Never mind if they’re gay. Kyan Douglas and Thom Filicia of the phenomenal hit show “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” may well be the country’s next TV icons if the shrieks and screams from excited fans were to be the gauge of stardom.

Ayala Malls and Stores Specialists, Inc. recently flew in the two to spread the word on design and grooming as part of the "Two Fab Malls Welcome Two Fab Guys" which is another Ayala Malls exclusive. While giving a short talk on grooming in Greenbelt 3, a seemingly amused Kyan Douglas couldn’t suppress a laugh when asked by a fanatic if he will marry her to which he answered: "Not in this life, not in this time… I’m gay!"

Such unforgiving candidness is perhaps what adored grooming guru Kyan Douglas and the rest of the Fab Five — design doctor Thom Filicia, fashion savant Carson Kressley, food and wine connoisseur Ted Allen and culture-vulture Jai Rodriguez — to the gay community as well as their millions of fans who faithfully follow every episode of the show where an average Joe dramatically transforms from "drab to fab."

Even members of the press, who are notoriously tardy during press conferences, were surprisingly early for the 30-minute tete-a-tete held at the Rizal Ballroom of Makati Shangri-La prior to the book-signing at Greenbelt 3. Obviously, the press people (this writer included) did not want to miss a single thing including a tip or two from the make-over mavens.

"We’ve been shooting all over America and somehow we’ve kinda gotten used to the idea that people recognize us wherever we went. But it’s a different thing when you step out from a plane, in another country, and people start to wave at you or call your name. It’s like… for real?!," noted Thom Filicia, the prankster among the five and founder of his own interior design company, Thom Filicia Inc.

"We didn’t know how popular the show in your country was until now. We are really overwhelmed. And it’s amazing (because) people here have an incredible sense of personal style and individuality… everybody’s fashionable. I also like your accessories, they’re really beautiful," remarked Kyan Douglas who counts Tom Ford as his style icon for being "an amazing designer, a fun guy to be around with… and he’s really cute!"

The morning prior to the press conference, Thom was at the Alabang Town Center to open the "Design Challenge Exhibit" which featured photos of his World Expo 2005 designs in Aichi, Japan, as well as VIP lounge vignettes executed by two groups from the PSID (Philippine School of Interior Design). The students were challenged to design their own versions of the Expo VIP Lounge using furnishings from the participating home design shops, merging traditional materials with modern design. "I think that’s what good design is, being able to put all these different ideas together and look at it in a fresh way," Thom noted.

In the same manner, Thom lives by his design philosopy of keeping things simple and personal. "I like designs that capture the essence and spirit of the (straight) guy. I see to it that my designs reflect the personality of the people who will live in that place," stressed Thom, who sees himself more of the "gracious host" than a "good cook."

As for a child-friendly house, Thom has this advice: "Be careful of sharp corners. Of course, the house is not a museum where you prohibit your children to touch anything. You have to set house rules, let them understand that the furnishings are not toys they can play with."

Making the world a better place "one style-deficient man at a time" is what the five gay friends do best. From personal hygiene, wardrobe overhaul, tips on etiquette and social graces, to concocting innovative culinary creations and sprucing up a personal space — a changed man is sure to emerge at the end of the show. However, the transformation process doesn’t stop after the credits have rolled. In fact, the group does a surprise visit on the "straight guys" to check if they’ve been keeping up with the lifestyle change. And often, the Fab Five gets a pleasant surprise. "I’d say it’s more of stalking the cute guys than doing a follow-up," joked Kyan. "Seriously, it’s really nice to see these guys moving on and (applying) what they learned from the show. In fact, we even did two ‘reunion’ episodes… you know, see what they’ve been up to since the makeover," informed Kyan, a self-confessed movie and fitness buff.

Inasmuch as the five enjoy helping out the average guy, Kyan and Thom – if they were to have their way – would love to have Brad Pitt and Jude Law in their show. "It’s not really to do a makeover but because we want to meet them in person," quipped Thom, mouth-open-and-jaws-dropped as if Brad Pitt was in front of him.

Such spontaneity and openness to their sexuality pose an invitation to fish for more "intimate" information about the two. Thus, when one writer asked what is their favorite part of the male body, Kyan had a ready answer for her. "I love that muscle crease down there," said Kyan, pointing to his upper thigh, before breaking into a mischievous grin.

And his major turn off? "The body hair always gets me. Hair shouldn’t be coming out from the holes of your body like the nose and ears. Trim it by all means!" Kyan grimaced.

The grooming guru did a fantastic make-over job on two office girls and a guy who were at the fashion show at the Ayala Museum which featured models dressed in the latest collections of such labels as Lacoste, Kate Spade, Jack Spade, Kenneth Cole, Armani, to list a few. "Generally, there is no rule in hair color. It’s all about what works for you (but) one should avoid trying too hard… (and) miss the mark. For me, it’s a personal thing athough I go for the natural hair color," noted Kyan.

With the immense success of their Emmy-winning TV show, Thom could only think of one more thing he’d like to accomplish. "Gays in space. We’re going to the moon!"

Yeah, why not?