Basic Provisions
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В Love Island USA A few days before the premiere of Season 8, one of the participants was eliminated.
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Vasana Montgomery was fired from the show after videos surfaced of her using a racial slur.
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This is the second year in a row that a contestant has been removed from the lineup for using racist language.
A few days before the start of the eighth season Love Island USA Contestant Wasana Montgomery was eliminated from the show for using a racist slur.
Montgomery, a 25-year-old business owner from Beaverton, Oregon, has been eliminated from the reality dating show, PEOPLE magazine has confirmed.
Montgomery's removal from the Peacock series came two days after the Season 8 cast was announced. Following this, two videos surfaced online showing Montgomery using a racial slur, sparking immediate backlash. It's unclear whether Montgomery has yet arrived at the villa. Love Island USA to begin filming Season 8 when she was dropped from the project.
In a promotional video for the upcoming season, Montgomery described herself as "perfect in every way" and said her friends would "show you a map of the world" if asked to describe her "type of woman.".
The cast of Love Island USA season 8 (Photo: Peacock)
Peacock representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Entertainment Weekly about the comment.
This is not the first time that the show Love Island USA is facing a similar scandal. In fact, Montgomery's exit marks the second year in a row that a contestant has been kicked off the show at the last minute for using a racist slur.
Last year, contestant Yulisa Escobar was scheduled to compete in Season 7, but shortly after her arrival in the villa, videos of her using a racial slur surfaced online, and she was abruptly removed from the show. A representative for the show confirmed her departure to EW but did not provide a reason.
Two days after her suspension, Escobar apologized for using a racist slur, addressing her fans on Instagram: "In those videos, I used a word I should never have used—a racial slur. I used it ignorantly, not 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.".
A month later, another Season 7 contestant, Sierra Ortega, was eliminated from the villa after sparking similar backlash. In two posts published in January 2015 and February 2023, Ortega appeared to use a racial slur against the Asian community while describing her smile during a Botox procedure.
Former "Love Island USA" contestants Julissa Escobar and Sierra OrtegaPhoto: Ben Simons/PEACOCK (2)
After the videos sparked outrage online, she disappeared from the show, with narrator Iain Stirling announcing she left due to a "personal situation.".
Ortega later apologized for her posts, taking "responsibility" for "naively using an incredibly offensive and derogatory term." In a lengthy video, she told fans, "I am deeply, sincerely, and honestly sorry. 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. I had no malicious intent when I used it, but that is absolutely no excuse, because intent does not excuse ignorance. It simply does not.".
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A few days before Montgomery's departure from Season 8, a message appeared on the show's official Instagram page asking fans to be respectful of the Islanders while watching the new season.
«"The villa thrives on a positive atmosphere, as does this entire community," the statement reads. "We enjoy hearing your reactions, opinions, and discussions, but everyone deserves to feel safe and respected.".
«This is a place for fun, not negativity,” the text continued, “so be cool, be positive, and remember: this is Island of Love !»
Season 8 Premiere Love Island USA will air on June 2 on Peacock.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.