The Queer Eye worlds are once again colliding.
In a recent interview with E! News’ Daily Pop, O.G. Culture Vulture Jai Rodriguez revealed that he was initially “shocked” to learn that there would be a reboot of the Emmy-winning series on Netflix, starring Daily Pop‘s guest co-host, Bobby Berk.
In 2018, Rodriguez says he received a phone call in the middle of his cabaret show rehearsal.
“This is the tea,” he dished. “‘We’re bringing Queer Eye back,’ and before they could even take a breath, my Puerto Rican butt threw myself on the line and was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so amazing because honestly, now in my 30s, I have, like, so much more to offer.'”
Rodriguez was then informed of the new cast.
“I was literally in shock for a second,” he recalled.
Although Rodriguez was not ready to give up the Queer Eye reigns, he says he is ultimately thankful for the new crew, starring Berk, Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski, and Tan France.
“As I really thought about it, after Queer Eye, it was really hard to get back to my profession as an entertainer and an actor because it had a reality show stigma on my name,” Rodriguez said. “I had to fight so hard. Once I got to meet the new Fab Five, they were so incredibly gracious.”
Rodriguez and Berk also talked about the show’s lasting impact, how the franchise became a success, and even though they are the same age, they represent different generations of Queer Eye fandom.
“Someone said it best, but we did it when the world needed the show and now the world needed the show again,” he concluded.
Rodriguez reunited not too long ago with his Fab 5 brothers, Carson Kressley, Thom Filicia, Ted Allen, and Kyan Douglas for an episode of E!’s Reunion Road Trip, which premiered last month.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5bYn-dZSgI
