00:00One of the Fab Five is not here. We received word just in less than an hour ago that Karamo Brown is not going to be joining us today.
00:07He said in part, because I want to rip the bandaid off and just get it out of the way so we can really talk about the show.
00:13He sent a statement. He apologized for not attending this interview. He thanked the audience.
00:17He said in part, I hope everyone remembers 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.
00:27His assistant also says that he's worried about being bullied.
00:31What started as a sudden no-show has now opened the door to much bigger questions about what's really going on behind the scenes of Queer Eye.
00:38Amid growing rumors of a rift within the Fab Five, new details are shedding light on what may have sparked the tension,
00:45specifically an alleged hot mic moment involving Karamo Brown and his former co-stars.
00:51According to a report from TMZ, the incident happened last summer,
00:54while Queer Eye was filming its upcoming 10th season in Washington, D.C.
00:59Sources say Karamo brought his mother, Charmaine Brown, to set one day.
01:03She was reportedly given headphones so she could observe production from nearby.
01:07At some point after Karamo stepped away, his co-stars Antony Perovsky, Tan France, and Jonathan Van Ness were allegedly overheard criticizing him
01:16and judging some of his life choices.
01:18The report claims Charmaine heard the remarks through her headphones and later relayed them directly to her son.
01:25Sources say Karamo's response was swift and decisive.
01:28He allegedly chose to sever ties with Perovsky, France, and Van Ness immediately after learning what was said.
01:34Notably, Karamo appears to still be on good terms with only one cast member, Jeremiah Brent,
01:40who is currently the only Queer Eye co-star Karamo continues to follow on Instagram.
01:44This revelation comes just days after fans began speculating about trouble within the group,
01:49following Karamo's last-minute cancellations of scheduled appearances on CBS Mornings and Today's show,
01:55alongside the rest of the cast.
01:56Were you surprised that he's not here today?
02:00I think definitely a little surprised, but at the same time, like, look, we're so sorry that he's not here.
02:05We fully support, I think as a collective unit, him taking care of himself.
02:08And to echo what he's saying, we're here to honor the legacy of a decade, which is so wild to think about
02:14and all of the heroes that we helped and to just really put a spotlight on the incredible heroes we have this season in DC.
02:20Anthony Perovsky responded to the situation on the show with visible surprise, but also a note of realism.
02:26He acknowledged that after nearly 10 years together, the Queer Eye cast is very much like a family.
02:30And as he put it, families can be complicated.
02:33Jonathan Van Ness also reacted to Karamo's statement, saying they've learned over time that it's important to be people where they are.
02:40At this point, none of the cast members have directly addressed the alleged hot mic incident itself,
02:44and Netflix has not commented publicly on the reported feud.
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