TORONTO – Carson Kressley burst onto TV screens a decade ago on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy as one of five gay men helping hapless heterosexuals.
“It was groundbreaking in several ways,” Kressley said Thursday in Toronto. “Certainly just the name was very empowering to the gay community because we reclaimed that word. The other thing is, we really set the tone for reality shows wanting to help people and make a difference.”
Kressley was the show’s fashion expert, tasked with dressing up the style-challenged straight guys during often hilarious makeovers segments.
“No, we weren’t rebuilding people’s homes after they burned down but we were helping people get their self-confidence back, which is really empowering. We helped the guys get the look, or get the girl, or get the job,” Kressley, 43, recalled.
“The straight guy was really the star of the show and we were really telling his story and celebrating him and so many reality shows are about tearing people down and being negative — and makeover people being catty — and we had fun but we did it with heart and a sense of humour and it was never mean-spirited.”
Kressley spent nearly a week in Toronto (a city he has visited many times before) as guest co-host of The Morning Show on Global. So what’s his impression of the Canadian male fashion sense?
“Every city has it’s tragic stories,” he said. “I saw a guy yesterday who had bell-bottoms on. I was like, ‘My work here is not yet done.’ But I also saw a guy in jeans and a navy blazer and it was really fitted and super chic and he looked very Parisien.
“You get a little bit of everything because it is an international city.”
Kressley is impressed with some of Canada’s famous men, particular the two Ryans.
“Ryan Reynolds? Oh my God, perfection,” he gushed. “I need to take him Speedo shopping.” Ryan Gosling? “He’s pretty dreamy as well. He’s delicious.”
Kressley described Michael Buble as “pretty darn cute” but suggested giving him a makeover “just to see what he looks like with his shirt off.”
What about Justin Bieber?
“I would probably get him a belt,” said Kressley. “I do like the new haircut, so that’s good, but he definitely needs a belt.”
Kressley said he is also helping the opposite sex look and feel better with his clothing collection, Love, Carson.
“Doing so many makeover shows I would find these great silhouettes that were really flattering for people — beautiful colours, beautiful fabrics, beautiful embellishments — and they were like $300 or $400,” he explained. “So we partnered with a great manufacturer and we do these same great silhouettes, same great embellishments and beautiful colours but we do it for under $50 and it looks great.
“The mission was to bring figure-flattering, colourful, instant glam to people for a price they can afford,” he said.
Although Kressley’s career has flourished (including hosting Carson Nation and How to Look Good Naked, competing on Dancing with the Stars and writing books) he said he’s ready to reunite with his Queer Eye co-stars to mark the 10th anniversary of the show’s first episode.
“We have talked about it,” he said. “We have talked about doing a reunion special or one of the daytime talk shows. We probably will.”
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