The heat is on for Colton Underwood on 'The Traitors,' and Lisa Rinna is stepping in to douse the flames!
It seems the intense competition on Peacock's 'The Traitors' has led to some serious online backlash for former 'Bachelor' star Colton Underwood, and his co-star Lisa Rinna is urging everyone to take a step back. The drama unfolded during a recent episode where Underwood, admitting he wasn't familiar with Rinna's 'Real Housewives' persona, declared his intention to target her and expose her as a traitor. This move, fueled by Rinna's own playful, yet perhaps too real, 'housewife' persona in her social media responses, seems to have ignited a firestorm. Rinna's playful jabs, referencing past controversies surrounding Underwood, only intensified the criticism.
But here's where it gets interesting: Rinna has since clarified her actions, explaining that her 'housewife mode' was all in good fun for the game. She expressed genuine concern that her earlier comments were causing 'real problems' for Colton, emphasizing that they actually have a great rapport. "I do not want this, because Colton and I are great. He was a great and is a great nemesis for me on the show in the game," she shared in an Instagram Stories post. She further elaborated that they've been exchanging texts and are on good terms, even calling him a 'great nemesis' with whom she had 'so much fun.'
And this is the part most people miss: Rinna is pleading with viewers to remember that 'The Traitors' is just a game. She implored fans to be 'gentle' and to avoid sending 'death threats' or jeopardizing anyone's family. "Everyone take a deep breath and just know that everything is great. It’s a game. It is a game. Try to watch it like a sporting event, you know, like if you’re watching football or wrestling, and just be gentle with everybody, because everyone’s doing the best they can," she urged.
Peacock itself has also weighed in, releasing a statement to remind viewers about the importance of kindness and to distinguish between discussing a show and harassing individuals. They emphasized their commitment to making contestants feel 'safe, respected, and supported — on screen and off.'
Now, here's where we open the floor for discussion: Is it fair for viewers to direct intense criticism at contestants based on their in-game actions, even if the contestants themselves claim to be on good terms? Or does the nature of reality television inherently invite such scrutiny? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below – do you agree with Lisa Rinna's plea for gentleness, or do you think the online reaction is a valid consequence of the show's drama?
