Married at First Sight expert Dr. Pepper Schwartz has explained why the show continued filming Paige Banks and Chris Williams given their marriage appeared to be a trainwreck in the first week of the process.
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As part of her statement, Pepper explained to angry viewers why Married at First Sight chose to continue documenting Paige and Chris' relationship considering Paige was in a terribly painful and sad situation after Chris discovered his ex-fiancee Mercedes was about six weeks pregnant.
Although Pepper quickly deleted her post, screenshots were captured by @mafsfan Instagram account.
"I empathize with all of those at home who are horrified by Chris's actions... I also understand why people might want us not to continue filming this couple," Pepper began, addressing backlash that Married at First Sight has done Paige a disservice by broadcasting her story for a ratings boost or entertainment.
"This reason we keep on is that we have seen similar 'train wrecks' turn around."
Pepper went on to compare Paige and Chris' dynamic to Season 6 couple Shawniece Jackson and Jephte Pierre, who wasn't attracted to his wife early on and refused to even sleep in the same bed as her during their honeymoon.
"It's miserable to watch in the beginning but [Jephte] turns around -- breaks down, changes the way he approaches his wife and his life, and the changes are both life changing and inspirational," Pepper explained.
"They are happily married now with a beautiful child. Granted this is exceptional -- but it does happen, and so we watch things play out. Even if the couple doesn't get together -- at least one person can grow and gain strength and know more about who she or he is and what they want in a partner."
While it is unclear why Pepper deleted her statement, some Married at First Sight fans had voiced their frustration that she had compared Chris to Jephte, who is now a popular and well-liked MAFS alum.
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Pepper went on to explain, "More time in the experiment also gives us experts more time to counsel, to try and help them work through tough experiences."
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Pepper insisted she and the experts were frank and honest with Chris when counseling the couple throughout Season 12.
"Do I, or any of the experts, mince words with Chris? I don't think so. I am appalled at some of the things he has said and done. I don't know how many of our statements to him make the final cut (for me or anyone else) -- but no one is giving Chris a 'pass,'" Pepper insisted.
"I can understand however, if you don't think it's enough."
Married at First Sight viewers have been lashing out at Chris and scolding show experts Pepper, Pastor Calvin Roberson and Dr. Viviana Coles for casting him ever since MAFS's twelfth season, which was filmed late last summer in Atlanta, premiered in January on Lifetime.
The Married at First Sight season has shown Chris repeatedly boasting about himself and his accomplishments, making sexist remarks about Paige, discussing his high expectations of a woman's physical looks, constantly talking about sex, and marrying a stranger only three months after ending his engagement to Mercedes, whom he still continued hooking up with after their split.
Pepper, however, pointed out that the experts' role on the show is different from that of Married at First Sight viewers.
"We give honest feedback but not everyone can listen and use our insights and critiques to be a better person. It's also true that we can tell Paige what we think is in her best interests (i.e. cut all interaction) but that doesn't mean that she agrees with us and wants to end the relationship," Pepper wrote.
"She is an adult, a person determined to see this experiment through, and she considers what we say, but she does what she wants to do. But does a lot of it break my heart, as much of it has broken yours? Do I understand your disgust? Of course I do."
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Pepper therefore spoke on behalf of the Married at First Sight experts and took "responsibility" for matching Chris with Paige.
"But I assure you the Chris we all see now, is not the Chris we met and married to Paige," Pepper insisted.
"I wish we knew how to get to the core of someone's intent and their ability to love all the time, but we cannot. What we have done however, is, over all these seasons, try very hard to make good matches and great relationships -- and we do take pride in the many marriages, and families, that we have put together that are worthy and lasting."
Pepper admitted it was "a bad call" to put Chris on the show and she isn't trying to make any excuses; however, she noted it's nearly impossible to obtain a perfect record in matching pairs of strangers for matrimony on a reality TV show.
"We tell everyone that truth -- that this is a high-risk endeavor, even with three trained professionals matching the couples and giving them support all along the way," Pepper acknowledged.
"But we are not relationship wizards; there will be some failures. However, we think the many life enhancing successes we have created justify the continuation of Married at First Sight."
Both Pastor Cal and Viviana have expressed similar sentiments about Chris in recent weeks.
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"No way that the person you see is the person that we saw... The cameras came on and Chris became this different person. We were just as surprised and pretty pissed as you guys are," Pastor Cal said during a recent appearance on Atlanta's 96.3 WHUR radio show called The Frank Ski Show with Nina Brown.
And Viviana told The Associated Press in an interview, "There have been couples who we thought were 100% -- as much as we can say that, on paper, side-by-side [and] meeting them single -- head over heels in love with each other, and they were explosive, nasty, really degrading."
Viviana added, "[They'd] be having conversations that made us think, 'Who are these people?'"
Pastor Cal and Viviana also both insisted they don't intentionally match potential trainwreck couples to ensure a Married at First Sight season will be dramatic.
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In addition, Chris was shown screaming at co-stars Erik Lake and Virginia Coombs in the latest Married at First Sight episode after he believed the couple had invaded his privacy and inappropriately butted into his personal affairs.
Paige, however, decided to continue her relationship with Chris despite an extremely rocky first week of marriage, including a shocking revelation from Chris that he still loved his ex-fiancee and briefly considered getting back together with her.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
