It's amazing what five flamboyant gay "lifestyle experts" can do for your personality – John Bargeman, aspiring actor and country boy, says his life will never be the same again after appearing on surprise hit US TV show Queer Eye For The Straight Guy. The show, which is currently having a spinoff developed in Australia, chooses a socially or culturally "inept" straight guy preparing for some life event (usually, ironically, a marriage proposal) and puts him into the hands of the Fab Five, who offer advice on fashion, food, culture, interior design and grooming. "I was a geek in high school," Bargeman says. "I had big bifocal glasses. I had braces. My fashion statement was K-Mart. Not to say K-Mart doesn't have anything nice, but I tried everything I could to change the way I looked." Thanks to Bargeman's Damascus experience, he no longers shaves against the grain, realises the inherent value of moisturiser, and plans to get facials, manicures and pedicures every six weeks. It's doubtful this series would work in New Zealand, according to Auckland University lecturer and television critic Mishka Kavka. "To tell you the absolute truth, I don't think there's enough respect for queer culture here," she says.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Monday, 29th September 2003 - 12:00pm