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| Name: Carson Lee Kressley Age: 37. Birthday (Sign):11 November 1969 (Scorpio) From: Pennsylvania |
| Carson was born and raised in the smalltown of Claussville, Allentown, in Pennsylvania, the youngest of three children. He was interested in fashion from a young age (prefering to spend time at the mall with his style-concious mother and older sister, rather than with his car-obsessed father and brother), but his real passion was for horses, competing with them all over the country during his teenage years. He attended Kutztown University for one year before transferring to Gettysburg College to study business. Although he majored in management, with a concentration in both entrepreneurship and finance, he also ended up minoring in studio arts, developing a love for art and sculpture during his time there. He graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor's degree in management and moved to New York to take up a job with the non-profit USA Equestrian Association. |  |
| Four years later, after sharing a small apartment with three roommates, Carson started looking for a job outside the non-profit world. A headhunter for Ralph Lauren spotted him at a gym dressed head to toe in Polo Ralph Lauren, and offered him a job as a gofer. In his seven years there, Carson rose to be Director of Creative Development (overseeing photoshoots and men's shows) and also worked as a independent stylist.
In 2002, a co-worker heard about a new makeover show, 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy' being cast. Carson contacted Bravo and, after writing a "sassy" letter to Scout Productions, was asked to audition. He was soon cast and along with Ted Allen and three others (later replaced), shot the pilot in Boston that July, the series proper premiering one year later to massive acclaim. In addition to the overnight success of the show (which has seen the 'Fab Five' become celebrities, releasing their own book and CD, and winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality Program), Carson wrote two books; a men's fashion book, 'Off the Cuff' and a children's book celebrating diversity, 'You're Different and That's Super!' He has acted in two movies, 'The Perfect Man' and "The Year Without a Santa Claus." In 2006, he launched his own fashion line, "Perfect," with QVC. Carson lives in New York. |
| Name: Hugh Edward Douglas. Jr Age: 37. Birthday (Sign): 5 May 1970 (Taurus) From: Florida |
| Kyan (then known as Eddie) Douglas was born in Miami and raised in Tampa and Tallahassee, Florida, part of a small, very close family, the youngest of two (he has an older sister). He was interested in grooming and wellbeing from a young age, being fascinated with his mother's beauty products. At the age of 21 Kyan moved to Texas with a friend, where he became interested in the healing arts. He lived in Dallas for a year and a half, studying philosophy and theater at Brookhaven Community College while working part time at a gym, before moving to Austin where he lived for a year, intending to study acting and theater but changing his mind due to painful shyness at the last moment. Kyan then moved to New Orleans, where he enrolled at Jesuit Loyola University studying TV production and theater, while waiting tables and working in a bar. He also studied at the Blue Cliff School of Massage Therapy and began exploring different spiritualities and religions. |  |
| After graduating in 1999 Kyan moved to New York to work for beauty company Aveda. After being promoted from the shop floor, Kyan helped open the NY Aveda Institute, which he then enrolled in, gaining his certification in cosmetology (graduating top of his class). More jobs in the salon and spa industry followed, before Kyan started working as a colorist at the the upscale Arrojo hair salon in SoHo. In 2002 a client there told Kyan about a new show a friend was casting. He sent in a photo and a short bio, and after three auditions was cast as the 'Grooming Guru' on 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.' In addition to the success of the show, Kyan wrote his own book on beauty and wellbeing, 'Beautified' and became a spokesperson and product adviser for L'Oreal. He is also a qualified kundalini yoga instructor. Kyan lives in Los Angeles. |
| Name: Thomas L. Filicia. Jr Age: 38. Birthday (Sign): 17 May 1969 (Taurus) From: Syracuse, New York |
| Thom was born and raised in the Sedgwick Farm neighborhood in Syracuse, the youngest of three brothers. Thom inherited his love of design from his real estate agent mother, Janet, who would take him to see the properties she was selling, and his electrical engineer father, also named Thomas. Thom developed an interest in design and architecture at a young age, and by the time he was in the fifth grade he was taking art and drawing classes, before studying architecture in high school. He went on to attend Syracuse University’s School of Art and Design, where he studied interior design. In his final year Thom was offered an internship at prestigious New York interior design company Parish Hadley Associates, and left Syracuse one or two science credits short of graduating. Thom worked at Parish Hadley for a year, before moving to another high-end company, Robert Metzger Interiors. He went on to become a senior designer with Jeffrey Bilhuber before opening his own interior design company, Thom Filicia Inc., in 1998. |  |
| In September 2002 Thom and his dog Paco were trapped in the elevator of his SoHo office building with a strange woman. They spent their hour of captivity talking, he about his business and she about her career as a talent manager. Once freed, she told him he would be perfect for a new TV show that was being developed. She was as good as her word, and a few months later Thom received a call about a makeover show. Confident about his design abilities, if not his on-camera skills, and hoping the show would be a good way to promote his company, Thom sent his press kit to Bravo and, after several auditions, was cast as the show's 'Design Doctor.' In addition to the success of the show, Thom worked as spokesman for furniture and accessories chain Pier 1. He is currently the host of makeover show "Dress My Nest," is developing furniture and accessories lines, and continues his work with Thom Filicia Inc. |
| Name: Edward Allen Age: 42. Birthday (Sign): 20 May 1965 (Taurus) From: Ohio and Indiana |
| Ted was born in Ohio and raised in Carmel, a suburb of Indianapolis, in a conservative middle class family, the eldest of two (he has a younger sister). His love of cooking emerged at a young age, inspired by the food his southern mother would make, but (a high school job as a fry cook at a Ponderosa steakhouse notwithstanding), did not pursue a career in food, opting for more academic options. After graduating from Carmel High School, Ted attended Purdue University where he gained a B.A in psychology. A short, unhappy stint at the Krannert School of Management followed, but a job as copy editor at the Lafayette, Indiana Journal and Courier inspired him to pursue journalism, gaining an M.A.in the subject from New York University. |  |
| Ted then moved to Chicago where he landed his first job covering Near North Side politics for a Lerner Community Newspaper. He started freelancing for Chicago Magazine, which led to a full time job there, eventually becoming a senior editor and restaurant critic. After several years he joined Esquire magazine as a contributing editor. While at Esquire Ted co-authored four books spawned from Esquire's 'Things a Man Should Know' column (about sex, style, business etiquette and marriage) and was nominated for a National Magazine Award for an article he wrote about male breast cancer. He has written for many other publications, including Epicurious, GQ and National Geographic Adventure.
In Spring 2002 a friend passed along a casting notice. Ted - interested in something new after 13 years in journalism - read the casting call looking for a gay man with an 'Esquire sophistication' to teach straight men about food and wine, and decided to fly to New York to audition. He was soon cast , shooting the pilot in Boston that July, the first season beginning the following year. In addition to the success of the show, Ted has worked as spokesman for various products such as Perrier, Smirnof Vodka and Diageo. He still writes for Esquire and other publications, and published a cookbook, 'The Food You want to Eat,' in 2005. Ted lives in New York with Barry Rice, his partner since 1993. |
| Name: David Jai Rodriguez Age: 28. Birthday (Sign): 22 June 1979 (Cancer) From: Long Island, NY |
| Jai was born in Brentwood, Long Island, where he lived with his grandparents until the age of 11, when he moved with his mother to Smithtown, LI. Interested in performing from a young age, Jai sang with the local church choir and, when in high school started studying musical theater at the Boces Cultural Art Center. At the age of 17 he won his big break when he was cast as the HIV+ drag queen Angel in the Canadian production of 'Rent.' He then moved to New York to reprise his role on Broadway. After 'Rent,' he continued to work in NY, starring in a further musical (as Zanna in 'Zanna, Don't!') and two plays ('Spinning Into Butter' and 'Sad Hotel'). His screen credits included a short stint as a married father on the soap 'All My Children,' a brief role in movie 'The New Guy' and several TV commercials. Deciding to focus more on music, Jai created his own cabaret show, singing at club xl. The success of his one-man show led to him recording his first single, 'Love is Good.' |  |
| In 2003 the Queer Eye producers heard about Jai's show while looking for an actor to replace their current 'Culture Vulture.' After holding his own in a 'crazy' audition with Carson and Ted that March, Jai was hired and started work on the show's third episode. In addition to the success of the show, Jai continued to perform, returning briefly to 'Rent' and creating his own show, 'Jai Rodriguez: Xposed.' In 2006 he moved to Los Angeles where he appeared on the reality show "Celebrity Duets." He is currently recording an album. |
