Page 31 - AT

A31
PEOPLE & ARTS Tuesday 9 april 2019
'Queer Eye' star France bridges divides on TV, in real life

By LINDSAY WHITEHURST "It's a very honest, earnest "Everyone watches this
Associated Press show," France said. "I think show!" he said. Most sur-
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — many people worried that prising has been the reac-
The Netflix show "Queer this wasn't going to work. tion of straight, cisgender
Eye " caught on by doing It was going to be a very men. While those kinds of
something unusual: creat- emotional show, it was go- encounters with strang-
ing reality TV that touches ing to be a positive show, ers might have included
on some of the country's and up until that point name-calling or violence
deepest divides with persis- those shows weren't suc- in the past, now many men
tent optimism. cessful." want to shake his hand or
Alongside sleek new hair- But "Queer Eye" quickly took say thanks for educating
cuts and rehabbed ward- off, has now released a them about transgender is-
robes, the makeover pro- third season and won best sues.
gram starring five gay reality show at the GLAAD In one episode, Jay has a
men tackles the contrast media awards. Rich Fer- long conversation about
between urban and rural, raro, a spokesman for the transgender issues with
white and black, liberal LGBTQ advocacy group, France, who said he knew In this March 15, 2019, photo, Tan France, a cast member on the
and conservative. said the original show few transgender people Netflix series "Queer Eye," poses among his clothes in the attic
The show's resident fashion helped raise awareness by and asked a number of of his home in Salt Lake City.
expert, Tan France , switch- bringing five successful gay questions. Jay said he still Associated Press
es between those worlds men into American living hears from people all over
off-camera too. He's an rooms across the country. the world about that talk. value system. fashionable, modest cloth-
English immigrant who was The new version also in- "People who are trans, France also loves the ing in Utah and building a
raised Muslim and spends cludes some subjects from or have someone trans sweeping mountain vistas partnership with a success-
his off hours at home with the LGBTQ community, in their family or a trans that surround the city, the ful blogger who consid-
his husband in decidedly from a transgender man to friend, or who don't even burgeoning food scene ered a reality TV show. That
red-state Utah. Living in a black lesbian disowned know anyone who's trans and longtime friends. project didn't pan out, but
Salt Lake City gives him a by her adoptive family. at all but now they have at "If I lived in New York or L.A., it got France noticed by
perspective that comes in "I love how the 'Queer Eye' least somewhat of an un- I'm sure my life would have casting directors and led to
handy for a show featuring of today shows not only derstanding to be decent changed massively. That's an offer to do "Queer Eye"
a cross-section of America, the evolution of the sub- to trans people," he said. why I choose to live in Salt — one that came days af-
he says. ject but of the people who "That is the most valuable Lake," he said. "I come ter he sold his businesses so
"When I go into the homes live in the neighborhoods gift they gave me." home and escape from to start a family.
of these people, they're my and communities around France, meanwhile, has the extra life I have no de- Kids are on hold for now as
neighbors. I spend my days the subject and how they become a rare LGBTQ ce- sire to live." he tours with the cast and
with them. I know who these come to terms with LG- lebrity of south Asian de- He'd also like to correct prepares for the June re-
people are, so it puts me in BTQ people," Ferraro said. scent. A native of the north some misperceptions: Salt lease of his memoir, "Natu-
a very privileged position "I think 'Queer Eye' has be- of England whose family Lake isn't full of polyga- rally Tan." France, 35, says
to say, 'I get what you're come a moment of cele- is Pakistani, he has lived in mists, and in fact the pre- he knew his life was differ-
going through, and let me bration during a pretty dark Salt Lake City on and off dominant faith renounced ent the day that Jon Bon
help you through it,'" he time for LGBTQ Americans." for more than a decade. it more than a century ago. Jovi asked for a selfie with
said in a recent interview at Skylar Jay, a transgender It's where he met his hus- Though the church has him. He gets plenty of ques-
his renovated historic home man from Athens, Geor- band, Rob, an illustrator sometimes been at odds tions about his distinctive sil-
on a quiet street. gia, who uses his first and who grew up in The Church with the larger LGBTQ com- ver hair, which started go-
The house's attic floor is middle name publicly for of Jesus Christ of Latter-day munity, France has many ing gray at age 17.
given entirely to a walk-in safety reasons, said he's Saints in Wyoming. Though friends who belong to the "I will not dye it. I have no
closet and another closet gotten far more reaction they don't talk much about faith and hasn't faced dis- desire to dye it," he said. In-
for scented candles. It's the than he expected after he faith, France said their dif- crimination in Utah. stead, he styles his naturally
kind of stylish wholesome- appeared as a subject on ferent upbringings never- He wasn't in entertainment curly tresses into a tall blow-
ness the show channels ef- the show. theless created a similar before, instead designing out.q
fectively.
A reboot of the 2003 series
"Queer Eye for the Straight Spectator charged with assaulting WWE star Bret Hart
Guy," the version that pre-
miered last year takes Associated Press curity worker.
the setup to new places. NEW YORK (AP) — Authori- Other wrestlers helped sub-
The makeover subjects, ties say a spectator faces due the attacker. Hart re-
dubbed heroes on the assault and trespassing sumed his speech.
show, have ranged from a charges after tackling Prosecutors said in court
President Trump-supporting wrestler Bret "The Hitman" that Madsen told police
NASCAR fan to two African- Hart while he was giving that he "felt like it was right
American sisters who own a speech during the WWE moment" to go after the
a barbecue joint. Between Hall of Fame ceremony in wrestling legend.
the home renovations and Brooklyn. His lawyer said Madsen is
cooking lessons are plenty Bail was set at $1,500 for "agreeable and coopera-
of poignant moments. Zachary Madsen of Lin- tive" and has no criminal
France stars on the show coln, Nebraska at a hear- convictions.
along with food guru An- ing on Sunday night. The WWE described Madsen as
toni Porowski, hairstylist In this March 28, 2010, file photo, Bret "Hit Man" Hart celebrates judge also issued orders of "an over-exuberant fan."
Jonathan Van Ness, culture his victory over Mr. McMahon at WrestleMania XXVI in Glen- protection barring Madsen Madsen had a previ-
expert Karamo Brown and dale, Ariz. Associated Press from approaching Hart, ous run-in with a fighter in
home designer Bobby Berk. who wasn't hurt, and a se- Lincoln.q