Gibson Johns refrains from spilling tea that hasn’t already been served, perhaps explaining why Bravo’s most beloved Housewives and personalities, as notable as the Kardashians, are so willing to sit down with him.
As a podcast host and entertainment journalist, he has built a following without succumbing to a thirst for gossip, though that doesn’t mean he shies away from inviting guests to share their perspective on a scandal.
Gay men in media are like historians of iconic moments. So.Gay interviewed Johns, who is one of the best pop culture experts to follow on Instagram right now. We chatted about the best and worst reality TV moments, the art of shade, and Housewives on his radar or near his heart.
SO.GAY: So are you more likely to post gossip or retweet it?
GIBSON JOHNS: Retweet it. I’ve been told many things privately by people that I interview off the record, and I don’t repeat that ever because that establishes trust between the interviewer and the interviewee. So I’m not somebody who’s gonna spill the tea on something that I’ve been told in privacy because I think that’s very short-sighted.
I view my contribution to the Bravo sphere as live tweeting throughout many episodes, conducting interviews, and offering commentary on the shows.
SG: One of the best moments in reality TV recently has been Monica Garcia’s exposure as a cyberbully in Salt Lake City, and one of the worst was Phaedra Parks’s elimination in Traitors. I need your reaction to these scenes.
GJ: I was so upset about Phaedra on the Traitors! I loved seeing her read people to filth and how she treated a roundtable like a reunion. She’s such a pro. And I think that Dan [Gheesling] totally blew up her game, and she should have won.
And then Monica as Reality Von Tease… I think Housewives needed a really iconic bombshell moment to wake people up, and they got it in Monica being exposed as Reality Von Tease. It’s one of the most epic things to happen in the franchise, so I couldn’t get enough of it.
SG: And regarding the Housewives, do you have a favorite?
GJ: Generally, I think the ones I feel most connected to are the ones I’ve had more time to interview and get to know. For example, Margaret Josephs had her first season of New Jersey in 2017, and I’ve interviewed her every single season that she’s been on. So I’ve known her for six or seven years.
I wasn’t on a team between Melissa [Gorga] or Teresa [Guidice], but then I spent more time with Melissa in-person doing interviews, and she went above and beyond to ask about me and my family, and she showed to be the real deal. Of course, some housewives being friendly isn’t their MO, and I’m not going to say names, but that’s fine; they don’t have to get close to somebody like me.
SG: What are your all-time best Housewive reads?
GJ: Phaedra had a read of Kenya [Moore] in the reunion of season six. Lisa Barlow’s hot mic is where she’s behind the closed door, and she goes off about Meredith [Marks] sleeping with half in New York.
SG: These are not reads but assassinations… What do you consider good shade?
GJ: You have to be a little savage and cold with it. The delivery is half of the deal. Obviously, with shade, it’s all about how you deliver the message.
SG: So you moderated Bravocon a few times. How was the gay presence?
GJ: There’s a lot of gays at Bravocon. Bravocon is like 75% Women, 20% gays, and then like 5% husbands/boyfriends.
SG: In the past, I did an article on whether a gay man should be a Housewife, and Meredith Marks, the only housewife featured, actually said yes while everyone else said no. What’s your take?
GJ: I don’t think a gay man could be a Housewife, but I would love to be proven wrong. They should definitely find a group of gays.
SJ: MTV tried that, and it failed!
GJ: I didn’t even see the show, but I think the cast was already too influential or fame-related. I think it would be more impressive if the casting could find undiscovered people and make them stars via the show. That’s sort of the best recipe for success on these shows.
SG: How about your friend group?
GJ: My friend group isn’t dramatic enough to be on a reality TV show. And they all have boyfriends!
SG: We’ll find a friend group and get you in it!
GJ: *laughs nervously*
