fighting tee as he co-hosted LA Pride’s first-ever telecast, but the LGBT media – and media at large – owe him a bigger praise.

In 2018, this international host and journalist – a fixture interviewing celebrities at the Oscars, the Grammys, the Vanity Fair parties on ABC7’s On the Red Carpet and more – took the courage to come out as HIV positive, having been diagnosed 10 years earlier.  The industry told him to keep it a secret or else risk career suicide.  His coming out was inspired by his response to The AIDS Memorial – enough was enough and he needed to educate the world what HIV was and was not.  The media world responded in a frenzy and his story was quickly picked up by People Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter and The Huffington Post, just to name a few.  His mission continues to educate generations of all ages about the myths and facts of HIV and what living with HIV today looks like. 

As if he wasn’t busy enough filling our TV with his handsome grin and entertainment news, he launched a new, multi-media platform, +Life, with AOMedia and Gilead Sciences.  +Life shares weekly roundtable discussions with members of the community (HIV+ and beyond) revolving around love and relationships, entertainment, medicine, nutrition and spirituality.  It’s a hub of diverse storytelling, with first-hand experiences in living with HIV, to stories of fighting for medication, to dating and sex with HIV.  Its mission is to strip away stigma, encourage people to get tested, and to start conversations that open ideas and dispel myths. 

Check out our exclusive GED chat we had over a cocktail (or two).   

What kind of kid were you growing up? 

I consider myself lucky to have been a kid in the era just before the internet, cell phones, and the millennial generation. I believe that makes me a Xenial (between gen x and millennial). So, as a kid, I was pretty easy going. I enjoyed school and all the activities that came with it. I wouldn’t say I fell into any definitive group at school. I think I was popular with most kids.

When did you get the first spark of interest in getting into the journalism field?

It’s so sweet to refer to me as a journalist because I never think of myself like that. My interest in this world of television and “entertainment” really started when I was 7 years old and my brother was cast on an Australian soap opera called Neighbors. Every now and then I would get to go to set with him and was mesmerized by the sets and the world of “make-believe” that I knew from watching on the TV. It all looked so real when I watched it on the box, so I loved seeing it up close in person. There was something magical about being in that world of creativity and make-believe.

Do you remember your first on-camera story?

My very first time on camera was as an extra on the show my brother was on. I think I was about 8 years old. As far as my first “assignment” as a host, that came sometime in the 90s when I worked on a kid’s morning TV show in New Zealand called What Now (which is still on the air). I was a regular contributor to the show from around the age of 14 until I was 18.

You have interviewed every major celebrity from film, TV, music and beyond.  Do you ever get star struck?

Yes and no… it really depends on who it is. But, I also think that because I sort of grew up around “show biz” and saw the fame side of things from a very young age with my brother and what he went through when the show he was on was at its absolute height, I think I sort of see through the “star” thing. Which has certainly helped me in my career. But, sitting down to interview Harrison Ford had my knees knocking.

For a good reason or bad reason?

For good. I was and still am a HUGE Indiana Jones fan, so meeting him was crazy. He also rang my cell phone once in New York when I was working on Broadway with Australian actor Barry Humphries (Dame Edna). Harrison and Calista were coming to see the show, and someone had given them my cell phone as a contact. So, as they were arriving at the theater, Harrison Ford rang me to tell me that they were there, and could I come out and collect them. I still have the old flip phone with his number saved in it. I wonder if it still works.

Were you encouraged to hide your sexuality to further your career in front of the camera?

I was never encouraged to hide my sexuality as far as my career goes. I was advised (by well-meaning folks) to hide my HIV status, however. And for the better part of 10 years, I did keep that on the DL as far as my work went. People would say, “you don’t want to be known as the guy with AIDS on TV”. Again, they were well-meaning and it’s all just a product of the terrible stigma that is still associated with HIV and one of the reasons we created +Life.

Is it hard dating while pursuing your career?

It’s hard dating full stop! Lol! Career or no career. For me, the hardest part of dating has been living with a lot of internalized stigma associated with my HIV. Up until March 2018 I had never heard of U=U, undetectable equals untransmittable. What that means is that if you are HIV+ and healthy and undetectable, you cannot transmit the virus to a sexual partner. For the better part of 10 years, I believed I was “damaged goods,” not dateable. I thought, “who would want me?” That’s something most people living with HIV feel. The fact is, no one needs to feel that way anymore. The science is there. The facts are there. So now I’ve got to undo a decade of believing that no one in their right mind would want to date me.

What is your coming out story?

My gay coming out story? Or my HIV coming out story? My gay one is losing my temper with my mother one evening as she was preparing a meal for my father and some of his clients. My grandmother was in the kitchen and my mother and I got into an argument and I blurted it out…

My HIV coming out story was a little calmer. I submitted my story to the Instagram feed The AIDS Monument. I didn’t have a story of an uncle or family friend that we lost to HIV / AIDS. So, I let my fingers do the talking and told my truth… I sent it in and then posted it to Facebook too.

You had the honor of covering the first telecast of LA Pride this last year.  Do you think Pride should tone down the sexuality so that broadcasts are more accessible to families and children?

I shared the honor with a fantastic team of creative and super supportive colleagues here at K-ABC in Los Angeles. When I say the entire station was not only excited but behind us delivering PRIDE to SoCal it’s the truth. We fought to get the rights and I know everyone at ABC7 was proud that PRIDE trusted us with sharing this special event with our audiences. I don’t think PRIDE should tone anything down. It’s about being out and proud and as responsible broadcasters, we know when to cut away from things when perhaps people might be offended. You can’t please everyone all the time.   

Who has the first person you told that you had HIV?

My colleague at the time in London and still a good friend Janette Linden. I had to go back to work straight after my test. She sat with me and cried in a conference room on the ground floor of the building we worked in on Soho Square in London. We then went upstairs together, and I told my other colleagues That was it. Work was done for the day. We all went up to the roof of the building and drank quite a few bottles of red wine that evening overlooking Soho.

You kept your status to yourself for ten years.  What would you say to others that are in the closet regarding their status?

I kept my HIV status close to me professionally. In my personal life, my friends, family and on the rare occasion the people I tried to date, it wasn’t a secret. But workwise I always thought (and still do), my HIV has no effect on the way I do my job. Now that I’m “out and proud” about it, I encourage people living with HIV who are still in the closet to arm themselves with the correct knowledge. Knowing about U=U and the fact that I can’t transmit the virus was like being given the keys to the handcuffs that I felt had been slapped on me at age 27. I hope that by me living my truth and creating platforms like +Life, those in the shadows may feel a little bit of encouragement to step out of the shade and come feel the warmth of the sunshine.

What are the biggest misconceptions about someone who has HIV?

There are many. Sadly, the world hasn’t had a proper mass-marketed advertising campaign to re-educate and update with the science and the facts, that living with HIV is no different to living with any other chronic manageable illness. The biggest misconception? That we are dangerous.

+LIFE is such a great resource to those who live with HIV as well as those who need to be educated on the subject.  Your roundtable sessions are educational as well as entertaining.  This form of journalism/engagement must be very personal to you.  How do you approach this project differently, creatively, then your regular news reporting?

It’s important for us at +Life to represent everyone. The positive, the negative, the queer, the straight…. No matter your gender identity, sexuality, color, race, we want everyone to feel like they can see and hear someone just like them through +Life. This is incredibly personal for me. I approach this project with the same level of professionalism I do any other, however, I get to have a more long-form conversation on +Talk and we get to break through all the science and medical talk on the other short for programs we do. For me, it’s about making it accessible and understandable for everyone. We want to present the facts, but also the opinion, from both sides, doing it in plain English and ways that everyone can understand and still be entertained. We want our audience to see and hear a version of themselves.

How young should we be talking to youth about HIV? 

As young as we talk to youth about sexual health. The school curriculums haven’t been updated to present the science and facts. They’re so out of date. And we should be talking about sexual health for EVERYONE. Not just cis-gendered boys and girls. The more we’re talking about HIV the less stigmatized it is.

Health and fitness are a big part of your life.  How does being HIV positive shape your health and fitness life? 

One of the “perks” of living with HIV is that it requires you to see a doctor at least twice a year and have a full review of your health. This means that we’re able to catch other things earlier and stay on track for full and healthy lives. Getting an HIV diagnosis, much like any other major health diagnosis can shift one’s focus for the better on making sure they’re listening to their bodies and doing all they can to take the best care of them.

What’s your favorite part of your fitness routine?  Least favorite? 

My favorite part of my fitness routine is when it’s over! LOL! No, seriously, for me, it’s my time. It’s time away from work and distractions. It’s an hour or so every day to just spend on me and focus on me. Some days it’s a real struggle and drag but those are the days that I always feel the best after I’ve sweated it out and made it through.

My least favorite? Stretching. It’s boring. I like it when someone stretches me for me – get your mind out of the gutter!

How have you changed the most, personally, from your start in journalism?

I’ve mellowed and gotten more comfortable in my own skin. I can’t please everyone. I’m not going to get it right all the time. Those kinds of things used to eat at me much more than they do now. I am constantly changing and evolving when it comes to how I approach an interview or a story that I’m going to focus on. But I am also having much more fun with it than I used to.

With so much entertainment content being put out into the media world, how do you keep your voice being heard?

I just focus on being me and doing the best job I can. Hopefully, people like what they say and enjoy the way I present stories and ideas and so that keeps me on their radars. I’ve never been into the salacious or gossip type of journalism. I don’t really care how much so and so’s engagement ring cost or what their divorce settlement is. I enjoy talking to people about their projects or their passions because I know they want to talk about it. And when that kind of conversation starts flowing then people relax and are more likely to be themselves. That’s when you get interesting and sometimes very personal things out of people. Not when you’re just after the tea.

Are we being too politically correct on the red carpet?  I miss Joan Rivers!

I think we’re probably being a little too politically correct across the board. But, then again, the last thing I ever want to do is hurt someone’s feelings or make them feel less than. Because I know all too well how that feels. But, I think it’s a shame that we are losing our sense of a humor a little in order to make sure no one ever feels a little “unsafe”. It’s fun to ride the edge, but it’s not fun to cross the line.

What is your personal ritual after covering the red carpet for the Oscars?

Hahaha. I have a rather strange one. But you must understand, Oscar Sunday (the day itself) normally starts for me around 6am on the Sunday and goes until about 4am the following day. And most of that day is spent in a suit and on my feet working. So, when I get home, I like to strip down out of the suit to my underwear and sit on my sofa with a nice bottle of champagne and peanut M&Ms and watch the Oscars. Because most of the time I don’t get to see the show.

Rapid Fire:

Celebrity Crush:  Rafael De La Fuente

Boxers or briefs: Briefs. Always briefs.

Least favorite question you must ask on the red carpet? Who are you wearing?

What would the name of your biography be? Dear Diary.

Who would you want to play you in a movie of your life? Robert Downey Jr

Karl Schmid 

IG: @KarlSchmid

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarlJSchmid/

www.PlusLifeMedia.com