Jonathan Van Ness says Dax Shepard podcast edited out reason he cried during discussion about trans issues
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Following an emotional, headline-making interview in September about trans issues on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast, Queer Eye personality Jonathan Van Ness has accused the show of editing out "significant pieces" of the conversation that added more context to their discussion.
The 36-year-old LGBTQ advocate made the claim in a teaser clip from an upcoming episode of actress Keke Palmer's Baby, This Is Keke Palmer podcast, telling the Nope and Hustlers star that Shepard's show cut important details from their chat, which left Van Ness crying as he defended transgender rights.
"If you listen to podcasts, you know what an edit is — that was an edit, and that was an edit that I asked for approval or insight into, and was not given," Van Ness told Palmer in a new TikTok teasing their full interview. "So, after that conversation, I did ask for a transcript and what that was going to look or sound like, because that was quite a conversation, and I was not given insight into that. There were some significant pieces of that conversation that were left out that did ultimately have me in tears."
EW has reached out to representatives for Van Ness and Shepard for comment.
In September, Van Ness, who is nonbinary and uses he/she/they pronouns, appeared on Armchair Expert for a wide-ranging interview that heated up when the topic turned to trans issues in America and "disinformation" in the media, with the two clashing after debating whether or not The New York Times could be classified as a liberal news organization after Van Ness called its content "anti-trans."
"This whole notion that to be critical… or to question, even question, it makes you an enemy. I don't think that's the way forward," Shepard said before they went on to cover other topics, such as controversial Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling's anti-trans stances and growing sentiment about trans children participating in youth sports.
Ilya S. Savenok/Getty; Amy Sussman/Getty Jonathan Van Ness; Dax Shepard
"I could just cry because I'm so tired of having to fight for little kids because they just want to be included," Van Ness told Shepard through tears. "I wish that people were as passionate about little kids being able to be included or grow up as they were about fictitious women's fairness in sports. I have to tell you, I am very tired."
Listen to Van Ness and Palmer discuss the Armchair Expert interview above.
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