Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness has, for the primary time, publicly commented on allegations that they had been abusive on the set of Netflix‘s smash hit makeover sequence.
The grooming professional was caught within the centre of a Rolling Stone investigation in March this 12 months which claimed Van Ness had “rage points” and that subsequent stress among the many Fab 5 prompted Bobby Berk‘s departure from the present.
The report mentioned three sources who had labored with 37-year-old Van Ness described them as being emotionally “abusive” and a “monster.” Claims included that Queer Eye‘s work atmosphere was “actually poisonous” with a “manufactured boy band” who had been “advised to be greatest mates.” Fellow stars on the eight-series present embrace Karamo Brown, Tan France and Antoni Porowski.
Van Ness, who makes use of they/them pronouns, had not but responded to the allegations, and has now come ahead to say the article just isn’t “actually primarily based in actuality.” They spoke to English singer-songwriter Jessie Ware on the Desk Manners podcast, which dropped on Wednesday.
“There was this text that was written about Queer Eye and myself in March, however our complete Queer Eye household had first realized about this text in December,” Van Ness mentioned.
“I went from this chapter,” they defined, referring to their enterprise JVN Hair having to be bought by its guardian firm. “Then, ‘Oh, there’s somebody who’s going to write down an investigative takedown, exposé piece about you that isn’t actually primarily based in actuality, however can definitely have a number of issues taken out of context to make you look as dangerous as potential.
“So from January to March, I used to be strolling on eggshells being like, ‘When is that this going to occur?’ After which it lastly did occur,” they mentioned.
Discussing the response from social media customers to the report, Van Ness added: “I believe lots of people had been on the lookout for a cause to hate me or on the lookout for a cause to be like, ‘See, I all the time knew that they had been a faux cunt.’”
They mentioned the allegations prompted them to place down their telephone for weeks whereas the article circulated. “My household was so supportive, and my husband and my workforce. However I didn’t even get on social media to have a look at my telephone for like three weeks and anytime I attempted to dip my toe in, I might instantly see one thing that was so intensely hurtful.”
Earlier in March, Queer Eye‘s trend guru France claimed on Instagram that Berk was fired. France wrote: “I simply need to deal with one level actual fast. My former colleague getting fired had nothing to do with me making an attempt to get my good friend employed.” Berk has not commented, however when asserting the information of his departure, mentioned it was “my resolution.”