Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness gave an interview to The New York Times today, discussing details from his upcoming memoir, Over The Top. It’s bracingly candid stuff, as Van Ness digs deep into aspects of his past that offer a contrast to the bubbly version of himself he plays on the critically acclaimed Netflix series, including the ways he’s dealt with sexual abuse, drug addiction, and the day he learned that he was HIV positive. (Of the latter: “That day was just as devastating as you would think it would be,” he writes in the soon-to-be-published book.)
Among other topics, Van Ness opens up in the interview about being sexually abused as a young child by an older boy; later, he recounts the ways his college years were consumed by drug and sex addictions. And while he now describes himself as “an out-and-proud member of the beautiful H.I.V.-positive community,” he also talks about hesitating to reveal his status to the wider world. “When Queer Eye came out, it was really difficult because I was like, ‘Do I want to talk about my status? And then I was like, ‘The Trump administration has done everything they can do to have the stigmatization of the L.G.B.T. community thrive around me.’”
Very little of this is the sort of material that plays on the typically relentlessly upbeat Queer Eye, which is something Van Ness acknowledges in the interview: “These are all difficult subjects to talk about on a makeover show about hair and makeup. That doesn’t mean Queer Eye is less valid, but I want people to realize you’re never too broken to be fixed.”
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Just read the NYT piece and started crying at work. I love JVN.
He looks like the lost Franco brother, but… in a good way?
You don’t want to overstate what a reality makeover show *is* or whatever, but the world is such a dark place right now and I honestly feel a real debt to the five of them, him in particular, for giving me something to watch where people get to be themselves and be kind to each other and both of those things tangibly benefit everyone involved. Just seeing that play out frequently makes me, a straight dude, start to sob. Its like I’m a plant in the basement and it’s sunlight, I’m starving for it.It really is something I think everyone should sit down and watch.Anyway, sending love his way today. He’s really such a genuine, sweet, positive person so if that’s what he’s looking to accomplish with his life he is living it well.
I feel very much the same. It’s kind of sad how much seeing a show people being nice to each other affects me SO MUCH emotionally. In a world where it seems like we’re so divided, it’s a huge comfort.
Is the world such a “dark place right now”? Compared to when? It’s the best possible world that has ever been – not perfect by any metric but demonstrably better than literally any time in history.
Let’s have some positivity, people! It’s not doom and gloom – every day is another inch towards a better, more progressive future.
Goddammit.
Consarn it!
It is demonstrably better than ever in some ways, almost by definition—advances in medicine, communications, computing. It is demonstrably worse than say 20 years ago in others—economic inequality, the environment, the precarious state of geopolitics.
True story: you don’t have to “um, actually” everything you read on the internet.Read the room man my god.And also, no, the world was better 10 years ago, maybe (probably) 15 years ago. It also feels like the “arc of progress” is stalling and reversing course for many people in the world, hence “the world is a dark place right now.” So in addition to being a dink, you’re wrong.
Completely agree with you about the healing balm that is Queer Eye. These days I need uplifting, and the Fab Five deliver that in spades. I agree. It’s a show everyone should watch. There are absolutely tons of people who would be better for it.
That’s the conclusion I feel so certain about after watching episodes of the show. I just start picturing how no sane person could watch it and not feel good, and draw conclusions about what they just saw and why they feel good—treating others with respect and help and compassion.
I gotta say, I think ‘Queer Eye’ has a pretty damn positive impact for the kind of show it is. The basic message is “It’s okay to care about yourself”, and it’s kind of sobering to realise how many people would never have had this thought on their own. Kindness is such an important part of human society, and it needs to include being kind to oneself.
God its like you and I had this conversation already. I so agree. The show’s entire premise is that being kind and giving a shit about other people—and yourself—makes good things happen. I’m glad I’m not the only one. It really is an important little corner of the universe they’re producing.
I read the piece, and looking at him spread his relentless positivity and love on the show, you’d never think he’d gone through such hardship and dark times in the past. It makes the way he turned his life around all the more impressive. He says his message with the book is that no one is ever too broken to be fixed. He’s a great example of that.
I don’t find him loving or positive. He reminds me of a teenager boy who is all wound up in knots. He’s anxious and self-sabotaging. But loving? Not, not really.
Good thing you can always just not watch anything he’s in.
As a general rule, I don’t. Emotional disturbance is fairly noticeable whenever it’s encountered, and although I empathise.. it’s not exactly fun or exciting for me to watch. Maybe for a sadist it’s great viewing.
my complaint is decidedly less hateful, as a person he’s ok, as a style expert it’s always kind of weird that he has such odd grooming himself. If I were at a barbershop and there was a guy looking like an unkempt version of Yanni, I’m not sure I’d pick that chair
He’s so sweet and genuine and earnest. And his hair is magnificent. He’s like a huggable centaur.
I still don’t understand why anyone would take fashion tips from a man with a handlebar mustache like that.
Why wouldn’t they?!
I’m not saying no one can have a handlebar mustache, but it’s the bow tie of facial hair. Maybe Paul F Tompkins can pull it off, but if you’re going for casual Jesus, or The Dude on a day too warm for the robe, a handlebar mustache is a jarring choice.
I think it fits his style perfectly. He likes to play with contrasting masculine/feminine signifiers and combines the cozy basic sweaters with the bold high heels more often than not, so the outrageous moustache makes perfect sense with the rest of his wardrobe.
I can see high heels working with cozy sweaters, but this doesn’t feel like a particularly interesting incongruous mix to me. This feels like if someone was wearing a pocket tee, cargo shorts, a monocle, and a top hat.
I can also picture him wearing that combo tbh.
I can picture it, I just don’t see it working. It’s a little too “middle schoolers wearing the props at a birthday photo booth” for my tastes.
First off, an on point handlebar mustache takes a master stylist to keep on good shape. Second, I would take hair advice from him any day. His hair is amazing.
So he’s opening up about all that crap, but remaining curiously silent on the real issue:
mustache wax.
This is the fate of all degenerates. You better prepare.
JVN has been a real inspiration to me. As a man who often struggles to feel comfortable with traditional male forms of presentation, it’s been really cool to see him mixing masculine and feminine looks so confidently.