Netflix has fired Jonathan Van Ness from Strange eye?
That seems like an absurd question. They are one of the biggest breakout stars of the revival series.
However, after an alarming expose detailing an alleged distressing workplace culture Strange eyeperhaps assumed that JVN was finished.
Now, the reality star is ready to set the record straight.
The ‘Queer Eye’ revival had problems behind the scenes
Netflix’s opinion Queer Eye Warner Bros. conducted a worldwide casting search to line up its Fab 5. Some who worked on the show compared it to creating a “boy band.” These stars had great chemistry together — but that’s not the same thing as being friends in real life.
As Rolling Stoneis in-depth report on Queer Eyeseveral problems points out that this program has had an educational and even healing effect on many people in America.
“My queer friends aren’t necessarily lining up to watch it,” a production source explained in the report. “But (it’s) a show that a Southern mother with a gay son — who’s on the fence about whether to accept him — would watch and be affected by.”
Virtually indisputably, Jonathan Van Ness was the greatest emerging personality of this Fab 5. The hairdresser was already a familiar face for his star-studded cast Gay of Thrones YouTube series.
However, much of the Rolling Stone report details JVN’s behavior. Multiple production sources describe them as extremely and unbearably “toxic”.
“Four Strange eye production sources and three sources who worked with Van Ness said the reality star was terrible to work with,” the report says, “using words like ‘monster,’ ‘nightmare,’ and ‘humiliating’ to describe her.”
Jonathan Van Ness’s description doesn’t match his public persona… not entirely, at least
“Three people labeled Van Ness as emotionally ‘abusive’ and with ‘anger issues,’” the report continues.
“AND,” Rolling Stone continues, “all seven sources said the star would lash out at crew members and people who worked closely with Van Ness.”
One source elaborated: “(There’s) a real emotion of fear around them when they get angry. It’s almost like a cartoon where it just comes out of them. It’s intense and scary.”
One source described JVN as having “the ability to be very warm, very charismatic and to make you feel really special because they are paying attention to you.”
That insider warned: “But at least once a day, they would need to yell at someone. It may be something small, but there will always be someone to point and blame and make the villain of the day.”
Another production source pointed out JVN’s alleged hypocrisy. “They’re really centered around having that warmth and love and care for other people. There’s a real contrast between that and the way they treat those closest to them in general.”
The parallels are written
On social media, people are comparing the report on Jonathan Van Ness to dark portraits of ellen degeneres. Employees, other celebrities and members of the service industry shared their experiences with the once-beloved comedian and opened people’s eyes.
It’s not exactly the same with JVN. There are no specific horror stories about them as there is of Ellen.
Jonathan Van Ness is without a doubt the biggest star in Queer Eye (That may be why they weren’t fired.) But even so, they’re not the real bosses.
Jonathan Van Ness breaks their silence
Four months after the bombshell report, Jonathan Van Ness criticized the article for not being “based in reality.”
“I think a lot of people were looking for a reason to hate me or looking for a reason to be like, ‘See, I always knew they were fake and this is the proof,’” the reality star said on the podcast “Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware”.
“My family was very supportive of my husband and my team, but I didn’t even go on social media or look at my phone for three weeks.”
Van Ness, 37, said they and their “Queer Eye” castmates first learned of the investigative profile in December 2023 and claimed much of the information gathered was “taken out of context” to make them look “as bad as possible.”
“I think people forget that no matter how famous you are, you are still a person,” the TV personality added.
“This article came at an incredibly vulnerable time — like, for my hair care company, for like my entire career. It was really, really hard.”
Should Jonathan Van Ness be fired from ‘Queer Eye’ after this?
Some are questioning whether they should be fired. Netflix did not immediately comment on the report in any official capacity at the time.
However, when the show’s ninth season was confirmed, JVN was listed as a returning host. So they are in
Their activism changed lives for the better, but no public good should make someone immune from accountability.
Others want to hear your side of the story and any potential rebuttals of other production sources.
None of this came up in the long Twitter thread in which Bobby Berk announced his departure from Queer Eye.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce that Season 8 will be my last season on Queer Eye,” he wrote on the buzzy social media platform. “It was not an easy decision to be at peace, but a necessary one.”
Berk stated at the time: “While my journey with Queer Eye is over, my journey with you is not. You will be seeing more of me soon.”
Berk later explained the Vanity Fair that his contract was up and that he had turned down Netflix’s new four-year offer.
But this damning report into Jonathan Van Ness’s alleged behind-the-scenes behavior puts it in a different light.
Of course, a “boy band” style of casting isn’t going to forge a group of friends for life. But it will be interesting to hear Berk explain if JVN was a factor in him leaving the show.