Why did ‘Love Island USA's' Cierra Ortega leave the villa
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Newsweek
8 minutes ago
- Newsweek
'Love Island USA' Controversies: Season 7 Plagued by Drama
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Love Island USA Season 7 has been marred by controversy since its premiere in June, with two of the show's contestants, Cierra Ortega and Yulissa Escobar, already leaving the series. Newsweek reached out to a spokesperson for Love Island USA via email on Tuesday for comment. The Context Love Island USA is an American spinoff of the British reality TV series. The program features a group of singles looking for love in a villa in Fiji while competing in challenges and facing elimination. The couple who makes it to the end wins a $100,000 prize. What To Know The hit series first premiered in 2019. The latest season got off to a rocky start, particularly involving three contestants. L-R: "Love Island USA" contestants Cierra Ortega, Austin Shepard and Yulissa Escobar. L-R: "Love Island USA" contestants Cierra Ortega, Austin Shepard and Yulissa Escobar. Ben Symons/Peacock Yulissa Escobar In episode two, Escobar was axed after videos of her using the N-word on a podcast were discovered. "In those clips, I used a word I never should've used, a racial slur," she said in a statement on June 6. "I used it ignorantly, not fully understanding the weight, history, or pain behind it. I wasn't trying to be offensive or harmful, but I recognize now that intention doesn't excuse impact. And the impact of that word is real. It's tied to generations of trauma, and it is not mine to use." In a separate post shared on TikTok on July 3, Escobar said that she learned she was being kicked off the show when she was pulled aside by producers who asked her to remove her mic. "I kind of figured something serious was happening," she recalled of the moment. "I honestly got scared, I thought something happened with a family member." Cierra Ortega In episode 30, narrator Iain Stirling revealed Ortega "left the villa due to a personal situation." While he did not elaborate as to why, her exit followed weeks of backlash over resurfaced social media posts that contained a racial slur against Asian people. A petition that urged producers to give Ortega the boot garnered over 17,300 signatures. She lost over 180,000 Instagram followers last week, per statistics from Social Blade. In a statement shared to Ortega's social media following the July 6 episode, her parents said they experienced "one of the most painful weeks of our lives." "We've seen the posts, the headlines, the hurt and the hate. And while Cierra hasn't seen any of it yet, we have. And so have the people who love her," they wrote. "We're not here to justify or ignore what's surfaced. We understand why people are upset, and we know accountability matters. But what's happening online right now has gone far beyond that." "The threats. The cruel messages. The attacks on her family, her friends, even her supporters, it's heartbreaking. It's uncalled for. And no one deserves that kind of hate, no matter what mistake they've made." Austin Shepard Austin Shepard—who was voted off the program—faced racism allegations, which he has denied. During an Instagram Q&A, Shepard answered one fan's question about being "a racist bigot in the villa." "I have a Black woman tattooed on my side," he said, Cosmopolitan reported. He added that the accusation was "crazy" and said that the person who asked the question was "dumb." What People Are Saying Love Island USA contestant Belle-A Walker said in an Instagram Story on July 6: "As a proud Asian American woman, I'm deeply appreciative of the Love Island USA producers for taking a stand and making it clear that racism of any kind is not tolerated. "When I first saw what my fellow Islander said on their social media pages, I was incredibly heartbroken. But I wanted to wait until they left the villa and were able to address the situation, genuinely apologize, and commit to learning from the experience before deciding how our relationship would look moving forward." What Happens Next Love Island USA Season 7 airs new episodes daily, except on Wednesdays, at 9 p.m. ET on Peacock.
CNN
44 minutes ago
- CNN
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' spokesperson says he was met with a standing ovation at jail after verdict
Sean 'Diddy' Combs received a standing ovation when he returned to the Metropolitan Detention Center after the verdict in his federal criminal trial last week, according to his spokesperson. Combs was acquitted of the more serious charges of which he was accused – racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He was found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. A virtual hearing is scheduled for Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET for attorneys and the judge in the case to discuss a request to expedite his sentencing. He faces 10 years in prison on each count, though legal analysts predict he will get much less. The music mogul has been in custody at a federal detention center in Brooklyn since his arrest in September. During a bail hearing that followed the verdict last Wednesday, Combs' lawyers requested he be released on bail, arguing that he was not convicted of any violent offenses. The judge denied the request to release Combs on bail, telling defense attorney Marc Agnifilo that in his closing arguments he 'full-throatedly … told the jury that there was violence here. And domestic violence is violence. And you said this is a case that did involve violence.' At the time, Judge Arun Subramanian proposed an initial sentencing date for October 3. Prosecutors accused Combs of leading a criminal enterprise in which he allegedly used threats, violence, forced labor, bribery and other crimes to coerce his former girlfriends Cassie Ventura and a woman who testified under a pseudonym Jane to engage in drug-fueled sex performances with male escorts called 'Freak Offs' or 'hotel nights.' Combs pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyers argued the so-called 'Freak Offs' were consensual given his long-term relationships with both Ventura and Jane. Combs also faces dozens of civil lawsuits, for which he has denied all wrongdoing.
Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
Disney, Hearst Consider Sale of A+E Cable-TV Networks Business
Walt Disney Co. and Hearst Corp. are considering a sale of their A+E Global Media joint venture, which includes cable-TV channels such as History and Lifetime, according to a person familiar with the discussions. Variety, which earlier reported the talks, said Wells Fargo & Co. had been hired to handle the sale. Spokespeople for Disney and A+E declined to comment, while Hearst didn't immediately respond.
