TV Queer Eye season 9's scene-stealing dog Mr. Piffles dies weeks before premiere The chihuahua appears alongside his human, John van der Put, a magician and comedian who performs under the stage name Piff the Magic Dragon, in the new season of the Netflix show. By Jessica Wang Jessica Wang Jessica is a staff writer at Entertainment Weekly, where she covers TV, movies, and pop culture. Her work has appeared in Bustle, NYLON, Cosmopolitan, InStyle, and more. She lives in California with her dog. EW's editorial guidelines Published on December 11, 2024 04:00PM EST Comments Mr. Piffles, the scene-stealing chihuahua of magician and comedian Piff the Magic Dragon who often appeared in his human’s shows, died just weeks before his memorable appearance aired on the new season of Queer Eye. His human, real name John van der Put, shared the very sad news on social media on Nov. 13, revealing that the pup died just shy of his 17th birthday. “It’s with the heaviest of hearts I have to announce that Mr. Piffles, Las Vegas headliner, beloved canine conjuror and faithful companion, has passed away,” wrote van der Put. “For over fifteen years I’ve had the privilege and the pleasure of being upstaged and outshone night after night by that little ball of fluffy indifference. He came into my life when I had nothing, and set me on the path to a career I could only dream of. In the beginning, I may have rescued him, but in the end, he rescued me.” “I love you so much Mr. Piffles,” van der Put concluded his post. Piff the Magic Dragon and Mr. Piffles. Chris Haston/NBCU Queer Eye's new interior designer Jeremiah Brent is aware of the elephant in the room: 'I'm happy to earn people's respect' Mr. Piffles appears in episode 3 of the Netflix show's new season, titled "Poof Goes Piff!," alongside his human, who was nominated by longtime romantic and stage partner Jade Simone, a dancer and showgirl who also regularly appears in van der Put’s shows as part of his Las Vegas residency at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino. Magician duo Penn & Teller, co-nominators and mentors of van der Put, are also featured in the episode, which follows the revamped Fab Five — Karamo Brown, Antoni Porowski, Tan France, Jonathan Van Ness, and newcomer Jeremiah Brent — as they help van der Put rediscover who he is outside of his dragon outfit. Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. “I’m not sure who’s more famous,” quips van der Put of his pup, who is even featured on his Vegas billboards. The episode also sees Brent, initially stumped on what to design for the magician, create a dog park in Mr. Piffles’ name near the Flamingo. John van der Put (Piff the Magic Dragon) in 'Queer Eye' season 9. Courtesy Netflix Queer Eye season 8 hero's brother dies after episode spotlight Queer Eye wasn’t Mr. Piffles’ first TV appearance. He appeared alongside van der Put when he competed on America’s Got Talent in 2015. “Mr. Piffles graced our stage with his unique charm and indifference, embodying one of the greatest canine talents to ever perform on AGT,” the show’s executive producer Sam Donnelly told NBC in a statement. “He was loved by everyone who saw his act, and his partnership with Piff was a truly magical bond that will forever leave a lasting impact on our hearts.” Queer Eye season 9 is streaming now on Netflix.