Karamo Brown’s sudden absence from Queer Eye’s promotional appearances left the cast and fans reeling, especially after his assistant claimed the mental health expert pulled out due to worries about “being bullied.” The Fab Five — Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Jonathan Van Ness, and Jeremiah Brent — were left to promote the show’s tenth and final season without him, and the tension was impossible to ignore.
Holding Space — and Hands — Without Karamo
One of the most striking moments of the morning was the cast holding hands while listening to Brown’s message being read aloud. It was a quiet, and slightly awkward, show of solidarity as if they were bracing themselves for what seemed to be an unsurprising message from Brown.
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
Brown’s statement emphasized a message fans have heard for nearly a decade:
“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.”
And when Brown later addressed the audience in a video message, he said,
“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.”
The Cast Responds: Complicated, But Supportive
Antoni Porowski did not sugarcoat his reaction, admitting, “Surprised is a fair understatement.” He went on to acknowledge the complexity of relationships within the show, saying,
“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.”
The QUEER EYE cast takes a fab look back on 10 seasons of the historic show! pic.twitter.com/VFQcnZ1b2I
— Queer Eye (@QueerEye) January 16, 2026
But Porowski also insisted the show’s mission remains the same:
“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.”
Jeremiah Brent, the newest member of the cast, spoke about his experience as “transformative.” He added,
“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.”
Later, addressing Brown’s message again, 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.”
Jonathan Van Ness offered one of the most emotionally resonant reactions, applauding Brown for taking care of himself:
“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.”
Source: @tanbrown | Instagram
Van Ness continued,
“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.”
And, acknowledging the sadness of the moment, Van Ness concluded,
“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.”
Brown, Bullying, and the Weight of Visibility
Karamo Brown’s assistant released a statement claiming Brown “has felt mentally and emotionally abused for years,” and that he was advised by his therapist “to protect himself and his peace by not attending.”
That claim reframes the story from a last-minute cancellation to something more serious: a public figure stepping back from the spotlight to protect his mental health.
“Strive to be 1% better than you were yesterday.” —@Karamo
To close out #MBKRising, Karamo Brown shared life advice with the young men in the room and around the world pic.twitter.com/4FgQgVJNK1
— The Obama Foundation (@ObamaFoundation) February 21, 2019
A Decade of Queer Eye, A Complicated Goodbye
Since Queer Eye debuted in 2018, it has become a cultural juggernaut, earning multiple Emmy Awards and redefining the makeover genre with its focus on empathy, personal growth, and LGBTQ+ visibility. Yet, as the series heads toward its final season, the show’s internal conflicts are becoming harder to ignore.
The earlier departure of Bobby Berk, followed by admissions of behind-the-scenes tension, already complicated the show’s narrative of harmony. Now, Karamo’s absence adds a deeper, more personal layer to the story.
RELATED: Bye, Bye, Queer Eye! The Beloved Series Is Coming To An End
What This Moment Means for LGBTQ+ Viewers
For LGBTQ+ audiences, this is more than a cast shake-up — it’s a reminder that even affirming spaces can become emotionally unsafe. Karamo stepping away may be disappointing, but it also reinforces a key lesson the show has taught for years: sometimes, protecting your peace means choosing absence over endurance.
As Queer Eye approaches its final season, the Fab Five’s story is no longer just about transformations — it’s about vulnerability, boundaries, and the emotional cost of visibility.