attention,goodandbad.He’sbeencriticisedfor
teachingthe‘heroes’toprepareseemingly
underwhelming dishes – like guacamole.
(Literal headline: “Can Antoni from ‘Queer
Eye’actuallycook?AnInstagraminvestigation”.)
“Myfriendsknowme–theymakefunofmeallthetime,”hesays.“It’sthebestthing
forme.Theyjustpinmetothegroundinthe
most healthy way possible, and make such a
jokeoutofit.”
For Porowski, exposure and pressure hasledtoconsequencesthatneedtobemanaged.
“Iwasindecentshapebeforetheshowcame out, but because of all the compounded
stress, and the attention that’s come along
just in terms of physical appearance, I’ve
deinitely become more obsessive. It’s
alittlemessedup.”
Porowski says he has found himself eatingless,andthathistimeatthegymfeelslikethe
onlypartofhislifehe’sretainedcontrolover.
“I’dbelyingifIsaidIdidn’tcare.Ihavetolimititandcutitoffandbelike,‘Justeatthe
blockofcheese–shutup.Lifeisgood.’”
VanNessgrewupinmiddleAmerica–aifth grader wearing purple leotards with
baggy sweatpants and an off-the-shoulder
sweatshirtwithDocMartens.Andinhiscase,
aparticularburdenhassetin:tobetheversion
ofhimselfthat’ssobeloved,allbubbly,high-
energy and spilling over with compliments.
“I’vebeenintherapyeitheronceortwice
aweeksinceIwaslike,ateenager. I’m
uncomfortabletalkingaboutmyself,”hesays.
“I’venoticedthatifthefocusistoomuchon
me, I get really squirmy. Making this show has
shownmethatmaybeIcanworkalittlemore
on practising what I preach: taking
a compliment, being OK with giving yourself
some self-love.”
The revivedQueer Eyehasn’t been without
itsdetractors.Avocalminoritypointtoaso-
called ‘homo-normative’ slant the show has,
depicting queer culture, they claim, as rigid
and stereotypical.
“WhenIgetthefeedbackthatlike,‘This
show is homo-normative – it only shows gays
inastereotypicallight.Whatdoyousayto
that?’ I’ve noticed that I fucking hate that
question,” says Van Ness. “I’m really sick of, in
my life, defending my demeanour. That this is
astereotype.Like,takeyourstereotype,and
then...cramitsofarupyourass that I never
have to hear about it again.”
Perhapsinparttoaddressthis,anepisodein
the second season features the show’s irst
transformationofatransman.FortheFive,it
seemstobeaprocessoflettingtheshowevolve,
andallowingthemselvestokeepupwithit.
“Istartedtogobaldat29.Iwasashamedofit.
Ifeltthatpartofbeingamanwashavingagood
head of hair,” says Brown. “On the show in
seasononeandtwo,you’llseethatIhavea
hairline. That’s because I literally would grow
myhair,justenough,intheareasitcouldgrow,
andIwoulduseapentodrawitin.My hair
through season one and two is fake.”Brown,who’dspenttwoseasonstellingmen
to embrace themselves, to love themselves, was
doingsowithachesttightwithinsecurity, and
ahairlineilledinwithaSharpie.
“Therunningjokewas,wewouldknow
whereKaramosatinthecar,becausemyhead
wouldbeontheceiling.Iwasthinkingto
myself,‘Whatafraud’.Itwasmycrosstobear.
Themajorityofmylife,I’mconidentinwho
Iam,butthiswassomethingthat I realised
wasadeep-seatedpartofme.
“Iliterallywenttothemirroroneday,andI
was like, ‘Who are you trying to impress?
Whatlovedoyouneedfromtheworld,sothat
youcanletthisgo?’Itsoundslikesomething
outofamovie:Iliterallytookwater,washed-
off the hairline, stared at my baldness and was
like,‘Iloveyou,Iloveyou,Iloveyou’.Ispent
an hour in front of the mirror telling my bald
head,‘Iloveyou’.
“Mykidswalkedin,atirsttheystarted
joking. And then they were mesmerised:
Dad’ssittinginfrontofthemirrorsaying,‘I
love my baldness’. It was me convincing
myself that it was OK.
“Now,Irockabaldhead.Ifeelcomfortable,
I feel conident. I now feel free.”AT
the end of the day, the new George
entered the newly-renovated Club
HouseHotel.Hewasinasmartknit
andcrispginghamshirt.Hecrackedawide
grin, showing his bad tooth, which, he says
proudly,isgoingtobereplaced in time for his
daughter’s wedding.
AftersomeproddingfromBrown,George
toldhissonwhathehadmentioned earlier,
in an off-hand comment.
“Levi, you inspire me.”
Thetwomenshareatearyhug,themoment
ishad,andGeorge’sjourneyiscomplete.
TheFabFivelookexhausted.Buttheystill
giddilyaccepteveryrequestforaselie,every
goodbyehug–morethanafewofthoseasking
appeartohavetravelledanhourfrom
Canberraforthehonour.Bytheendofthe
night,theywouldmeetthetown’smayor,who
crowns them the literal queens of Yass –
maybethefurthestabithaseverbeentaken.
Afewhoursbeforethat,VanNessisatthe
hair salon, easing George into the idea of
charcoal masks. This is another signature of
theshow.NotunlikePorowski’spunchy
guacamole,theivemenseektokeepthe
takeawaysbite-sized,inthehopethatthey’ll
stick.VanNess’pitchforthecharcoalmask
wassimple:it’samomenttoyourself–and
momentstoyourselfmakeyoubetter.
“It’slikealight,honey,”hetellsGeorge.
“You have to put your own mask on irst,
before you can help everyone else.”CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
ThefullepisodeofGeorge’s
makeoverairedonNetflixonJune
22 with season two currently airing;
Berk getting used to rural Aussie life.
AUGUST 2018GQ.COM.AU 139