Queer Eye has officially entered its Real Housewives era, and the latest tea involves a hot mic, a mum on set, and some very off‑brand bitching from the allegedly Fab Five.
By now, you’ve probably seen that Karamo Brown skipped a bunch of press for Queer Eye’s tenth and final season, leaving Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Jonathan Van Ness and Jeremiah Brent to do the wholesome promo circuit without their culture expert. At the time, Karamo sent through statements saying he was “mentally and emotionally abused” and needed to “protect” his peace, but didn’t name names. Now, an insider has spilled on the behind‑the‑scenes moment that reportedly pushed him over the edge — and it’s the stuff of social anxiety nightmares.
According to TMZ, the drama kicked off while the cast were filming season 10 in Washington, DC, when Karamo’s mum Charmaine visited the set and was given production headphones so she could listen in. While Karamo briefly stepped away, Antoni, Tan and Jonathan were allegedly overheard talking negatively about him, including criticising “certain lifestyle choices” and judging how he looked and dressed. A Daily Mail source described the conversation as “very petty” and claimed it then veered into complaints about what Karamo tells the show’s heroes during their emotional makeover chats.
Because Karamo is the resident life coach, the insider pointed out that hearing your so‑called friends pick apart your actual job is a different level of rough. “Since he is the life coach, that’s obviously not something that anyone wants to hear — that they aren’t doing a good job,” they said. “It’s especially hard when it’s coming from your so‑called friends.” The source said those comments “created an immediate rift” and that Karamo has “remained on the outs” with Antoni, Tan and Jonathan ever since, even as Jeremiah has stayed on good terms with him.
The insider also said Karamo had already had “concerns that his fellow cast members were talking behind his back”, so when his mum “heard them stirring up drama”, those anxieties were confirmed. From there, things reportedly deteriorated quickly. “It turned very sour, very fast once Karamo figured out what they really felt for him,” the source added.
That tension burst into the open when Karamo bailed on a planned CBS Mornings appearance an hour before airtime, with Gayle King reading out his statement live. In it, he said, “I hope everyone remembers the main theme I have tried to teach them over the past decade, 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.” Over on Today with Jenna & Sheinelle, an email from his assistant said Karamo “has felt mentally and emotionally abused for years” and had been advised by his therapist “to protect himself and his peace by not attending”.
Karamo also sent in a video to Today, telling viewers, “Just like the themes of the season, I am modelling what I believe is most important, which I want to remind you all … love yourselves and protect yourselves. That’s why I’m here at home and not there.” He encouraged fans to watch the final season and shouted out the crew, the fans and Netflix executives, but notably did not mention his co‑stars by name. Antoni later called the situation “a surprise” and said that, after nearly a decade together, their “Queer Eye family” is “complicated” like any other.
Complicated indeed!
It all comes after years of rumoured tension — from Bobby Berk’s departure and reported clashes with Tan and Jonathan, to a Rolling Stone piece alleging on‑set “rage issues” and claims Tan and Antoni tried to get Bobby replaced with Tan’s friend Jeremiah, which Tan has strongly denied. Netflix has now wrapped Queer Eye with its tenth and final season, and the Fab Five’s story ends not with a group hug on a couch, but with one of its breakout stars quietly choosing distance over another glossy makeover.
Lead image: Getty / Netflix
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