Its return isn’t simply a nostalgic throwback in terms of TV programming, but also to an Obama-era optimism, where political and cultural differences could be bridged with active listening, a patterned short-sleeved button-down, and some shiplap. The first season of the rebooted Queer Eye debuted on Netflix on February 7. Seemingly overnight, the Fab Five have become a cultural force, with book deals, restaurants, and brand collaborations.
“I’m always that guy, and I’m happy to.” “Yes,” I reply. “Do you mind me taking over?” Porowski says gently. When the waiter asks me what we want to do, I feel a fresh panic wash over me. doing press and are ravenous - each with different needs and desires. Photo-Illustration: Stevie Remsberg/Photos: Getty ImagesĪntoni Porowski catches my eye across the table and utters the magic words: “We can help.” I’d invited Netflix’s Queer Eye cast, the new Fab Five - Jonathan Van Ness (grooming), Karamo Brown (culture), Bobby Berk (design), Tan France (fashion), and Porowski (food) - for an interview at the private room at Tang Hotpot, a Sichuanese hot-pot restaurant on the Lower East Side, but I’m wholly unprepared to order for the group.
