Raven-Symoné Calls Out JD Vance on 'The View' After Veep Makes Eyebrow-Raising Comment About James Talarico's Masculinity
Raven-Symone called out Vance for his homophobic comments toward James Talarico.
Oct. 21 2026, Published 5:05 p.m. ET
Raven-Symoné has called out JD Vance, bashing him for his tarmac comment about James Talarico, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The 40-year-old scolded the vice president on The View, noting the remark was unprompted and that "no one asked if you were g-y."
Raven-Symoné Questions JD Vance's Sexuality
Vance tried to call out Talarico sexuality, and Raven-Symoné called him out.
Vance had just finished a campaign stop for Ken Paxton in Tyler, Texas, when a supporter called out, "I love you." Vance answered, "I love you too, sir, in a totally platonic way, to be clear. I'm the Vice President, not James Talarico."
Raven-Symoné, guest-hosting the show, said, "JD Vance, no one asked if you were g-y. You're literally just saying it out of nowhere, which makes me go, 'Hmm.'"
She continued, "They keep using vegan, g-y as these slurs, when in actuality, Cam Newton is a vegan, and I think he's super masculine. And hot! Carl Nassib is g-y, and he's super masculine. So you're thinking that calling someone g-y or vegan de-masculates them is actually a very old, old, old way, which just goes to show you that you're not up to date, and we have no idea what you're talking about because it's just like, you're trying to set up a joke, a dad joke that did not land very well."
James Talarico Faces False Claims
Talarico has faced a number of false claims made by Republicans.
The ABC hosts pointed out that Talarico has a long-term girlfriend, Brianna Menard, a political director at the Texas Medical Association who previously served as his chief of staff, and that even if he were g-y it would not be a problem.
They also noted false claims that Talarico is vegan and that he was recently in a mental health facility.
James Talarico is Giving Ken Paxton a Run For His Money
Talarico is trying to beat Ken Paxton to become the first democrat to be elected statewide in Texas since 1994.
Talarico, a Democratic state representative from Austin, is leading Paxton in recent polling with less than two weeks until Election Day. Paxton won a hard-fought primary against Sen. John Cornyn through a May runoff and is running with President Trump's endorsement.
The Texas House impeached Paxton in 2023 on corruption charges, the Senate acquitted him, and a securities-fraud case that began in 2015 ended in 2024 with a plea agreement in which he paid restitution and completed community service and ethics training.
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JD Vance Doesn't Stop the Rhetoric
Vance did not let up when he talked to reporters later.
At the Tyler rally, Vance also said of Talarico, "You gotta wonder what the internet search history of a man like that looks like," and "Ladies and gentlemen, you don't want to find out."
Speaking to reporters afterward, he cited Talarico's views on drag performances and transgender issues and said people who say such things "tend to have some pretty unusual search histories."
