“Whoopi Goldberg and Sunny Hostin – a pair of useful
idiots that have no talent and very poorly rated TV show.” 
– Donald Trump comments on calls by The View co-hosts for him
to be removed via the 25^th Amendment.  If he thinks they are idiots,
I’m curious what he thinks they are “useful” for.

Chemistry – either you’ve got it, or you ain’t.  We’ve got it – my readers and me.  But it seems to be lacking with the outgoing cast of Queer Eye.  Sure, they turn it on for the cameras.  But how do you maintain that for ten years?  Bobby Berk showed you can’t.  And now it’s Karamo’s turn.  Last week, the cast made the rounds to promote the final season, but Karamo decided to sit this one out.  And he didn’t tell anyone until an hour in advance.  Have we learned nothing from Mo’Nique?  Getting hired is great.  Doing the work is a joy.  But promotion is part of the job.

First stop was CBS Mornings.  Gayle King devoted a good chunk of the interview to the elephant not in the room.  She read a statement from Karamo which said, in part, that he hoped he taught people 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.”  His assistant added that “he’s worried about being bullied”.  NBC’s Today with Jenna and Sheinelle was next, and Karamo actually sent a video to them.  He thanked every single person who worked on the show from the janitor to the brass – pointedly leaving out his co-hosts.  Karamo’s assistant said that “he has felt mentally and emotionally abused for years”, and that his therapist advised him to skip the interviews “to protect himself and his peace.”

The cast, being good little soldiers, stood by Karamo in absentia with smiles through gritted teeth.  Well, I think they were gritted teeth – I was distracted by Antoni sporting side-areola betwixt his unbuttoned shirt.  He said, “Families are complicated, and we’re definitely not excluded from that.”  Jeremiah was sobbing like a little girl, probably because his highlights were growing out.  Tan was very Zen about it.  And Jonathan…well, he said little.  But rumor has it, that’s not how he was on the set.  We hear that Karamo brought his mother to work one day.  She was in the control booth while they were taping.  During a break, Karamo left the room and “someone” in the cast (possibly in a frock) was trashing him on a hot mike – for Mom and everyone else to hear!  And of course there was that Rolling Stone piece a few years ago stating Van Ness was abusive and has “rage issues”.  Bottom line?  Karamo has his own show (for now), Antoni is the other breakout star due to his looks more than any specific talent…and the rest.