In the show Love Island USA contestant Vasana Montgomery was eliminated for allegedly using a racist slur in videos that surfaced days before the Season 8 premiere.
On Saturday, May 30, two videos circulated online showing Montgomery, a 25-year-old salon owner from Beaverton, Oregon, using a racial slur. People later confirmed that Montgomery had been dropped from the show.
Vasana Montgomery, "Love Island USA"«
These incriminating videos surfaced just two days after Peacock announced the 12 singles that would be included in Season 8 of Love Island USA , which premieres on June 2. In a promotional video before the premiere, Montgomery declared, "I think I'm the perfect fit. I own my own business, I live alone, I have a dog. If you asked my friends what my type of woman is, they'd show you a map of the world.".
At the time of writing, Montgomery has not publicly commented on her sudden departure from Love Island USA or an offensive statement. It is unclear whether she has already started filming Love Island USA before Peacock dropped her from the show.
This is not the first time that a participant of the show Love Island USA was kicked out for using a racist slur. During season 7, videos of Yulisa Escobar using the N-word surfaced on social media, leading to her being kicked off the show. She later addressed the videos, writing on Instagram: "I want to apologize for using a word I had no right to use. Excerpts from podcasts from years ago recently surfaced, and I want to address them directly.".
Escobar explained, «In those videos, I used a word I should never have used—a racial slur. I used it ignorantly, without fully understanding the gravity, history, and pain behind it. I wasn’t trying to be offensive or hurtful, but I now understand that intent doesn’t justify consequences. And the consequences of that word are real. It’s tied to generational trauma, and I have no right to use it. At the time, I was speaking casually, without deeply or critically reflecting on what I was saying. But that doesn’t diminish how wrong it was. The truth is, I didn’t understand the right thing to do then, but I do now. I’ve taken the time to reflect, to learn, and to learn from that moment.».
That same season, Sierra Ortega was expelled from the villa due to a social media post in which she used a racist slur.
«"First and foremost, I want to address not only those I've offended or deeply hurt, but most importantly, the entire Asian community. I'm deeply, sincerely, and honestly sorry," she said in a video posted on Instagram. "I had no idea that word carried so much pain, so much harm, and had such a history, otherwise I would never have used it.".
She also acknowledged that "intent is no excuse for ignorance" and took "responsibility" for using the offensive language, while admitting that at the time she "didn't really know it was offensive.".
Show premiere Love Island USA will air on Tuesday, June 2 at 9:00 PM ET on Peacock.
Read the latest news from the world of entertainment on TV Insider.