The 'Queer Eye' star has spoken out out for the first time about the challenging allegations of abusive behavior on set, revealing the emotional toll it has taken on them.
- Jun 28, 2024
AceShowbiz - After months of speculation and silence, "Queer Eye" star Jonathan Van Ness has finally addressed allegations of abusive behavior on the set of the popular Netflix series. The Rolling Stone expose published in March painted a concerning picture of Van Ness, accusing them of having "rage issues" and being "abusive" towards crew members.
During a recent appearance on the "Table Manners" podcast with Jessie and Lennie Ware, Van Ness, who is nonbinary and uses he/they/she pronouns, described the Rolling Stone article as not "really based in reality." They explained that the "Queer Eye" team first learned about the planned article back in December, which triggered months of anxiety.
"There was this article that was written about Queer Eye and myself in March, but our whole Queer Eye family had first learned about this article in like December," Van Ness shared. "I went from this bankruptcy [their hair care brand JVN Hair had to be sold] to like, 'Oh, there's someone who's gonna write an investigative takedown, expose piece about you.' "
The stylist expressed that the timing of the expose was particularly challenging, given their other personal and business struggles. Van Ness admitted that the public reaction, which included people calling them a "fake c**t," made them step away from social media for several weeks, with support pouring in from their family and husband.
Van Ness recalled, "I think a lot of people were looking for a reason to hate me or looking for a reason to be like, 'See, I always knew that they were a fake c**t.'" The allegations claimed they "would lash out at crew members," describing these moments as demeaning and frequent.
Despite believing the article was overwhelmingly untrue and done in bad faith, Van Ness reflected on their own behavior. "I know there were times where I could have been better," they admitted. Van Ness emphasized the learning opportunity the situation provided, encouraging them to "slow down, disengage, and really love myself."
The controversy came shortly after interior design expert Bobby Berk announced his departure from the show, which stoked rumors of tension among the Fab Five, including Tan France, Antoni Porowski, and Karamo Brown. However, such claims of internal competition have since been denied by France.
The upcoming ninth season of "Queer Eye" will introduce a new member to the Fab Five, interior designer Jeremiah Brent. Seasons 1-8 of the show are currently available to stream on Netflix.
