Professor Carl Nivale

Professor Carl Nivale is a fictional character portrayed by New Orleans actor Vatican Lokey on New Orleans television station WWL-TV. He is a Carnival historian, ardent proponent of New Orleans, and Academic-at-Large. He serves as the face and voice of Carnival and Mardi Gras on the WWL Morning Show. First appearing on the Morning Show on Mardi Gras, 1997, The Professor (as he is commonly called) has expanded his role on the show yearly, now appearing on Twelfth Night morning to preview the new Carnival season in addition to his personal appearances throughout the city and the Gulf South during the Carnival season.
He is the creator and curator of "The Compleat Carnival Compendium & Mardi Gras Manual", a family-friendly online site dedicated to the history, traditions, and celebration of Carnival and Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Online since 1998, The Compendium has earned fans across the globe with its clever articles and dedication to the principle that "Carnival is the greatest free show on earth." Professor Carl Nivale has served as a Mardi Gras expert for news organizations in New Orleans, St. Louis, Los Angeles, and London. 2007 marked his debut as a parade presenter, calling parades for the krewes of Morpheus & Pygmalion at Gallier Hall in New Orleans.
The Legend of Professor Carl Nivale
(taken from The Compleat Carnival Compendium & Mardi Gras Manual)
Professor Carl Nivale is a Professor Emeritus at the Kings' College of Carnival Knowledge (with campuses in Lower East Bastrop, and the new campus in the Faubourg Marigny, and earned his PhMG (Doctorate of Mardi Gras) at the Notre Dame de la Gueule de Bois Mortelle in Paris, and completed his graduate studies at L'università di Branelli, di Seni e di Birra in Venice, with undergraduate work at the Lord Windsor Conservatory of Revelry in Middle Umbrage, Surrey (his hometown).
He first became interested in Carnival at an early age when, during a traditional Shrove Tuesday meal of pancakes, his great aunt (a Frenchwoman from Montmartre whom the rest of the Nivale family always found to be a bit dotty) threw down her fork exclaiming "J'ai avalé l'bébé" (which is country French for "I swallowed the baby!"), placed the plate of pancakes on top of her head, grabbed two baguettes and danced out into the streets. This colorful incident set young Carl Nivale on his path of discovery to a world of mystery and magic. After completing his matriculation, he came to New Orleans, where he has resided for 15 years studying the native traditions and customs of the Crescent City. Each Mardi Gras, The Professor can be found in and around St. Charles Avenue and Rue Royal educating visitors and locals alike on the rich heritage of Carnival, and offering costume assistance to all who are in need.
New Orleanians and Gulf Coast residents know the Professor best from his annual appearances on WWL-TV. Beginning on Twelfth Night morning through to Mardi Gras morning, the Professor covers current events, the historical aspects of the celebrations, and provides a treasure trove of anecdotes and trivia. 2012 marked the 16th anniversary of The Professor's work with WWL.
Professional history
The character of Professor Carl Nivale was created by award-winning New Orleans actor Vatican Lokey and WWL Morning Show producer Dionne Butler in 1996 to give that program a kind of Mardi Gras mascot. The character grew to include The Compleat Carnival Compendium & Mardi Gras Manual, an online site that supplies current marching krewe information, a brief history of Carnival in New Orleans, cultural information about the city and her traditions, and much more. Though the character and The Compendium are copyrighted, the underlying theme from the beginning was the complete freedom of all aspects of Carnival and Mardi Gras, beginning first and foremost with information.

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