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Karamo Brown Misses ‘Queer Eye’ ‘TODAY Show’ Appearance, Cites Mental Health Struggles
On January 20, the cast of Queer Eye stopped by TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle to discuss the show’s upcoming final season.
However, one familiar face was noticeably missing as the group took a seat on the couch.
As the camera panned across the cast, the show’s “culture expert,” Karamo Brown, was nowhere to be seen.
At the start of the interview, hosts Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones addressed the elephant in the room: Brown’s absence.
“We received an email from Karamo’s assistant this morning, which said, in part, ‘Karamo has felt mentally and emotionally abused for years, and he has been advised by his therapist to protect himself and his peace by not attending,’” Jones shared.
While Brown was not present in person, he did send a video message for the hosts and viewers.
He opened by thanking Queer Eye fans for their support over the years.
“I just want to say thank you to all the fans who supported us and rocked with us for 10 seasons,” Brown said. “This new season is going to be amazing. You’re going to love every minute of it.”
He then explained his decision to sit out the interview.
“Just like the themes of this season, I’m modeling what I believe is most important, which I want to remind you all: Love yourselves and protect yourselves,” he said. “That’s why I’m here, at home, and not there.”
Brown also encouraged viewers to continue watching the show, emphasizing his appreciation for everyone involved.
“The crew worked on it and did an amazing job,” he added. “I want to shout out the crew, the fans, and the executives from Netflix. Thank you for having me for 10 seasons.”
Following the video message, Bush Hager asked the remaining cast members to share how they were feeling about the situation.
“I think [we’re] definitely a little surprised, but at the same time, we’re so sorry that he’s not here,” Antoni Porowski said. “We fully support, as a collective unit, him taking care of himself.”
Jonathan Van Ness echoed those sentiments, noting how difficult it can be to prioritize self-care in such a demanding environment.
“When you’re on a show and you are just relentlessly working, it is so difficult to center what you need and how to take care of yourself,” Van Ness said. “He’s been teaching people how to take care of themselves on Queer Eye for almost 10 years, and I’m actually so proud of him for centering what he needs to do and taking care of himself.”
Tan France also emphasized that Brown’s absence does not diminish the pride the cast feels about the show’s legacy.
“I think the legacy of the show is such positivity and beauty, and just trying to make this world a better place,” France said. “And I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved, so proud. Including Karamo, what we’ve all done together… What he has done, and the rest of us, I think has been profound.”
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