‘Watch your back’: MAFS’ Clint explains ‘classist’ comment in confrontation with angry troll

Clint Rice named and shamed an angry MAFS Australia viewer after he messaged the reality TV groom, “Watch [your] back” on Instagram. The public fight seemed to stem from statements Clint said on the show, namely addressing his fiancée Jacqui Burfoot’s on-screen husband, Ryan Donnelly.

Whether you’ve only watched two episodes or have been greedily digesting every piece of MAFS content you can find, you no doubt already know that Jacqui ditched her MAFS groom Ryan for Lauren Hall’s hubby Clint Rice. The two are now engaged, already picking baby names, and spending way too much time on Instagram and TikTok for a couple who claim to be in pre-marital bliss.

During a confrontation with Ryan on the show, Clint rudely stated, “You’re from the Western suburbs, don’t talk to me” in a moment that saw him branded “classist” and “prejudiced” by Australian viewers at home. Soon enough, it became a battle between the Western Suburbs and Tasmania, where Clint resides. One particular viewer by the name of Malu Shuster, who is from Western Sydney, told Clint to “Watch [your] back” on Instagram, which Clint proudly posted to his story.

In a moment that was surprisingly healthy by reality TV standards, Clint and Malu hopped on a live to hash out their issues.

MAFS’ Clint explained the context of his Western suburbs comment

During the Instagram live, Clint explained how his MAFS comment about the Western suburbs was a direct response to Ryan’s jabbing about him living in Tasmania. It was tit for tat, you could say.

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“Ryan kept coming at me, over and over, about everything. He started having a go at me for being from Tassie,” Clint explained. “I’ve copped it my whole life for being from Tassie. And I just snapped back in the moment. I said, ‘You’re from the Western suburbs, don’t talk to me.’ It was just us having a go at each other. I’ve got nothing against Western Sydney at all.”

He then whacked out the last phrase you want to hear when disproving any sort of prejudicial statement: “I’ve got great friends in the Western suburbs.”

“I’ve got great friends in the Western suburbs, and I’ve lived in Melbourne’s western suburbs myself. I was just throwing back a cheap shot after copping it all night,” he added.

Malu also shared his reasoning behind the seemingly threatening DM, telling Clint how Western Sydney is more often than not unfairly stereotyped.

“When I go out to places like Bondi, I feel like there’s a stigma. People think the West is a s**t place to live. So yeah, I saw that line and I got angry,” he said.. “As a man to man, I respect you for that. You seem like a really good bloke. I take back what I said, and I apologise.”

It was the most adult squashing of beef I’ve seen in years, and they even planned to meet up in Sydney for a beer!

“I actually want to apologise for my message. I feel really bad for saying it now. I hope you accept my apology,” Malu concluded as Clint wrapped up with, “Sometimes I open my phone and get flooded with messages. Some say they love me, others say they want to stab me. It’s intense. But I’m not a bad person.”

How very wholesome.

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Featured image credit: Nine/Malu Shuster