That time Queer Eye launched a spinoff with 4 new gays that was quickly canceled after 13 episodes
The Bravo series premiered in 2005 and quickly faded away.
Mark
After launching in 2018, Queer Eye is coming to an end by premiering its 10th and final season next week.
Of course, the Netflix hit starring Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Bobby Berk (for the first 8 seasons) and Jeremiah Brent (for the final two) as the Fab Five is a reboot of the original Bravo series Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
How about we take this to the next level?
Subscribe to our newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today
Premiering in 2003 with Carson Kressley, Jai Rodriguez, Ted Allen, Kyan Douglas and Thom Filicia as the OG Fab Five, the series was a breakout hit and made stars of its hosts. Before ending its run after five seasons in 2007, the show became a cultural phenomenon and lead to a slew of international adaptations.
But what few may remember is how Bravo attempted to re-capture the metrosexual magic in the midst of the show’s second season by creating a spinoff with an entirely new cast in 2005.
Queer Eye for the Straight Girl
Exactly 21 years ago this week, Queer Eye for the Straight Girl premiered on Bravo.
The series flipped the script on the original by moving locations from NYC to Los Angeles, realigning who they made over by strictly focusing on hetero women and introducing a new quartet of queer eyes that added a lesbian to the mix.
There was a massive casting call to find the new hosts. And as someone who lived in Los Angeles at the time, I can vouch that nearly every gay within 20 miles of West Hollywood with a flat iron and a pair of True Religion bootcut jeans auditioned.
In the end, Robbie Laughlin (he’s the blonde), Danny Teeson (he’s the bald one), Damon Pease (the brunette) and Honey Larbrador were chosen to be the “Gal Pals,” the new moniker instead of the Fab Five.
As expected, each came with their own expertise to impart on the style-challenged damsels in distress. Laughlin was “The Look” and specialized in fashion and beauty. Teeson was “The Life” and zoned in on giving lifestyle tips. Pease was “The Locale” and focused on interior design. Labrador was “The Lady” and her job was to help with “character building,” whatever that meant.
Too many Queer Eyes
Bravo launched Queer Eye for the Straight Girl with much hype and even had the premiere follow a new episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
The Fab Five was also involved with the marketing campaign in hopes of getting viewers excited for the Gal Pals.
But perhaps it was too many queer eyes too soon.
Queer Eye for the Straight Girl only lasted one season and was abruptly canceled after airing its 13th episode. Things just don’t keep getting better!
It’s unclear what exactly went wrong, but a negative New York Times review at the time partly blamed the show’s shift in tone. While the OG Queer Eye was all about being funny and filled with catchy quips often at the expense of unkempt men, the spinoff, per the NYT, came off as sad and superficial as it tried to solve the problems in the women’s lives with a dress and new age cliches.
Whatever the reason, the show quickly disappeared and to this day there isn’t a clip to be found on YouTube (at least one the we could find).
Where are they now?
Following the show’s demise, each of the Gal Pals went on to successful careers on and off camera.
Laughlin was a correspondent for E! News and had his own radio show. Pease launched a floral and event stylist business. Labrador, who was a former model, has produced several films.
While Teeson is a popular choreographer who’s worked with divas like Kylie Minogue, Zendaya, and Paula Abdul and was a judge on the Oxygen weight loss dance competition series Dance Your Ass Off , alongside Abbott Elementary’s Lisa Ann Walter, Marissa Jaret Winokur and Spice Girl Mel B.
You are also familiar with one of Teeson’s most popular roles.
Believe it or not, the muscular hunk was also the original Mr. Six in the Six Flags commercials. No, the Six Flags guy was not really an old man or Jaleel White!
While he was unrecognizable in the prosthetic costume, Teeson’s identity wasn’t revealed for years.
“The first few years, I had a hefty NDA agreement with my contract, which only garnered even more curiosity,” Teeson told Bustle in 2018. “It was fun when friends around me found out that I had a completely secret alter ego as Mr. Six.”
Queer Eye for the Six Flags guy!
While Queer Eye for the Straight Girl turned out to be a major fashion faux pas, many thought Netflix’s reboot would never go out of style.
As they say all good things must come to an end and for now so will Queer Eye (until someone decides to re-launch yet another version in a decade or so!).
The 10th and final season of Queer Eye drops January 21st on Netflix. Check out the newly released trailer below.
Related
PHOTOS: These old & new ‘Queer Eye’ pics remind us why we loved & still love the show so much
Our favorite Fab Five moments from the past and present
Sign up for the Queerty newsletter to stay on top of the hottest stories in LGBTQ+ entertainment, politics, and culture.
