Queer Eye’s Karamo Brown Skips Multiple Live Interviews After Claiming Years of Mental and Emotional Abuse — Costars React

 Queer Eye’s Karamo Brown Skips Multiple Live Interviews After Claiming Years of Mental and Emotional Abuse — Costars React

Queer Eye’s Karamo Brown Skips Multiple Live Interviews After Claiming Years of Mental and Emotional Abuse — Costars React

Karamo Brown made a clear statement on Tuesday, Jan. 20, when he opted to skip multiple morning show interviews alongside his Queer Eye costars Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Jonathan Van Ness and Jeremiah Brent. 

CBS Mornings anchor Gayle King first shared the news that Brown, 45, had pulled out of his appearance an hour before it aired, releasing a statement as to what led to his decision. 

“I hope everyone remembers the main theme I have tried to teach them over the past decade, which is 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,” the statement read. 

Brown’s costars were asked about his decision and subsequent comments, as they expressed their surprise. 

“Surprised is a fair understatement,” Porowski, 41, shared. “I will say, our Queer Eye family, we’ve been doing this for almost a decade — which is pretty wild to believe — and families are complicated and we’re definitely not excluded from that. But I think two things can exist at the same time. And while that is definitely true, we’re also here to showcase these incredible heroes we have and really honor the legacy of this past decade of our lives and all these wonderful heroes that we’ve had the blessing of getting to meet and have conversations with.” 

Karamo Brown, one of the “Fab Five” of Netflix’s “Queer Eye,” did not participate in this morning’s interview with the cast, writing to CBS Mornings that he hopes people remember to “protect their mental health/peace.”

Brown’s assistant told CBS Mornings that the expert was… pic.twitter.com/oDDtlo8Y7v

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) January 20, 2026

Brent, who replaced Bobby Berk on the show in season 9, also shared an emotional response, praising his fellow costars, saying, “My experience in this group has been transformative. To see the way that they move through the world, the way that they have taught me so much about life and friendship and love. I have felt safe and supported by the people up here.”

The Queer Eye stars had to discuss Brown’s absence again on Today with Jenna & Sheinelle where Brown sent in a video message after telling the NBC morning show in a statement that he “has felt mentally and emotionally abused for years,” and was advised by his therapist “to protect himself and his peace by not attending.” He did not specify who caused him to feel this way.

Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Jonathan Van Ness and Jeremiah Brent on 'Today with Jenna & Sheinelle.'.

Today

In the video message, a smiling Brown reiterated, “Just like the themes of this season, I’m modeling what I believe is most important, which I want to remind you all, love yourselves and protect yourselves. That’s why I’m here at home and not there.”

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A post shared by TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle (@jennasheinelle)

He encouraged fans to still watch the 10th season of Queer Eye, saying he “loved every minute of it,” and adding, “The crew worked on it and did an amazing job. I want to shout out to the crew. I want to shout out to the fans. I want to shout out to the executives at Netflix."

He did not thank his costars.

Once again, the Queer Eye team shared their reactions to Brown’s comments live on the air. 

Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski and Jeremiah Brent in March 2025.

Michael Tullberg/Getty

“I think, definitely a little surprised, but at the same time, look, we’re so sorry that he’s not here,” Porowski said. “We fully support, I think as a collective unit, him taking care of himself and I think to echo what he’s saying, we’re here to honor the legacy of a decade, which is so wild to think about and all the heroes we’ve helped. And to just really put a spotlight on the incredible heroes we have this season in D.C.”

France, 42, noted that the Netflix reality show “was never about us,” saying he is “so proud” of all the work everyone on the show has done, including Brown. 

And Van Ness, 38, took a moment to applaud Brown for taking care of himself, saying, “It is so difficult — I think both of you can identify — when you’re on a show and you’re just relentlessly working, it is so difficult to center what you need and how to take care of yourself. And he’s been teaching people how to take care of themselves on Queer Eye for almost 10 years. And I’m actually so proud of him for centering what he needs to do and taking care of himself. It’s not easy and that’s not an easy statement to make and I’m really proud of him for doing that. Obviously, we wish that he was here, but I am really proud of him for doing what he needs to do for what’s best for himself.”

PEOPLE has reached out to Brown and reps for the Queer Eye cast for comment. 

Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski and Tan France in April 2022.

Jason Kempin/Getty

Brown was one of the original members of the show, which is a spinoff series of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, which aired from 2003 to 2007. This is not the first time the cast has experienced tension and drama. 

In 2023, Berk, now 44, announced his exit from Queer Eye after eight seasons on the show. During a 2024 interview with Vanity Fair, Berk discussed some of the drama within the Fab Five. 

“Tan and I had a moment,” he said of France at the time. “There was a situation, and that’s between Tan and I, and it has nothing to do with the show. It was something personal that had been brewing — and nothing romantic, just to clarify that.” 

“Should I have unfollowed Tan? No,” Berk continued. “Maybe I should have just muted him. But that day, I was angry, and that’s the end of it. We became like siblings — and siblings are always going to fight.”

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