THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

Scout Productions' initial premise for the show was simple enough: five cultured, attractive gay men (each proficient in one area of lifestyle endeavor) come to the rescue of a hapless, style-deficient straight man in serious need of a life-altering makeover. Who would have guessed that this brainchild of Executive Producers David Collins, Michael Williams and David Metzler would not only catch on, but would in fact become a national phenomenon?

Certainly not Kyan Douglas, a graduate of Loyola University in New Orleans and just a regular guy. But you will hear no complaints from the charming Douglas who, along with pals Ted Allen (food and wine connoisseur—and a Chicagoan), Jai Rodriguez (culture vulture), Thom Felicia (design doctor), and Carson Kressley (fashion savant), has gone on to national fame and even a nomination to Barbara Walters' coveted '10 Most Fascinating People of 2003.'

Kyan has extensive background in both the hair and spa industries and the retail industry as well. Employed as a colorist at the upscale Arrojo salon in Manhattan's trendy SoHo district, Douglas studied Cosmetology at New York's famed Aveda Institute where he received his certification. He has also served as a colorist for The Learning Channel's 'What Not To Wear,' 'While You Were Out,' and Child Magazine.

I had the good fortune of catching up with the enigmatic Douglas when he visited the Windy City to headline The Chicago House World Tour Gala at The House of Blues.

DAVID GUARINO: There's no denying the fact that Queer Eye for the Straight Guy has become a national sensation. Besides being fun and informative, the show has seemed to take the entire GLBT community a huge step forward in terms of straight, mainstream recognition. How does that make you feel personally, Kyan?

KYAN DOUGLAS: It's so interesting ... I mean, it definitely feels good, and I think that that element of the whole 'Queer Eye phenomenon' is something that was unexpected to all of us. And it feels good; it does feel good to sort of have participated a little bit in moving the gay cause forward. That said, it's also a little bit scary and a little bit daunting because we're just five guys who are human beings ... we're not perfect, we're just five guys. So it feels like a responsibility exists that I don't think any of us were really after or asking for. ... Any time you're held up on a pedestal (things change). In some ways whether it's fair or not, a lot of people think we're (The Fab 5) the ambassadors for the gay world and the reality is we're not; there's really no such thing. We're just five human beings.

DG: Before this happened you were working for Aveda in New York ...

KD: Right. My whole sort-of-professional background was salon and spa related. I've also always been interested in the healing arts and I studied massage and a lot about aromatherapy. I used to even make my own basic skin care products with, like a food processor with vegetables and fruits and what-have-you ... All of my life I've been very interested in those sorts of things.

DG: So all of a sudden, Queer Eye happens and you're part of this amazing story. How were you selected?

KD: David, it was just the best kind of luck ever. I was working as a colorist at a salon in New York called Arrojo Studio, and one of our clients there happened to be friends with the woman who was casting the show ... and she thought of me and she's like, 'You're gay, right? Well, A friend of mine's casting for the show. Are you interested?' I said, 'Sure.' So I wrote a little bio about myself and forwarded a photograph, basically to this woman who was the casting director and got an appointment and did three auditions.

DG: So were you ever involved in theater and/or television prior to this?

KD: I was involved in theater in school. Never on a professional level; theater was my minor in college. I was also in some student video productions at Loyola University in New Orleans. But I didn't pursue the field.

DG: The next thing your group is making an appearance as one of Barbara Walters' '10 Most Fascinating People of 2003.'

KD: It was, like, 'Oh, my God this is crazy!'

DG: What has been the effect of your success on your family and friends?

KD: I think on one level, for my family ... you know, it's exciting for them. Of course they liked it. They've had to learn, as I am learning, what it's like to be someone whom people recognize in the streets or in restaurants or a bookstore, wherever I am. They've sort-of been with me when we've had to stop and do photographs and autographs and we're going out to dinner or when people stare or come over to the table and say hello or want a picture. They're learning how to deal with it. ... I think, for the most part, that everyone's handling it very well. They're very supportive.

DG: What would your colleagues say is the biggest drawback working with you?

KD: It's hard to answer that question. I would say that the problem with me is also true of them. We all tend to be perfectionists in our own way and take what we do very seriously ... which, of course, is a good thing and important. But one of the drawbacks of being so committed to something and taking it that seriously is that you want everything to be just right! I know for myself sometimes when things aren't just right I get frustrated because I want to make the best possible product ... . Maybe that. And they might also say that I spend too much time in the mirror.

DG: Tell me a little bit more about your involvement with the Chicago House World Tour and your appearance at The House of Blues. How did you get involved with this?

KD: Well I have a friend who's involved with Chicago House and he told me about their fundraising and obviously it's a great organization and a great cause. And it's certainly true for me (and probably true for all the guys) that we do feel a sense of responsibility and a need to give back. For the most part, really just on a purely human level, life is tough and life isn't always fair and easy, and part of our responsibility as human beings is to try to make things better for our fellow man. And there are people who need things and have wants and needs, and as caring people it's our duty to do what we can to make the people around us as comfortable and happy as possible. That's the main reason why I want to participate in any way that I can. It's just the right thing to do. HIV is obviously something that our community, the gay community, has suffered from. In one way it's just one small symbolic way to give something back to a community that has been very supportive of me and our show and all of the other guys on the show.

DG: There are those who say that Queer Eye for the Straight Guy promotes offensive gay stereotypes; that it sets the community back in terms of genuine acceptance rather than advances us forward.

KD: I know that there have been and always will be critics. People who are worried about stereotypes and all that kind of stuff. But by and large even the people who, in the beginning, expected not to like the show because they thought it was going to perpetuate some sort of stereotypes really have embraced it and look at the show for what it is. Once they actually saw the show their fears subsided. Then there are people who still feel otherwise and perhaps feel very strongly about it. I just feel that if gay people go around and alter their behavior because they want to try and fit the straight worlds' image of what we're supposed to be, then that's not empowering for us because then we're just living by their standards and we're being gay on their terms. So, if someone wants to go out there and make up a show about gay people who are construction workers, or doctors and lawyers or politicians or farmers ... all those things that gay people are, then (I say) go for it. This particular show is a makeover show about five gay guys who are in that sort of world. At one level the show is just funny, and at another level we're just guys trying to help out another guy. And I think the gay community has sort of embraced that spirit of the show. And that is something that I am very grateful for.

DG: I'm interested in your opinion on gay marriage.

KD: I think that absolutely, without the shadow of a doubt, gay people have a right to be married; have a right to have their relationships counted and validated. They already do count and they already are validated, that's a fact. And we live in a country where there are laws and systems and I think that our relationships need to be integrated into those. There should be laws and systems governing our relationships, our assets and so forth, in the same way the existing laws work for the straight world. It will be really interesting to see how this dilemma plays itself out, certainly I think it will be a focal point of the upcoming elections. I think the most important thing gay people can do on an everyday basis, is to validate our own relationships and for us to take our own relationships seriously, regardless of what straight people think about them. ... In other words, if you're in a relationship and you feel like you're with your life partner, you should just behave and act like you're married. I think that's a very important thing we (as gay people) can do for ourselves ... to sort of heal ourselves. Does that make any sense?

DG: It's been widely reported that you have been dating Bobby Gant of Showtime's Queer as Folk.

KD: Yeah, David, I'd love to talk about that, because it's been so misrepresented. I absolutely adore Bobby; I think he's a good, close friend of mine. We met on a shoot for Vanity Fair. We met and we hit it off, we liked each other. A couple nights later we attended a party together, and you know how it is when you meet somebody and you kind of like him, you're kind of flirting ... maybe there was some sort of energy there. We went out to a party and we were hanging out and at one point we were holding hands, and there was definitely that sort-of affectionate thing going on ... . But Bobby lives in LA and works in Toronto and I live in New York, so there's no way we could actually have a relationship ... . That said, I, since then, have hung out with Bobby many times ... he spent some time with me and my family at Christmastime and I've been to Toronto to see him and we hung out other places and what we have discovered is that we have a great friendship. Bobby and I are friends, and there's really no truth at all to the contention that we were dating. It's sort of interesting that the media grabbed hold of that and created a story where there was none. And I believe we (Bobby and I) were in US Magazine recently as one of the 'breakups of the year' or something like that, and it was so funny because we were never even together to be broken up.

It's funny, we laugh about it. You know I'm very flattered to be associated with Bobby; he's a great guy and a dear friend and he's definitely a part of my life. It's just that he's not my boyfriend and I'm not his boyfriend. We've both been meeting other people all along and we'll continue to date other people, and I'm sure we'll continue to be friends and continue to make time for one another. The same way that I do with lots of friends in my life. The story has been a very interesting dynamic to watch.

DG: Of all the things that have happened to you, what has been the most amazing and what are you most grateful for?

KD: There's so much to be grateful for. I have met some of the most amazing people, people that I've seen on television or in the movies and I've had the chance to meet them briefly and that's been fun. I think the most amazing thing that's happened in the past year (and I'm concerned about this sounding hokey if it's ever put into print), but it's just a couple of times where I've met or gotten a letter from someone who was young and gay and who felt as if they had a little more space to breathe because of what we're doing right now. ... In particular I got a letter from a Mom writing about her son who's eight years old and he studies ballet, he's an artist ... he draws, he's always creative, creative, creative. And he loves the show and watches the show, and this mother has no idea whether this kid's going to grow up to be gay or straight, and she doesn't care either way. And she writes, 'I'm so thankful that you all are there because if he ends up being gay at least there's been a positive presence in the media through all of you.' As a mother she was thankful that we're there doing what we're doing.

Queer Eye airs Tuesdays on Bravo.

E-mail: david.ronald@earthlink.net