“Queer Eye” star Karamo Brown is changing course after he caught flak for defending his “Dancing With the Stars” co-contestant Sean Spicer.
In a Tuesday appearance on “Watch What Happens Live,” Brown acknowledged that he had endured a firestorm of criticism because he was “nice to Sean Spicer.” However, he implied that his relationship with the former White House press secretary went no further than that.
“There was no friendship,” Brown said. “I was just saying that if we’re going to be on the same show, I’m going to have a respectful conversation with someone who’s different from me.”
“People were like, ‘How dare you? Oh my gosh,’” he continued. “And I was like, if you’ve never seen me on television, I’m always going to be the person to build a bridge.”
Brown’s “Watch What Happens Live” comments are a confusing about-face, to say the least. In an interview with People last week, the culture guru said he was “proud of” Spicer, describing him as “exceptional” and “a friend.”
“Sean is literally someone who I would’ve never thought I could be friends with, and I’m going to walk away from here calling him a friend,” he said at the time.
Brown was eliminated from “Dancing with the Stars” on Oct. 28, but his connection to Spicer remains one of that show’s most buzzed-about elements of the season. He first defended Spicer as a “good guy, really sweet guy” in August, adding, “I’m a big believer that if you can talk to someone and meet in the middle, you can learn about each other and help each other both grow.”
The remarks angered many “Queer Eye” fans, given that President Donald Trump has maintained an anti-LGBTQ platform and Spicer himself lied to the American public on the president’s behalf on many occasions.
The social media outcry that ensued prompted Brown to temporarily deactivate his Twitter account after he said he and his two sons, Jason and Chris, had received death threats.
Personal feelings about Spicer aside, Brown did take a light jab at his co-contestant’s, um, rhythmically challenged performances.
“He can’t dance. That’s literally what it is,” he said. “Middle America watches the show and they vote for him. Our president, who should be doing other stuff, has been tweeting, ‘Vote for the man.’”
Catch Karamo Brown’s “Watch What Happens Live” chat below.