What’s Going On Over at Queer Eye? The Reality TV Tea

January 30, 2024
ALEXANDER

So there's obviously something going on with the cast of Queer Eye. So the show has been renewed and is coming back for Season 9 (There are 9 seasons? When did that happen?). Everyone came back this week...except for interior designer Bobby Berk. And the rumors have abounded as to what's going on over there. Bobby finally set the record straight during his chat with Vanity Fair.

Fans of Queer Eye were quick to notice that Bobby had unfollowed fellow cast member Tan France in November. Bobby has come to admit that there was indeed an incident/issue with Tan and the two had a moment. Bobby stated that it was a long time brewing but that it was nothing romance-related. He also maintains that his riff with Tan had nothing to do with him leaving the show. He says that their original contract was up back in September of 2022, he didn't think they were coming back and had moved on with other career projects. To be fair, the shooting schedule with COVID and everyone's busy lives has been spotty. Bobby says that unfollowing Tan wasn't the best move but that he was angry and, ultimately, the two will be fine. Tan hasn't come out with an official statement as of yet.

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Bobby's rise to Queer Eye is an interesting one. He was raised in Amish country and dealt with religious and homophobic issues growing up, leaving home at 15, sleeping in his car, or staying with friends. He moved to New York in 2003 and started working for Bed, Bath, and Beyond and Restoration Hardware, learning his craft working retail. Without any formal training, he made his way to the top, becoming Creative Director of Portico, a high-end home furnishing company. When the company folded, he went on to open interior-related businesses of his own. He joined the Queer Eye reboot in 2018.

He's been very vocal about mental health issues and has talked about there being a relationship between design and mental health. He debuted his first book last September, Right at Home: How Good Design Is Good for the Mind: An Interior Design Book. Apparently, he lives part-time in Portugal with his husband.

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How will the cast work out without Berk? The new season just started streaming so you can check it out and see if there's a noticeable difference. To be honest, we haven't really been meticulous in keeping up with the show. While the cast has great chemistry, it didn't appear as fresh as the original Queer Eye, when there was no other programming like it on television. Also, the cast in the original seemed to have a tighter relationship and some true chemistry. What do you think?