The apparent harmony of Netflix’s beloved Queer Eye has been shattered. A hot mic incident during filming of the show’s final season has sparked a significant rift between Karamo Brown and three of his castmates.
According to sources who spoke to TMZ, the fracture began last summer while filming Season 10 in Washington, D.C. Brown had invited his mother, Charmaine Brown, to observe production. She was given headphones to listen in on the proceedings.
The situation took a troubling turn when Brown stepped away from his co-stars. During his absence, Antoni Porowski, Tan France, and Jonathan Van Ness were overheard “speaking negatively about Karamo, including criticizing certain lifestyle choices he makes.”
Unfortunately for the trio, Charmaine heard the entire conversation through her production headphones. She later relayed what she’d overheard to her son. Sources indicate “the incident created an immediate rift, and Karamo has been on the outs with Antoni, Tan and Jonathan ever since.”
The fallout became public on January 20 when Brown abruptly canceled multiple press appearances to promote the show’s final season. He pulled out of interviews on both CBS Mornings and NBC’s Today show less than an hour before scheduled airtime.
During the CBS Mornings broadcast, co-host Gayle King read a statement from Brown explaining his decision. The show’s star cited mental and emotional struggles and a need to “protect himself and his peace.”
In a statement to Today, Brown revealed deeper issues. Brown said he “has felt mentally and emotionally abused for years,” and that a therapist recommended he “protect himself and his peace by not attending.”
When King asked the remaining cast members about Brown’s absence, Porowski addressed the situation carefully. “I will say our Queer Eye family, we’ve been doing this for almost a decade, which is pretty wild to believe, and families are complicated. And we’re definitely not excluded from that,” he stated.
He continued, attempting to focus on the positive aspects of their work together. “But I think two things can exist at the same time. And while that is definitely true, we’re also here to showcase the incredible heroes that we have and honor the legacy of this past decade of our lives.”
Van Ness also commented during the interview. “I would say one thing that I’ve been so honored to learn about Karamo in that time is that we have to meet people we’re they’re at,” he remarked.
Social media activity provides additional evidence of the division. Brown has unfollowed Porowski, France, and Van Ness on Instagram. However, he continues to follow Jeremiah Brent, the interior designer who joined the show in Season 9, replacing Bobby Berk. Sources suggest Brent was not involved in the hot mic incident.
The timing of this controversy is particularly unfortunate. The tenth and final season of Queer Eye dropped on Netflix on January 22, marking the end of a show that launched in 2018 and became the longest-running unscripted series on the streaming platform. The series has earned 11 Emmy awards throughout its run.
Brown emphasized his commitment to mental health in his public statements. King read from his letter during the CBS Mornings appearance, sharing his message to fans. “I hope everyone remembers the main theme I have tried to teach them over the past decade,” King, 71, read from the statement. “Which is to focus on and to protect their mental health/peace from people or a world who seek to destroy it; which is why I can’t be there today.”
Representatives for Brown, Porowski, France, Van Ness, and Brent have not publicly commented on the hot mic incident or the allegations of trash talk.
Meanwhile, former Queer Eye star Bobby Berk, who left the show after Season 8, appeared to reference the drama with a cheeky Instagram post. He shared a photo of himself smiling, asking his followers about their week while promoting his new HGTV show, Junk or Jackpot.
The controversy has overshadowed what should have been a celebratory moment for the groundbreaking series. Instead of focusing on the show’s legacy of transformation and acceptance, the final season’s release has been dominated by discussions of behind-the-scenes tension.
As the dust settles, fans are left wondering whether the Fab Five can reconcile before the curtain officially closes on Queer Eye.
