So this happened. I’ve been sitting on this photo since last fall, when I flew to Atlanta to talk to the stars of Queer Eye (aka the Fab Five). They had just wrapped up shooting the most recent season, the fifth, which takes place in Philadelphia and debuted on Netflix this past weekend. They were going to appear on the June cover of Delta Sky, but then the pandemic hit and the magazine folded and I lost my job – as well as the opportunity to see what magic I could pull from my interview with them.

For the uninitiated, the Fab Five are (in photo, left to right) Bobby Berk (interior design), Karamo Brown (culture), Antoni Porowski (food), Jonathan Van Ness (grooming) and Tan France (fashion). In the show, the cast works with “heroes” – aka regular Joes (and Jills in the newer version) – who are looking for a little help in their lives. They created a sensation when they stepped into the shoes of the original five, who also created a sensation when Queer Eye for the Straight Guy launched waaaaay back in 2003. The update hit Netflix in 2018 and since then, each of them has become an uberstar with so much going on that I can’t even wrap my head around it.

Books? They’ve all written at least one. Bobby has his own design business and fills my Instagram feed with beautiful things. Food expert Antoni shares recipes in his cookbook Antoni in the Kitchen and has been making the internet thirsty with his short cooking videos. In addition to giving the show so much heart and EQ, Karamo found time for a stint on Dancing with the Stars. Tan not only kills it on QE but brings his sartorial flair to the Netflix show Next in Fashion. And Jonathan recently finished up a comedy tour, continues to host his podcast, Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness, and constructed the most adorable cardboard TV on top of a cat tree, which is the “set” for videos of his kitties (a real winner for me).

In person, they were just as fabulous and gracious and funny as they are on the show. And the way they get along with each other – laughing, teasing, massaging each other’s feet (that was Tan and Antoni) – was almost jealousy-inducing. Who wouldn’t want a squad like that? While my article will never see the light of day, I wanted to share here a few insights from the cast.

When the viewer sees the Fab Five meet the heroes for the first time, is it really the first time?
Tan: “That legit is the first time.”

Bobby: “Even me, I go to their home before, but it is a massive deal that producers have to get there first to make sure that [the hero] and the family are completely gone. We can’t even see each other in passing. And we like it that way because then we truly are having an authentic meeting with them.”

What do you do with all the furniture and clothing that isn’t used in the refresh?
Bobby: “We walk through with the hero on camera and we talk about every single piece in the house. Keep, donate, keep, donate. We try to get them to always donate stuff, but a lot of times they don’t want to let go of it. So if there’s a spare bedroom, it all goes in there. If there’s a basement, it all goes in there. If there’s no space, it goes neatly boxed in the backyard with a tarp on it, but we try to get them to donate as much as possible.”

Tan: “Mine is a similar process. I ask them what they love so much that I could possibly use in their new wardrobe for the reveal. So sometimes when you see the reveal, it’s not all new; 95 percent is and I’ll keep two or three things that they really love, and there’s a way of making it work. But on the whole, we put it all in boxes and then they decide later. I think it would be really lame if we said we’re just trashing it all because that might mean something to somebody that I will never know.”

On the show, you’re trying to guide people to be the best that they can and have the best life that they can. But that type of change is something that can take a therapist months and years to work through with a client. You get amazing results in only four days. How do you do it?
Jonathan: “I don’t think anyone is saying that we’re fixing anything in four days. I think that we’re trying to share what we’ve learned and what we’ve observed from what we’ve gotten to know of everyone and give whatever tips, advice, help that we can in those four days.”

Antoni: “But I think it’s more about planting the seed as well. Change takes time; you’re right, it doesn’t happen overnight or just in a matter of four days. But if you show people that there’s another way of living, of doing things a little differently, that, for me, that’s good enough. I feel like my job is done if we just show them a new perspective.”

What places in Philly [where Season 5 was filmed] did you come to really love?
Antoni: “Zahav. Best Middle Eastern food I’ve ever had in my life.”

Jonathan: “The Pennsylvania SPCA, where I adopted my two kittens from. And that bakery with those f**ing cinnamon rolls.”

Tan: “Oh, Tartes. It’s called Tartes. It’s so good.”

Bobby: “You’re a tart.”

Tan: “I’ve always been called a tart.”

Jonathan: “Really good, really good, really good cinnamon rolls.”

Do you have a favorite moment from Season 5?
Karamo: “All the heroes touch all of us, but in Season 5 there was really one that I think struck a chord with every single one of us. And you could tell because in the final moment we were all crying and it was a woman by the name of Rahanna. She was probably one of the most deserving people we have ever worked with. She had the brightest spirit, was kind and giving and had just been beaten down by a lack of opportunity in life, yet she never lost her spark. And at the end of it, there are a lot of surprises and reveals.”

What’s your superpower? *[Note: This was my favorite question, and it elicited ooos from the group. Something they haven’t been asked before!]
Jonathan: “I can find the beauty in everyone. And also, I’m a really good cat parent.”

Bobby: “Persistence.”

Karamo: “I’d say listening.” [Jonathan: “Oh, yes, that is yours. Yes, you’re really good. But sometimes I wonder when I’m talking to you for a really long time, when you’re listening–” “If he falls asleep?” interjects Antoni. Jonathan: “If on the inside of your head you’re like (Jonathan sings).” Karamo: “I’m really listening.”]

Tan: “Mine is my ability to remain positive. I would like to believe that I’m a very positive person.” [Jonathan jumps in. “Maybe that’s the first one. Close second is your hair. Your hair is so coveted, and it is so soft and it is so unique. It is kashmiri Pakistani silk.”]

Antoni: “High sensitivity.”

Karamo: “You know what, it’s funny. That’s exactly what I probably would have said about all of us. That would be the most thought-out we’ve ever been with all of our true selves.”

Watch Queer Eye on Netflix now and see how this fabulous quintet helps others find their true selves.