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Review: ‘Queer Eye’ Aims to Make America Gay(-Friendly) Again Review: ‘Queer Eye’ Aims to Make America Gay(-Friendly) Again
(about 4 hours later)
In the original “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” the five cheerfully judgy taste mavens uncovered plenty of fashion choices in their subjects’ homes that made them cringe. But the series’ revival finds a new one while visiting Cory, a NASCAR-loving Georgia police officer: a Make America Great Again cap.In the original “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” the five cheerfully judgy taste mavens uncovered plenty of fashion choices in their subjects’ homes that made them cringe. But the series’ revival finds a new one while visiting Cory, a NASCAR-loving Georgia police officer: a Make America Great Again cap.
Karamo Brown, the show’s culture expert, playfully puts the hat on as Bobby Berk, the interior designer, watches slack-jawed. “We’re all going to make America great again,” Cory says.Karamo Brown, the show’s culture expert, playfully puts the hat on as Bobby Berk, the interior designer, watches slack-jawed. “We’re all going to make America great again,” Cory says.
The scene captures how the new “Queer Eye,” now on Netflix, deals with the baggage America has accumulated in its closets since 2003. It doesn’t look away from the new culture clashes. But for the most part, it wears them lightly.The scene captures how the new “Queer Eye,” now on Netflix, deals with the baggage America has accumulated in its closets since 2003. It doesn’t look away from the new culture clashes. But for the most part, it wears them lightly.
The original “Queer Eye” was like a stealth mission to straight America’s vanity cabinets, built on the idea of gay men as arbiters of cool. It had its own political context. The fall after its premiere, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage legal. In the next year’s midterm election, a host of ballot initiatives banning such marriages passed.The original “Queer Eye” was like a stealth mission to straight America’s vanity cabinets, built on the idea of gay men as arbiters of cool. It had its own political context. The fall after its premiere, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage legal. In the next year’s midterm election, a host of ballot initiatives banning such marriages passed.
In the series’s upbeat formulation, being open to gay culture wasn’t just good of straight guys, it was good for them — it helped them dress better, live better, eat better. It even made them sexier — better, as it were, at being straight.In the series’s upbeat formulation, being open to gay culture wasn’t just good of straight guys, it was good for them — it helped them dress better, live better, eat better. It even made them sexier — better, as it were, at being straight.
Fifteen years later, marriage equality is the law of the land. And on the surface, uninterrupted forward progress is the premise of the new “Queer Eye.”Fifteen years later, marriage equality is the law of the land. And on the surface, uninterrupted forward progress is the premise of the new “Queer Eye.”
“The original show was about fighting for tolerance,” Tan France, the fashion expert, says in the premiere. “Our fight is for acceptance.”“The original show was about fighting for tolerance,” Tan France, the fashion expert, says in the premiere. “Our fight is for acceptance.”
But the situation, in real life and on the show, is more complicated. A recent poll by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation found that the percentage of gay Americans reporting discrimination is up and the percentage of straights who identify as “allies” is down. The 2016 election, which brought in a vice president with a record of opposing gay rights, is at least correlation, if not causation. But the situation, in real life and on the show, is more complicated. A recent poll by GLAAD, formerly known as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, found that the percentage of gay Americans reporting discrimination is up and the percentage of straights who identify as “allies” is down. The 2016 election, which brought in a vice president with a record of opposing gay rights, is at least correlation, if not causation.
So this new “Queer Eye” is interesting both for what has changed and what hasn’t — in the show and among viewers.So this new “Queer Eye” is interesting both for what has changed and what hasn’t — in the show and among viewers.
What hasn’t is the show’s core structure. The new Fab Five — representing, like superheroes or demigods, five aspects of masculine attainment — take on a rehab case, nominated by a friend or family member. Mr. Berk, Mr. Brown and Mr. France are joined by Antoni Porowski (food and wine) and Jonathan Van Ness (grooming). Fellas learn to cook, moisturize, select pocket squares.What hasn’t is the show’s core structure. The new Fab Five — representing, like superheroes or demigods, five aspects of masculine attainment — take on a rehab case, nominated by a friend or family member. Mr. Berk, Mr. Brown and Mr. France are joined by Antoni Porowski (food and wine) and Jonathan Van Ness (grooming). Fellas learn to cook, moisturize, select pocket squares.
But this time, the five pile into a mammoth pickup truck and head for Atlanta and environs. Coastal culture meets MAGA America from the first case: Tom, a shaggy-bearded, sweet-hearted divorced man looking for love and partial to “redneck margaritas” (tequila and Mountain Dew).But this time, the five pile into a mammoth pickup truck and head for Atlanta and environs. Coastal culture meets MAGA America from the first case: Tom, a shaggy-bearded, sweet-hearted divorced man looking for love and partial to “redneck margaritas” (tequila and Mountain Dew).
There’s more to the 2018 version than gay-straight dynamics (hence, no “for the Straight Guy” in the title). One touching episode involves a gay man, preparing to come out to his family, who has always dressed to avoid “looking gay” — a recognition that there is more than one way (or five) to live one’s sexuality.There’s more to the 2018 version than gay-straight dynamics (hence, no “for the Straight Guy” in the title). One touching episode involves a gay man, preparing to come out to his family, who has always dressed to avoid “looking gay” — a recognition that there is more than one way (or five) to live one’s sexuality.
The most provocative, if unsteady, episode involves Cory, the policeman with the MAGA hat. It opens with the five getting pulled over in their truck — by, it turns out, Cory’s friend and fellow officer, who nominated him for the makeover.The most provocative, if unsteady, episode involves Cory, the policeman with the MAGA hat. It opens with the five getting pulled over in their truck — by, it turns out, Cory’s friend and fellow officer, who nominated him for the makeover.
Mr. Brown, who is driving, is black. He does not find it a hilarious joke to be pulled over by a seemingly hostile white officer. (Production was in on the disturbing prank; the hosts were not.) But he later has a heart-to-heart with Cory, who doesn’t like being “lumped in” with over-aggressive cops and sympathizes with Black Lives Matter. “If we could sit down and have a conversation like me and you just did,” Cory says, “things would be a lot better in society.”Mr. Brown, who is driving, is black. He does not find it a hilarious joke to be pulled over by a seemingly hostile white officer. (Production was in on the disturbing prank; the hosts were not.) But he later has a heart-to-heart with Cory, who doesn’t like being “lumped in” with over-aggressive cops and sympathizes with Black Lives Matter. “If we could sit down and have a conversation like me and you just did,” Cory says, “things would be a lot better in society.”
Maybe. It feels good to think so for 45 minutes, anyway. If the original “Queer Eye” was about easing conservative America’s discomfort, this one is often about liberal America’s unease with what conservative identity politics has awakened.Maybe. It feels good to think so for 45 minutes, anyway. If the original “Queer Eye” was about easing conservative America’s discomfort, this one is often about liberal America’s unease with what conservative identity politics has awakened.
Some moments here — the guys walking into an American Legion hall, say — have a tinge of post-2016 dread. Are we all cool with each other? What do people feel permission to say now? How many of these folks interpreted the slogan as “Make America Straight Again”?Some moments here — the guys walking into an American Legion hall, say — have a tinge of post-2016 dread. Are we all cool with each other? What do people feel permission to say now? How many of these folks interpreted the slogan as “Make America Straight Again”?
Here, the encounters always turn out sweet. That’s the show’s mission; this isn’t documentary. The insights are sometimes pat, and the emotional-transformation arcs can feel forced. (A shy client, for instance, gets boxing lessons as a metaphor for “getting in the ring.”)Here, the encounters always turn out sweet. That’s the show’s mission; this isn’t documentary. The insights are sometimes pat, and the emotional-transformation arcs can feel forced. (A shy client, for instance, gets boxing lessons as a metaphor for “getting in the ring.”)
But “Queer Eye” has changed its sensibility just enough to fit an America that has become both more officially tolerant and more tribal, with less sense of neutral ground.But “Queer Eye” has changed its sensibility just enough to fit an America that has become both more officially tolerant and more tribal, with less sense of neutral ground.
When I first heard about this remake, it sounded superfluous, 15 years and a zillion makeover shows later. But there’s something cathartic about its Purple America spirit, contrived and reductive as it can be. Yes, country guys can have fantastic senses of flair and color! Gay guys can have fun driving a huge whomping pickup truck!When I first heard about this remake, it sounded superfluous, 15 years and a zillion makeover shows later. But there’s something cathartic about its Purple America spirit, contrived and reductive as it can be. Yes, country guys can have fantastic senses of flair and color! Gay guys can have fun driving a huge whomping pickup truck!
It’s a formula, but damned if it doesn’t do the job and generate the tears, most of them happy.It’s a formula, but damned if it doesn’t do the job and generate the tears, most of them happy.