The Queer Eye cast savage Bernie Sanders for his looks and his politics in a 2018 video – and they don’t hold back.
The video apparently didn’t make much of a splash when it was first released by Into, but has resurfaced on Twitter in recent days, and LGBT+ people are not impressed.
In the video, the cast are asked about their thoughts on Bernie Sanders, to which Tan France – the show’s fashion expert – immediately declares: “I love Bernie!”
Are the Fab 5 feeling the bern? Not so much ¯_(ツ)_/¯@QueerEye pic.twitter.com/FbpsmFDAky
— INTO (@Into) February 18, 2018
However, his jubilation is quickly overshadowed by culture expert Karamo Brown.
I am not about this, that hair, that suit, and quietly, not about them politics. Hillary all the way.
“I never felt the Bern and the minute that I wanted to start feeling the Bern, I was like, ‘Where’s the doctor to get rid of it?’” Brown said.
“I am not about this, that hair, that suit, and quietly, not about them politics. Hillary all the way.”
The camera briefly lingers on France’s shocked expression before moving to grooming expert Jonathan Van Ness, who sides with Brown.
“OK, I do actually feel exactly the same way,” Van Ness declares. “But for all of you Bernie bros, I would just say, so upset I wasn’t on the Bernie Bern train, cause like honestly, if that blow dry and that suit is what was holding me between Donald Trump and now, like I should have gotten on board with it before.”
France then interjects and says he doesn’t “hate” Sanders’ style.
“He’s a little old man, bless him. I don’t expect him to be stylish.”
Van Ness and Brown then compare Sanders’ appearance to Bill Clinton’s while he was president. France points out that Clinton was much younger than Bernie is now during his presidency.
The video ends with Jonathan Van Ness saying: “And, Ronald Reagan, could he be bothered to mention HIV/AIDS? No, but he could be bothered to put some gel in his hair, and I just feel like that is a thing.”
LGBT+ Twitter users are not impressed with the Queer Eye cast’s comments on Bernie Sanders.
The Fab Five – particularly Karamo Brown and Jonathan Van Ness – have been savaged on Twitter since the video started circulating again.
pitch: a series to makeover the Queer Eye 5’s politics
— rachel watters (@Rachelagain) September 30, 2019
One user took issue with Brown’s support of Hillary Clinton and pointed out that she historically opposed same-sex marriage.
“Hillary all the way!” pic.twitter.com/Rt2OeakKNC
— PhantomBane (@Phantom_McBane) September 29, 2019
Others are unhappy that the Fab Five failed to recognise Sanders’ long history of supporting LGBT+ rights.
Sorry, but I still can’t get over the fact that @QueerEye guys mocked and ridiculed one of the most consistent allies of the LGBTIQ community in US politics pic.twitter.com/n2w1wFmPQQ
— Red Rose (@heyredrose) September 30, 2019
Meanwhile, others took issue with Van Ness’s comments about Ronald Reagan.
Disappointing to hear Jonathan give Reagan a pass for killing people with AIDS because he used gel
— Livia ABOLISH ICE Scott (@LiviaLove) September 29, 2019
Other Twitter users were quick to point out that the Queer Eye cast has never been known for their radical politics.
ok everyone’s retweeting that Queer Eye video but what did you really expect from five men who use the forces of capitalism to assimilate others into normative standards of beauty and consumption. Stop looking towards random celebrities for thought leadership plz.
— dejan (@heyDejan) September 30, 2019
Karamo Brown recently deleted his Twitter account after he called Sean Spicer a ‘nice guy’
This is not the first time the Queer Eye cast have disagreed on politics.
Last April, four of the Fab Five – minus Brown – went to Capitol Hill to meet with Nancy Pelosi and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Fans began to wonder why Brown was not in attendance.
He later tweeted: “The thing I love about the #Fab5 the most is that we all don’t hold the same view but we respect each other and the process.
“For me, its important to champion leaders who understand the importance of speaking the truth and who also understand that our democracy is a bipartisan system & in order to see sustainable change u must find a way to work w/ the other side while not disrespecting your own party.”
Last month, Brown deleted his Twitter account after he faced backlash for calling Sean Spicer a “nice guy”.