The Netflix makeover series Queer Eye returned for season nine this past December and the Fab Five hit the road soon on a whirlwind tour to promote the show’s success. One of the quintet’s stops lands them at The Chicago Theatre in February after being rescheduled from last year; the tickets remain the same with no need to exchange.
Food expert Antoni Porowski was happy to join the tour to highlight the new season, he said.
“We wanted to remind people to watch the show and also introduce it to people who have never seen it before,” Porowski added. “A lot is going on in this world right now, and we can all enjoy a little joy and happiness—plus a little chaos that ensues with the five of us. Our family has changed and it’s grown. We have this person who is amazingly symmetrical, with perfect eyebrows, wearing too much gold in my opinion, by the name of Jeremiah Brent. He’s been added to the family and we are deeply obsessed with him. We had a great time filming with him in Vegas and now we can show the world who he is.”
Brent described the live show as a mixture of having a moderator to facilitate the question and answer portion of the event, “There will be games and prizes. Just to piggyback off of what Ant said, what excites me most about the show is it’s really about connection. The idea of us coming together, getting to know fans of the show and the audience seeing us in a different capacity is what it’s all about.”
Culture authority Karamo Brown confessed, “I’m the wild auntie in this group, and so I am going to make sure we have a good show in Chicago. I will give a little shimmy, a two-step paired with a kiki and a laugh.”
When asked about the possibility of a drag number, Brown answered, “I may be the only one up for drag and I will put on a wig in a heartbeat. If someone brings me a wig to put on maybe I will give them a special prize!”
This season has the Queer Eye crew traveling to Nevada to turn Sin City upside down and shake a tail feather on the strip. One of the first projects from the current season named Paula Nyland was a retired showgirl who has lost her luster. Brown said during a group interview, “We had no idea about Pamela Anderson doing the Last Showgirl movie, but there were distinct similarities in our hero. Viewers will see what happens when someone is told that they are getting older and no longer have a place. I think this is a sad part of our society when people hit a certain age and are not allowed to dream anymore. I hope our episode and Pam’s film tell people to keep on dreaming.”
Porowski added, “With Paula, she was still deeply passionate about being a performer and never became jaded. That’s the beauty of the show. We come in and let them know how special they are because they are not seeing it. I think a lot of people will relate to her story.”
Adept interior designer Brent stated, “I felt like I was coming home to these four people and I reclaimed so much about myself through my friendship with them. I have never laughed so hard in my life as I did when we were together. I felt like I had known them for decades.”
Fashion aficionado Tan France and grooming guru Jonathan Van Ness will also be part of the act in Chicago, along with a possible pet guest from the series. Porowski joked, “I am trying for my dog Neon to be at one of the shows, so people will have to buy tickets to find out if she will be there or not. She has a very busy social calendar!”
Stream season nine now on netflix.com and see Queer Eye: The Fab Five Live! Sunday, Feb. 23 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at The Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St, with tickets at msg.com.