CarneyVal host and emcee John "Marie Antoinette" Carney, flanked by Hillary Dickory Dock and Trumpty Dumpty
John Carney has been called cranky, cantankerous, quick-witted, dim-witted, funny as hell, callous as hell, generous, onerous, bawdy, and naughty...as well as raspy, gaspy, and gassy. The legions of listeners who dial up The John Carney Show weekdays from 12–3 p.m. on KTRS 550 AM tune in because of (or maybe in spite of) it all.
In 2006, Carney established the Carney’s Kids Foundation, which lends financial support and promotes kid-focused charitable organizations. CarneyVal is an annual fundraiser for the foundation.
The 54-year-old foodie and cookbook author also hosts Restaurant Tuesday (Tuesdays from 1–2 p.m. on KTRS), the decades-old show dedicated to St. Louis’ independent restaurants and chefs. When Carney asks a local chef to lend a hand, the response is always, “Just tell me where and when, John.” The restaurant roster fills quickly. This year, the participants include:
- Bugatti’s Steak & Pasta
- CircaSTL
- Cork & Barrel Chop House and Spirits
- Fountain On Locust
- Highway 61 Roadhouse
- Hi-Pointe Drive-In
- LoRusso’s Cucina
- Layla
- Mission Taco Joint
- Nudo House
- Pappy’s Smokehouse
- Pasta House Company
- Piccadilly at Manhattan
- Pueblo Solis
- Walk Away Waffles
The respective offerings are on the Carney's Kids Facebook page.
This year, the 18th Annual CarneyVal is being held Saturday, February 24, at the Ameristar Casino's Discovery Ballroom in St. Charles. The evening’s festivities also include sets from stand-up comedians Auggie Smith and Dale Jones. Tickets are available here.
For CarneyVal, masks and costumes are encouraged but not mandatory. Carney, who's undergone five heart surgeries to correct a rare disorder called Loeys-Dietz Syndrome, will surely be in costume—something hospital-related perhaps? Nurse? Doctor? Candy striper? Knowing Carney, candy stripper is far more likely.
