Dan Stein is a New Orleans icon. 'Queer Eye' just didn't get his Jewishness (spoilers)
Dan Stein is a beloved figure in New Orleans. The NOLA subreddit is full of people not only drooling over the sandwiches from his store, Stein’s Market and Deli, but also extolling his kindness and laughing at his curmudgeonliness. That’s why, when the NOLA Redditors realized Netflix’s hit makeover show Queer Eye was coming to their city, they all nominated Stein.
But the Fab Five weren’t so into Deli Dan. As they panned over the deli’s walls, full of posters from past humorous marketing campaigns featuring slogans like “don’t be a schmuck” and pictures of Stein posing in a bikini made of candy necklaces, the makeover team winced. Stein needed to realize how his behavior affected others, they said.
Unlike most episodes of Queer Eye, which are journeys of self-love, “Deli Dan is a Dream Man” was all about turning Stein into someone else: the perfect boyfriend for his girlfriend Cara. The kind of guy who wears suits and charms people at galas. The kind of guy who would never roll his eyes at his customers for ordering too slowly.
But the Fab Five were missing something essential about what makes Dan Stein the widely beloved city icon that he is: He’s Jewish.
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I haven't seen this episode yet, but this is a bit surprising to me. I will wait until I see the episode.