Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness is one busy icon. If you haven’t watched them transform locks on TV, you may have read one of their three best-selling books, or fallen down a self-care rabbit hole with them on their podcast Getting Better.
And they also do stand-up—deeply charming stand-up.
In recent years, they’ve been touring and performing stand-up comedy all over the world. But their upcoming show, Hot and Healed, at Revolution Hall on August 28 touches on topics perfect for an election year, opening with the story of Van Ness finding themself inserted into a 2024 Trump campaign ad. Over the phone, Van Ness caught us up on how they’re doing, what we’re in for, and who’s wearing fake hair (spoiler: it’s most famous people).
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
PORTLAND MERCURY: Good morning. Just from following you on Instagram, you seem to be having a very busy summer.
JONATHAN VAN NESS: It’s the first summer that I haven’t been on location for Queer Eye in like eight years—except for the pandemic—so my husband and I were like: Let’s go places, let’s do things. We’ve been having a travel girl summer. But also, can I just say? Portland’s natural beauty and splendor, hunty holds its own. Portland’s stunning. I love Portland so much. I love the community there. Portland has some of the most incredible people. There’s this therapist and thought leader who I see every time I’m there, named Doreen Dodgen-Magee. I just love her.
This stand-up show tour is called Hot and Healed, and your podcast is called Getting Better. When I hear “healed” I feel like that is the end of a journey, whereas getting better is something that is a work in progress. Do you think a person can be both healed and getting better at the same time?
I think as a non-binary person, we are very big on how multiple things can be true at once. But also I will say, I just love an alliteration. I thought it sounded fun together, and I was also debating, like, should it be HEELED or HEALED?
Do you do the show in heels?
I do. Really cute heels too.
What can folks expect from the show?
It’s very, very unabashedly queer and joyful. I think it’s my most exciting work that I’ve done so far. The Hot and Healed show kind of picks up with the election of 2024. I was unfortunately used in a pro-Trump ad campaign. It ran in, like, 38 states. So I talk about what it was like seeing myself on this pro-Trump ad campaign, what that did to me, and how I got hot and healed through that experience.
A lot of this set is on gender and on ageism. We’re so hard on each other, but we can heal through everything with joy and with some eyes-wide-open realness.
On Getting Better, you and your producer have this segment where you talk about how you’re getting better on a given day. So in recognition of the podcast and your show, I am wondering: How are you hot today?
Oh my god, what a good question. I will say I am, like, literally physically hot because it’s like 98 percent humidity in New York City today and my curls could not be loving it any more—like, hydrated, bouncy, juicy, good summer curls today.
How are you healed today?
Well, I have therapy in an hour and a half, and I think today we’ll probably be working on feeling feelings. They’re not that scary. We can do it.
Are you tired? Bouncing around, having all the jobs, and being in a thousand places seems tiring.
God, it reminds me of that one interview that Megan Markle did where the reporter was like: Are you okay? And she’s like: Thank you so much for asking.
I am kind of tired, but only today. That’s because Tan had an event last night, and I was out until 9:30 at night, which is later than my bedtime on a school night. Then we fed the animals, and I had to play a little Fortnite to wind down. And then I had to watch a little bit of False Prophet, which traumatized me. So I really didn’t fall asleep ’til midnight. Then I’m a big Solidcore fanatic, and I was in a freaking 6 am class, so I was up at like 5:30. I’m one of those girls who needs a good like eight hours. So, I’m not life-tired, just today-tired.
Between all the jobs that you have [comedian, podcaster, hair stylist, hair care line creator, reality star, etc.], if you had to have only one job, what job would that be?
Uh, you are giving me the hard-hitting journalistic Barbara Walters questions today, diva. I would say: comedy hair writer. Or maybe just a comedian because that’s still writing. And I could still do my own hair for my shows.
Is comedy what energizes you the most?
It’s really those three. I love stand-up because it’s where I can process the world around me in the most unfiltered way where there’s no editor or network or anyone saying like, oh, could you do it like this, or could you try it like that? I think stand-up is where I feel really alive.
What energizes you before you go on stage?
Doing my hair makeup kind of gets me in my flow state, and I usually listen to fun music. Right now, I’m hardcore in my K-pop era, like Mamamoo or Itzy.
Since you mentioned hair—I have two hair questions for you. First, I’m in my 40s, and I get a lot of targeted ads for stuff that is supposed to prevent hair thinning, like these hats that have something inside.
Red light hats.
Is that it? The glowing baseball caps.
I believe in those.
They work?
Yes. It’s one of those things where you have to use it three nights a week and it takes about three months, but I do really believe that they work. I have one. I wear it.
Well, I guess I’m buying one. My second hair question is a celebrity insider-y, access-y question: When we see photos of celebrities on red carpets, how often is their amazing hair a wig?
I would say, like, 90 percent of the time you are seeing something that has help, whether that’s extensions or a wig. It’s not only their hair.
Can you spot them from a mile away?
Wigs are easier for me to clock than extensions. Theoretically, you should be able to hide an extension under hair. With a wig—if the hairline is really kind of obvious or sitting far above the scalp because the hair isn’t flat enough—it’s a little bit more clocky. But I’m just a type of hairdresser where I want people to have good long-term habits. So as long as you’re taking care of your scalp, I’m like: Put a wig on it. Like, slay. Have fun with it. I don’t like to shame people for their choices. I want us to take care of ourselves.
Is there anything else that you want people of Portland to know, or be thinking about as they’re getting ready to go to your show?
Put on all the glitter. Like, if you’ve been waiting to wear that fit, wear it to the show. Bring your girls, gays, and theys. I think a lot of us have community and social whiplash from how far right everything went. In 2026, [it’s important to] have spaces where we can come together and know that there are so many like-minded people that are either queer themselves or allies who want to be in community with each other. We do need those spaces to get on a cute look and have a fun night, and this is that night for you.
Jonathan Van Ness brings Hot and Healed to Revolution Hall, 13000 SE Stark, Aug 28, 8 pm, $45.96 – $92.92, more info, 18+
