Watch even a minute of the clip above, in which Hasan Minhaj gets fashion tips from Queer Eye’s Tan France, and you will find yourself helplessly sitting through the whole thing. It’s completely delightful. But if you are part of the “brown Illuminati,” as Minhaj puts it, it will also make you feel things. In the segment, a bit of Netflix synergy between Queer Eye and Minhaj’s new comedy show Patriot Act, the makeover talk quickly gives way to jokes about Indian uncles and why saying Chai tea is dumb.
I was hooked right away, starting with the moment France pronounces Minhaj’s name correctly. That may not seem like much, but as a Muslim who has wasted way too much of his life teaching people how to pronounce my name (“It sounds like Matt Damon, except without the D”), there was already a giant smile on my face. Minhaj radiates joy, and then France radiates that same joy when Minhaj pronounces his name correctly. I was beaming watching more handsome versions of me quip about a life I recognize. Is this how most people feel when they watch TV?
“So what will come off my melanin?” Minhaj asks further on. Tan responds, “We can wear whatever we want. We’ve got beautiful brown skin. We’ve got like the nicest skin.” I needed this so badly when I was 14, but I’ll take it at 29. Later, France asks Minhaj if looking cool is important to him. “Yes!” he replies quickly. “You’re representing brown people,” France says. “You don’t need to try to be cool. You are cool.”
“Did you just Queer Eye me?” Minhaj asks. Not only that, he Queer Eye’d every brown-skinned person in America. Next time, Netflix, please warn us first.
