- Queer Eye’s tenth and final season premiered on Netflix on Jan. 21.
- The show’s life coach, Karamo Brown, skipped multiple live interviews with the rest of the cast, to protect his mental health in fear of being “bullied.”
- Insiders reveal what was allegedly said during the hot mic moment that sparked behind-the-scenes Queer Eye drama.
As Netflix heartwarming corner of reality TV, Queer Eye, comes to a close, some behind-the-scenes drama has reportedly emerged between the Fab Five.
The tenth and final season of the show hit the streamer on January 21, and when it came time to promote the new batch of episodes, life coach Karamo Brown skipped live interviews with the rest of the cast due to a fear of being “bullied.”
Now, on-set insiders have come forward with some intel regarding the reported “petty” hot mic moment that led to drama between Karamo and the rest of the cast.
Per the Daily Mail, Karamo’s mom, Charmaine, visited the Queer Eye set in Washington D.C., where she was given a pair of production headphones to observe filming. ICYMI, TMZ previously reported that Tan France, Antoni Porowski, and Jonathan Van Ness were “overheard judging their co-star and criticizing some of his life choices” as he briefly stepped away—and his mom heard the entire thing.
“When it comes to what Karamo's mom heard, it was very petty,” the source said, adding that their “harsh words” had “created an immediate rift” among the cast, which reportedly led to Karamo cutting off his three co-stars. While he unfollowed Tan, Antoni, and JVN on social media, he seemingly still follows Jeremiah, as the interior designer wasn’t involved in the gossip.
Per the source, their comments were about how Karamo “looked and dressed, but then it turned into complaining about what he tells the subjects on the show.”
“Since he is the life coach, that's obviously not something that anyone wants to hear – that they aren't doing a good job. It’s especially hard when it’s coming from your so-called friends,” they added.
Karamo allegedly had “concerns that his fellow cast members were talking behind his back,” and when his mom “heard them stirring up drama,” the source explained that was all the confirmation he needed.
“It turned very sour, very fast once Karamo figured out what they really felt for him,” the insider shared.
Once the reported rift started making headlines, fans expressed their concerns across the Fab Five’s social media channels.
When culinary expert Antoni posted about Queer Eye’s final season on January 21, one viewer admitted, “The backstage drama kinda kills the vibe of the show. I’m not motivated to watch you all portray to be a big happy family on every episode knowing it’s all fake. If you can’t work out your own mess, how can you be in charge of fixing someone else’s life?”
Antoni seemingly weighed in on the drama with a subtle comment, writing, “A lot of us come from complicated families and still have jobs and positive things we’re passionate about. Authenticity is about being honest about the complexities of life and knowing two things can exist at the same time.”
The rest of the Fab Five has remained tight-lipped about the situation, aside from their comments about his absence on CBS Mornings and Today with Jenna & Sheinelle earlier this month.
