Karamo Brown made a major move on Tuesday, Jan. 20, when he abruptly skipped multiple morning show appearances alongside his “Queer Eye” castmates Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Jonathan Van Ness, and Jeremiah Brent.
And while the group continued their press run, Brown’s absence quickly became the headline.
CBS Mornings anchor Gayle King revealed that Brown, 45, pulled out of his scheduled appearance just an hour before airtime.
In a statement shared on the show, Brown explained that he was choosing his peace first.
“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,” he said.
As his costars sat on the couch without him, their reactions were visibly emotional.
Antoni Porowski didn’t hold back when asked about the last-minute decision.
“Surprised is a fair understatement,” he said, before adding that the cast has been together for almost a decade and that “families are complicated.”
Jeremiah Brent, who joined the series in season 9 after Bobby Berk’s departure, also shared a heartfelt message about what the experience has meant to him, calling the group “safe and supported.”
But the conversation didn’t end there.
On “Today with Jenna & Sheinelle,” Karamo Brown sent in a video message after also sharing a separate statement claiming he has “felt mentally and emotionally abused for years” and was advised by his therapist to protect himself by not attending the interviews.
He did not say who the alleged abuse came from.
In the video, Karamo appeared upbeat and smiling as he reiterated his decision to stay home.
“Just like the themes of this season, I’m modeling what I believe is most important… love yourselves and protect yourselves. That’s why I’m here at home and not there,” he said.
Karamo also encouraged fans to watch season 10, saying he “loved every minute of it,” and shouting out the crew, fans, and Netflix executives. Notably, he did not thank his castmates.
Meanwhile, the remaining “Queer Eye” stars continued to respond live, with Porowski stressing that they supported Brown taking care of himself while still wanting to honor the show’s decade-long legacy.
Tan France reminded viewers the series “was never about us,” and Jonathan Van Ness applauded Brown for prioritizing his well-being, calling it “not easy” to make a decision like that publicly.
Karamo Brown has been part of “Queer Eye” since the beginning, and the show has faced cast tension before.
In 2023, Bobby Berk announced his exit after eight seasons, and later acknowledged “drama” within the group, describing a personal moment with Tan France and comparing the dynamic to siblings who fight.
Now, with Karamo Brown stepping away from the press tour and making serious claims, fans are left wondering what’s really going on behind the scenes.
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