Queer Eye’s Carson Kressley and Thom Filicia Reflect on the ‘Incredible’ Impact Their Show Had on Young Fans
20 years of pride! Carson Kressley and Thom Filicia are gearing up to celebrate two decades of the original Queer Eye series — and they still can’t believe how much the show means to longtime fans.When asked about the importance of being big role models within the LGBTQ+ community, Filicia, 53, exclusively joked during a joint interview with Us Weekly, “That’s why I switched to a light beer, so I could be a smaller role model.”Kressley, 52, also had a lighthearted reply. “You know, we’re coming up on the 20th anniversary of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, which is incredible ’cause we’re only 19,” he teased. “But I think, you know, none of us really thought we were gonna be role models.
I just wanted to get rid of mullets and pleated khakis, you know? … [But] reality TV — especially places where you’re visible and you’re just being who you are and doing your job and moving through the world the way that you move through the world — can be very impactful.”The duo rose to stardom on the Bravo hit, which debuted in 2003.
Along with Kressley and Filicia, whose expertise were in fashion and interior design, respectively, the original “Fab Five” included food guru Ted Allen, hair and grooming pro Kyan Douglas and “culture vulture” Jai Rodriguez.
The reality show aired for five seasons and inspired a wildly popular Netflix revival, which premiered in 2018.Especially during Pride Month, the Celebrity Big Brother alum is aware of just how important representation can be to those at home. “People watched as a family.
