produced by Christina Dun; edited by Christina Dun; appearance by Jonathan Van Ness.
Jonathan Van Ness seems like he’d be the best travel companion. And in his opinion, he is. If he had to choose between which of Queer Eye’s Fab 5 is the most fun to travel with, he’d choose himself. “I am the glue that holds myself together, I’m also the glue that holds us together. I keep it light; I keep it fun,” he told Refinery29.
When it comes to travel, the show’s grooming expert has learned some tricks along the way. With filming the Netflix series and traveling for his budding comedy stand-up career, JVN gets around — in style.
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Ahead of the premiere of his comedy-focused docu-style web series with Hotels.com, Refinery29 sat down with the fabulous JVN himself, who shared his best tips.
Do you have any advice for someone who is traveling with their significant other for the first time?
That’s a really major question. I feel like when you’re doing all the things for the first time with your significant other it’s kind of like, going to see a play and you don’t want to see the backstage of the play, so make sure you have your gorgeous mints with you ‘cause you don’t want someone to smell what your breath actually smells like. Make sure you have your floss with you, honey. Maybe like don’t go ham on eating so, so much, like right before the flight. You know, ‘cause it’s like you don’t want to be going to the bathroom like ten thousand times in front of, and you’re trying to be elusive, like, 'I never go to the bathroom, what do you mean?'"
That’s a really major question. I feel like when you’re doing all the things for the first time with your significant other it’s kind of like, going to see a play and you don’t want to see the backstage of the play, so make sure you have your gorgeous mints with you ‘cause you don’t want someone to smell what your breath actually smells like. Make sure you have your floss with you, honey. Maybe like don’t go ham on eating so, so much, like right before the flight. You know, ‘cause it’s like you don’t want to be going to the bathroom like ten thousand times in front of, and you’re trying to be elusive, like, 'I never go to the bathroom, what do you mean?'"
What are the best and your worst travel experiences that you’ve ever had?
Best travel experience is anything that involves turquoise water. Worst travel experience is anything that gets involved with like being late, or stuck on a tarmac, like at all, for any amount of time.
Best travel experience is anything that involves turquoise water. Worst travel experience is anything that gets involved with like being late, or stuck on a tarmac, like at all, for any amount of time.
Could you share some packing or general travel hacks?
Yes. Travel Hacks for all of you queens. That whole thing about militarily rolling your stuff into little-like when you roll it and pack it, that like, it literally works. I used to think that was a wives’ tale, and I was like, 'No, Queen.' Let me just put this all this you know, fold it up real flat and like vacuum seal her out, but that’s not true. That rolling is a full on thing. Roll it up, it’s a total space saver.
Yes. Travel Hacks for all of you queens. That whole thing about militarily rolling your stuff into little-like when you roll it and pack it, that like, it literally works. I used to think that was a wives’ tale, and I was like, 'No, Queen.' Let me just put this all this you know, fold it up real flat and like vacuum seal her out, but that’s not true. That rolling is a full on thing. Roll it up, it’s a total space saver.
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What are a few non-beauty related items that you carry in your travel bag?
Non-beauty related things I carry in my travel bag: headphones, a headphone charger. A gigantic can of mace, I’m just kidding I don’t have mace, I’m totally just kidding. But, you know, gotta keep you on your toes, maybe I do. A gorgeous book. My iPad. The mace. That’s it. Oh, oh! My grooming bag of course, my gorgeous beauty bag. Which is like, different podcast, different question, you know what I mean?
Non-beauty related things I carry in my travel bag: headphones, a headphone charger. A gigantic can of mace, I’m just kidding I don’t have mace, I’m totally just kidding. But, you know, gotta keep you on your toes, maybe I do. A gorgeous book. My iPad. The mace. That’s it. Oh, oh! My grooming bag of course, my gorgeous beauty bag. Which is like, different podcast, different question, you know what I mean?
Who is the most fun of the Fab 5 to travel with? And who is the worst?
The most fun Fab 5 to travel with is obviously myself, like I just- I am the glue that holds myself together, I’m also the glue that holds us together. I keep it light, I keep it fun. I’m always late, so whether I’m seven minutes late, or twelve minutes late, like it’s anyone’s guess, everyone loves to play that game. Like, How late will Jonathan be today? So, I think it’s definitely me. Followed by: Tan, Antoni, Karamo, and Bobby in a four-way tie, for the most fun to travel with. So, me first, then a four-way tie for second. But also I could really get marooned with anyone anywhere. Like I love them all the time — love them so much.
The most fun Fab 5 to travel with is obviously myself, like I just- I am the glue that holds myself together, I’m also the glue that holds us together. I keep it light, I keep it fun. I’m always late, so whether I’m seven minutes late, or twelve minutes late, like it’s anyone’s guess, everyone loves to play that game. Like, How late will Jonathan be today? So, I think it’s definitely me. Followed by: Tan, Antoni, Karamo, and Bobby in a four-way tie, for the most fun to travel with. So, me first, then a four-way tie for second. But also I could really get marooned with anyone anywhere. Like I love them all the time — love them so much.
Do you eat airplane food?
It depends on how desperate I am to eat. You know what I mean? It also depends on like, who I’m going to see. You know? It depends, on what my truth is.
It depends on how desperate I am to eat. You know what I mean? It also depends on like, who I’m going to see. You know? It depends, on what my truth is.
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Best travel snacks?
Best travel snacks are weed gummy bears.
Best travel snacks are weed gummy bears.
What’s the first thing you do when you get into a hotel room?
The first thing I do when I get into a hotel room is I make sure the front desk has cleared out, like the mini bar of food, because I can not be trusted with those — with the food. Like, I’ll wake up with like wrappers all over me, I freak out. Then the next thing I do is I get on my gorgeous Hotels.com app, and I just think like, “How many more nights until my 11th night free?” ‘Cause like after 10 nights, you get your 11th night free, which is just so fun. Which honest to God, it is like a really good rewards program, like I really do love it. So, that is typically something that I would do, ‘cause I just like to see how many more until I get something for free. I hate to be basic, but I love free stuff.
The first thing I do when I get into a hotel room is I make sure the front desk has cleared out, like the mini bar of food, because I can not be trusted with those — with the food. Like, I’ll wake up with like wrappers all over me, I freak out. Then the next thing I do is I get on my gorgeous Hotels.com app, and I just think like, “How many more nights until my 11th night free?” ‘Cause like after 10 nights, you get your 11th night free, which is just so fun. Which honest to God, it is like a really good rewards program, like I really do love it. So, that is typically something that I would do, ‘cause I just like to see how many more until I get something for free. I hate to be basic, but I love free stuff.
How do you stay entertained on a long flight?
How I stay entertained on a long flight is I download all the stuff on my phone. And ever since Netflix let you download their stuff, my life is changed. Also, not to talk about the competitor, but I also just found on Hulu, Queen, you can get the Olympic Channel, honey, and download all these old Olympics and stuff, so now instead of having to go on YouTube, and hope that the plane WiFi will work, which it never does strong enough to like stream YouTube, you can download it on your Hulu and watch all of the Olympic pasts that your heart desires.
How I stay entertained on a long flight is I download all the stuff on my phone. And ever since Netflix let you download their stuff, my life is changed. Also, not to talk about the competitor, but I also just found on Hulu, Queen, you can get the Olympic Channel, honey, and download all these old Olympics and stuff, so now instead of having to go on YouTube, and hope that the plane WiFi will work, which it never does strong enough to like stream YouTube, you can download it on your Hulu and watch all of the Olympic pasts that your heart desires.
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What is your biggest plane pet peeve?
I’ll tell you this much, I don’t have too many pet peeves on the airplane because usually I’m in too good of a mood. But I’ll tell you, if you follow Bobby on Instagram, his biggest pet peeve on planes, is people that fart. Anytime you follow Bobby on Instagram, every Insta Story, he will always, without fail, do an Insta Story when someone is farting on the plane. And he’s like, “What did you eat?” He is taken aback by people who fart on the plane.
I’ll tell you this much, I don’t have too many pet peeves on the airplane because usually I’m in too good of a mood. But I’ll tell you, if you follow Bobby on Instagram, his biggest pet peeve on planes, is people that fart. Anytime you follow Bobby on Instagram, every Insta Story, he will always, without fail, do an Insta Story when someone is farting on the plane. And he’s like, “What did you eat?” He is taken aback by people who fart on the plane.
Go to travel outfit?
Comfy. My go to travel outfit is always comfy, I just want to be comfortable.
Comfy. My go to travel outfit is always comfy, I just want to be comfortable.
What was the last thing you watched on a plane?
The last thing I watched on a plane was The Haunting of Hill House. Which is so scary, but I have to say that ending made me want to take my face and connect it to my tray table angrily. How dare you spell out the point of your show that hardcore! Like, my brain works. It lives between my ears, and if your reading level is above second grade, I did not need you to spell that out for me that hard. It was so good, and I was so scared, but you spoon fed me that conclusion so aggressively, and I don’t appreciate it. I would like to draw my own conclusions. Obviously ghosts and goblins are regrets, and addictions and stuff, like, duh. That’s what your whole show is about. And then you spell it out like that in the last 30 seconds? Get it together. It was great, it was great. It’s just the ending, you know. But isn’t that the thing with the genre horror films? Everyone’s a critic.
The last thing I watched on a plane was The Haunting of Hill House. Which is so scary, but I have to say that ending made me want to take my face and connect it to my tray table angrily. How dare you spell out the point of your show that hardcore! Like, my brain works. It lives between my ears, and if your reading level is above second grade, I did not need you to spell that out for me that hard. It was so good, and I was so scared, but you spoon fed me that conclusion so aggressively, and I don’t appreciate it. I would like to draw my own conclusions. Obviously ghosts and goblins are regrets, and addictions and stuff, like, duh. That’s what your whole show is about. And then you spell it out like that in the last 30 seconds? Get it together. It was great, it was great. It’s just the ending, you know. But isn’t that the thing with the genre horror films? Everyone’s a critic.