Chelley and Olandria address racist ‘mean girl’ label they were given on Love Island USA
They've been getting all kinds of backlash
In their first interview since leaving the Love Island USA villa, Chelley Bissianthe and Olandria Carthen are opening up. The two dished on what happened once they left the show, whether they were happy with where they placed, and the dynamic people were seeing play out in the villa. Appearing on the Baby, This is Keke Palmer podcast, they addressed everything, including the racist “mean girl” label they were both given during their time on the show.
Chelley was ‘happy to go’
Speaking on leaving Love Island USA, Chelley dished that when she and Ace left, she was “happy to go.”
After they left, Chelley said they “met with a therapist,” then were able to get their phones afterwards.
She said that therapists “made it a point that this year is big.” Chelley said it really “didn’t register” until she saw people’s reactions once she left the villa.
The season seven stars were advised to focus on the supportive and more positive comments, rather than anything negative post-villa.
Chelley and Olandria address racism on Love Island USA
Talk later turned to the racial prejudice the ladies experienced while appearing on Love Island USA.
Chelley said she saw an article from BuzzFeed that suggested she’d “get a knuckle sandwich.” She asked: “Yeah, why am I getting a knuckle sandwich?! Why would ya’ll give me that?”
She said: “On the inside, we have a whole different life than what is out there, so I really don’t understand what made ya’ll think that we were the ‘mean girls’… my family, they were obviously devastated to see…”
Chelley added that she was happy to see so many people supporting her, including Keke Palmer.
“Speaking and using your voice means a lot to me, and not only to me but to a lot of people supporting us.”
The ladies agreed they felt they had to “tone down” during their time on the show.
Olandria said: “It’s very exhausting to say the least. I feel like me and Chelley had to tone down a lot.”
She continued: “A person that looks the opposite of us, as soon as they get emotional, it’s like ‘oh we’re gonna cater to this person’, like bro, what about us?”
Chelley explained that the reality inside the villa was that their co-stars would always “go to them for the best advice.”
She said people “vented to them” for being so “level-headed,” “loving,” and “honest.”
She said it was a shock to go from experiencing how her fellow Islanders felt about them to seeing “mean girl” comments on the internet.
Keke said: “It’s subtle microaggressions… just because I’m saying something sternly doesn’t mean you need to be afraid of me, that’s rooted in something that’s anti-Black. So, it becomes an issue because I don’t know how to exist…”
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