Summary
- Jonathan Van Ness denies abusive allegations on
Queer Eye
set, admitting to stressful moments. - Cast was aware of Rolling Stone article in progress, causing anxiety for Van Ness.
-
Queer Eye
‘s impact and message remain strong despite behind-the-scenes drama.
Queer Eye‘s Jonathan Van Ness has broken their silence on allegations that they were abusive on the set of the Netflix series. Van Ness’s comments, made during a recent appearance on Jessie Ware’s Table Manners podcast, address a Rolling Stone exposé the publication released in March. Rolling Stone counted on four anonymous production sources and three past colleagues as sources who utilized phrases including “nightmare,” “monster,” and “demeaning” to describe the show’s grooming expert. All sources claimed Van Ness would lash out at least once a day, with three accusing Van Ness of having “rage issues.”
Van Ness (who is non-binary) says that Rolling Stone’s report was “was overwhelmingly untrue.”
“Even though I do believe that that article was overwhelmingly untrue and done in bad faith, there have obviously been times throughout my career where you’re stressed out, or I may have been elbow-deep in highlights and was like, ‘No, I can’t talk about that right now… I know that there were times where I could have been better. But I think also being a survivor of abuse and talking about everything that I’ve talked about, I internalized it so badly. I was like, ‘Oh my God, is it true? Like, am I really this bad person?'”
Release Date February 7, 2018
Seasons 4
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According to Van Ness, the entire cast (Van Ness, Bobby Berk, Tan France, Karamo Brown, and Antoni Porowski) were made aware that the publication was working on the story in December 2023.
“So from January to March, I was walking on eggshells being like, ‘When is this going to happen?’ And then it finally did happen.”
The article was published On March 5, during a “vulnerable time” for Van Ness: their company, JVN Hair, was being sold as its parent company filed for bankruptcy – but Van Ness’ family, husband, and team remained supportive. Van Ness steered clear of social media for weeks and said that when they attempted to get back into it, they would see something hurtful immediately.
“It forced me to really learn how to slow down, disengage, and then really love myself.”
Queer Eye Fall Out: Tan France and Bobby Berk
Netflix
For fans of the popular Emmy Award-winning Netflix reality series, the allegations against Van Ness proved shocking – a quick Google search will show Van Ness is one of the Fab 5’s most beloved members. Although those allegations received the most buzz, the piece also detailed discord among other cast mates, with one source telling the publication that the group wasn’t as friendly with each other off-set as they appeared in front of the camera.
There’s also the matter of interior designer Bobby Berk’s exit. Berk announced he would leave the series after its eighth season, and Jeremiah Brent was later announced as his replacement. According to Rolling Stone, there was some belief that France, with support from Porowski, “campaigned to replace Berk with interior designer and friend Jeremiah Brent.” France denied that allegation.
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According to one production source, the set drama between the show’s cast shouldn’t detract from Queer Eye’s impact and message:
“The experience that the Fab Five gives to the heroes … all that’s very real. A lot of people — who believe in that message and care about it — work very hard and lose sleep to make a quality show that people care about.”
Van Ness, France (fashion), Brown (culture), Porowski (food and wine), and newbie Brent (design) will head to Las Vegas when Netflix’s Queer Eye returns for its ninth season.
You can view the original article HERE.
