Karamo Brown made headlines in January 2026 when he opted not to promote the 10th and final season of Netflix’s “Queer Eye” alongside his costars. Now, months later, the former daytime talk show host is not only sharing more details about his decision but also reflecting on his sobriety journey following a prior relapse.
In addition to Brown, the “Queer Eye” cast featured Jonathan Van Ness, Antoni Porowski, Tan France, and Jeremiah Brent. Bobby Berk also appeared on the show for the first eight seasons before leaving in 2023. Brent joined in 2024.
Brown interviewed with PEOPLE in June 2026. During the discussion, he detailed his decision to first appear on “CBS Mornings” with his costars and to then opt out of all other promotional engagements with them.
Brown first noted that he and the Fab Five “had always come together because of the fans.” However, ahead of the appearance, he had a change of heart. According to him, “But because of the work I’d done on myself, I asked, ‘If I stay quiet right now and pretend I’m sick or something, whose peace am I protecting?’”
The 45-year-old media personality went on to tell the outlet that the group had become toxic and that there had also been examples of bullying. Unfortunately, per his experience, the executives behind the show never took a firm stance against it.
He said, “Everyone would just say, ‘Well, that’s just that person,’ instead of saying, ‘This behavior does not fly in a professional environment.’ It impacted me negatively, consistently.”
The Talk Show Host Shared The Final Straw With The Cast
Brown continued the interview by describing what ultimately led to his final fallout with his “Queer Eye” costars. As has been previously reported, the media personality stated that his mother had visited him on the set of the Netflix show in 2025. During the visit, she overheard some of his costars speaking ill of him.
For context, multiple sources have confirmed that the conversation included Van Ness, France, and Porowski. However, Brown did not name the culprits. He explained, “The thing I know is the tears I saw in my mother’s eyes.”
Brown added, “[She kept repeating], ‘I thought they were your friends.’ It made me realize I can no longer stay silent about how often I was made to feel like an outsider.”
Regarding what initially led to the group’s demise, Brown shared that it stemmed from an anonymous sexual harassment complaint filed against him early in the show’s run. It’s important to note that he was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Karamo Released A Statement Ahead Of Planned ‘CBS Mornings’ Appearance
Brown and the “Queer Eye” cast were scheduled to appear on “CBS Mornings” on January 20. However, amid his absence, host Gayle King read a statement he’d prepared.
Per Variety, it read, “I hope everyone remembers the main theme I have tried to teach them over the past decade, which is to focus on and to protect their mental health/peace from people or a world who seek to destroy it, which is why I can’t be there today.”
During the awkward interaction, King also mentioned that Brown’s assistant had also discussed bullying from the cast.
Brown Also Opened Up About His Sobriety
Later in the PEOPLE interview, Brown also reflected on his years-long sobriety journey, revealing that in 2006, following a suicide attempt, he learned that he had become a father. He recalled, “The minute I saw [Jason], something in me healed. I understood my purpose.”
The former “Queer Eye” star went on, “My son saved my life, 1000 percent. Because he existed, it made me realize what was bigger in life.”
However, Brown then relapsed in 2018, noting, “a drink would lead to weed, cocaine, pills. I wasn’t coping right, but I pretended like I was. I was so broken.” Regarding his life today, he shared, “I’ve not had a single drink, cocktail, nothing.”
He also shared that he used a 12-step program and attends regular meetings as part of his recovery.
Brown’s Daytime Talk Show Was Recently Canceled
Brown’s syndicated daytime talk show, “Karamo,” premiered in 2022. The show quickly became a hit with audiences, and its segments often went viral on social media. However, NBCUniversal pulled the plug on the conflict-driven talker in March 2026, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
It’s worth noting that his show wasn’t the only talk show canceled. The long-running “Steve Wilkos” show also suffered the same fate as did “Access Hollywood.” “Karamo” is scheduled to air through the summer.
