Karlsson started his own theme park called Skara Sommarland in 1984. He created the Swedish reality television series Fame Factory and served as a judge for the first five seasons of the reality series Talang which was the Swedish version of America’s Got Talent. He received 6.7 percent of the vote after starting the New Democracy party and ended being elected to the Riksdag. Artists on his record label include Herreys and Charlotte Perrelli who both won the Eurovision Song Contest.