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Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bobby Berk Says He ‘Lost Money' Being on 'Queer Eye' for First 2 Seasons: 'Paying Us Basically Nothing'
Bobby Berk was on the first eight seasons of Queer Eye The interior design expert appeared on the latest edition of the Networth and Chill with Your Rich BFF podcast He candidly discussed his time on the show during the podcast appearanceBobby Berk is getting candid about his time on Queer Eye. The interior design expert, 43, appeared on the latest edition of the Networth and Chill with Your Rich BFF podcast, where he discussed the ins and outs of his time on the show. As fans may recall, Berk announced his departure from the series in November 2023 after eight seasons. Berk, who appeared on the unscripted makeover series alongside castmates Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, and Jonathan Van Ness, recalled how he managed during the early seasons of the show. "The first two seasons, I definitely lost money being on the show," he said. "Because, I mean, they were paying us basically nothing." PEOPLE has reached out to Netflix for comment. "And the amount of money that I was losing from not running my company and being gone because we had to move away," he said. "We were gone for five months, and so half the year we were gone, and then we were on just constant press tours." It was not until season 3 and 4 that Berk said he finally "broke even." "To be frank, they never really paid us well. You know, compared to what they pay scripted stars, we made single digit percentage," said Berk. "Obviously, what it did, though, was open up doors for working with brands, working with companies." Berk recalled that fans often got "annoyed" with the Fab Five because they were frequently "promoting brands, promoting companies, doing brand partnerships." "They're like 'Oh, we're just so sick of this.' And we're like, 'Well, girl, we don't make money off the show. How do you think we continue to do the show?' " he said. However, the former reality star said that the exposure he got was "absolutely" worth it. "It was tough the first few seasons, but the doors that it has opened for other things — absolutely," he said. "I mean you can't pay for that type of exposure. We got really, really lucky to find lightning in a bottle, and the show came out, you know, right at a very defining moment in the world." "Donald [Trump] had just become president for the first time and people were really distraught and [at each] others' throats," said Berk. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "We were this happy feeling of five gays walking into red states and getting along and meeting people in the middle and being humans instead of political affiliations. It really became a cultural phenomenon," he continued. "I never regretted doing it." Read the original article on People
Associated Press
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Actor, Television Host and Author Karamo Brown Named 2025 ‘Changemaker' by Parade
Today, Parade, the premium legacy entertainment and lifestyle brand, named TV host, actor and author Karamo Brown as an honoree in its Changemakers 2025 franchise. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: Actor, Television Host and Author Karamo Brown Named 2025 'Changemaker' by Parade (Photo: Business Wire) Changemakers 2025 spotlights celebrities, advocates and influencers who actively work to bring solutions to some of the most pressing issues of today. The Parade Editorial Board will continue to reveal additional honorees through the end of the year. The Parade team chose Brown because of his hands-on involvement in and advocacy for the Black and LGBTQ+ communities. Brown made his television debut in the 2004 MTV reality show The Real World: Philadelphia, where he became the first openly gay African American to appear on reality TV. He is now one of media's most successful culture experts, best known as a member of the Fab Five on Netflix's Queer Eye reboot and as host of his eponymous talk show, Karamo. Though his messages of acceptance and inclusivity now reach millions, Brown struggled with finding his voice as a young Afro-Latino child on the playgrounds of Coral Springs, Fla., where he preferred to be called K.K. 'I grew up in predominantly white neighborhoods, and unfortunately, [people] would act as if they didn't know how to pronounce my name,' Brown recalls. 'So out of frustration and out of embarrassment, I just decided to go by my initials because it was easier.' As Brown grew up, however, he found the courage to embrace his birthname, Karamo, which in his culture translates to 'educated.' In 2015, Brown co-founded an organization dedicated to addressing HIV stigma and providing mental health support and education to the Black LGBTQ+ community. He was appointed health and wellness ambassador for the National Black Justice Coalition in 2016. He was named a winner of the Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award in 2018 and continues his advocacy through his media platform and via speaking engagements around the world. Brown remains hopeful despite cultural pushback on some of the very work he has dedicated his career to. 'When I think of the word changemaker, I think of somebody who has the courage to know that what we are today is not the final stop — that we must keep going,' he tells Parade. 'I think that every day when you're motivated by knowing that tomorrow must be better, that's what changemakers are about.' About Parade Parade, the premium legacy entertainment and lifestyle brand, has been enlightening, delighting and inspiring audiences for more than 80 years. Parade is owned and operated by The Arena Group (NYSE American: AREN), an innovative technology platform and media company with a proven cutting-edge playbook that transforms media brands. Arena's unified technology platform empowers creators and publishers with tools to publish and monetize their content, while also leveraging quality journalism of anchor brands like TheStreet, Parade, Men's Journal and Athlon Sports to build their businesses. The company aggregates content across a diverse portfolio of brands, reaching over 100 million users monthly. Visit us at and discover how we are revolutionizing the world of digital media. SOURCE: Parade Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 03/13/2025 10:41 AM/DISC: 03/13/2025 10:42 AM
