When Queer Eye premiered on Netflix earlier this year, it took a broken and wounded nation by surprise. Whereas the original series that ran on Bravo from 2003 t0 2007—shortened from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy—was about tolerance, the new iteration focused heavily on acceptance.
Instead of men tentatively agreeing to get makeovers to appease nagging wives or family members, the men featured in the reboot truly want change in their lives—and are open and accepting to that change. And sometimes, the new Fab Five—comprised of food and wine expert Antoni Porowski, fashion expert Tan France, culture expert Karamo Brown, design expert Bobby Berk, and grooming expert Jonathan Van Ness—even learn something from their subjects themselves.
The result is an incredibly moving and heartfelt series that brings on all the feels and empties tissue boxes.
So what else could this “five X help X with X” format be used for? In addition to five gay men helping people find the confidence to feel comfortable in their own skin, the possibilities are endless. As such, this “Queer Eye but” meme has been making the rounds on Twitter, to varying degrees of seriousness.
https://twitter.com/hannah_blooms/status/1025729068111745024
Queer Eye but it’s five theologians offering textual, historical and literary context to a Biblical literalist.
— Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg (@TheRaDR) August 5, 2018
https://twitter.com/bloodycowards/status/1025494375214678017
Queer Eye but it’s optometrists
— Emily Nussbaum (@emilynussbaum) August 6, 2018
Like Queer Eye, but its 5 Mexican grandmas that hang out with white supremacists making them tamales, teaching them how to talk to girls, and throwing chanclas at them whenever they say something racist
— Richard Hale (@rhalewrites) July 28, 2018
https://twitter.com/leispiachbhog/status/1026064102962147329
https://twitter.com/rubot/status/1025494493963972610
Queer eye but they help small town DIY venues get up to code so they don’t get shut down. In return the local kids tell Antoni about bands other than The National and the Strokes.
— all_ages (@all_ages) August 4, 2018
Queer Eye but it’s five copy-editors trying in vain to get people to use the Oxford comma.
— Shannon Cunningham (@smariecunning) August 3, 2018
https://twitter.com/KosokoJackson/status/1026430979957837824
That last one is actually a legitimately good suggestion. With people actively denying climate change while literally watching the climate change around them, we need our green-haired friend more than ever. Think it over, Netflix!
