E967 – Going Deeper with Chris Seeley

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Well, Chris, welcome.

Thank you.

Very excited to be with you.

Very excited to get to know you.

Yeah, we were just kind of talking before we got started just about this show in general.

And, you know, it's like we're in its seventh season,

but it's its second, I don't know.

It's been on, I don't know how long it's been on Peacock, but it's really almost been like two seasons where the show has been like the it show, the number one show on reality television.

Yeah.

And then quickly in two seasons,

it's become this behemoth and this kind of very toxic fan base.

And it's just like, even shows like ours who are covering it.

I don't even know what it's like for y'all to be a part of this and the discourse that we see online.

Even for us people who cover it, we're just like, gee, man, God, this is just like, oh, this is exhausting.

First of all, like, how are you doing?

You know, like, how is you, how are you, how's your mental health?

How are your emotions?

I'm sure a bunch of highs and lows.

Like, how are you feeling today?

Honestly, man, I'm doing really well.

You know, come out the villa, I was a little curious about what could happen or what what life was going to be like.

You know, this is all new for me.

I play basketball.

Sure.

So, like, coming back and like to this type of life is something that I have to get adjusted to.

Because this is my type of life when I'm overseas.

Like, when I, like, for example, when I was in Indonesia, I was kind of like that famous person for them.

You know what I mean?

So, like, coming back to home and being that famous person here is weird because this is usually like my space where I'm like at peace.

I can be in my family.

Like, I can move how I want, do this, do that, get away from all that stuff.

So, like, coming back to this is kind of crazy.

That's kind of interesting for you because like a lot of people who go on these shows they go from complete obscurity just like you know you know your average average person average good looking person in whatever town but you've had obviously success in athletics and with that you've gotten notoriety right and do you feel like that's helped prepare you for even though it's different do you think that's helped prepare you for what you're about to like embark and just like having that kind of emotional maturity to know like what you should pay attention to and more importantly, what you shouldn't pay attention to yeah i feel like it's helped a lot for sure but there are a lot of things that i need to learn you know not just the other islanders but you know other people that i've connected with are trying to like help me with along the way just as far as like how i should be moving now how i should be um talking not just about myself but about others too so yeah i mean it's it's for sure taking some time to get adjusted to it's only been what a few days so far but uh i think with the with the help that i have i think i'm i'll be i'll be okay so so what initially made you go on love island honestly it wasn't even a thought for me about going on Love Island.

They had reached out to me as I was leaving Indonesia.

Once I made the decision to come back home, I got the DM from a casting director saying, hey, like, would you be interested on going on Love Island?

I said,

like, honestly, no, because that's not me.

But I said, why not?

You know, I feel like that's like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

And I just feel like I want to take some time away from basketball to see what else I can get into.

and what else I'm good at.

I know reality TV is not like a talent, but like, you know, so I just, I dove in.

I was like, why not?

In some ways, actually, I mean, it's, it's, especially what you guys go through, right?

Like, I don't think people fully realize the pressure cooker of a social experiment you guys are thrusted into.

Right.

I mean, ultimately, what a love island is, it's a game masked as this journey to find love

that puts its stars and casts in this compromising environment where you guys, all of you are in this constant fight or flight.

Yeah, we all want, you all seem open to love, but everyone who goes in that show knows it's a TV show.

They're aware of the opportunities that come with it, as they should, right?

And there's pressure there.

There's pressures of what their family might think,

their peers.

Yeah.

And then it's kind of like, almost like a fight for survival.

You know, who do I make friends with?

Alliances, all kind of masked under like the romance of love.

And it's just kind of this fascinating thing, which I actually would argue requires a lot of skill.

I mean, think about like Traitors is another very popular show on Peacock.

Maybe we'll see you on it

in future seasons.

Never know.

But like that is like, you know, that show is very straightforward.

This is a game.

Right.

You know, we're just a game and

we're going to not take it seriously.

And even then fans get into it.

But this is all like, no, this is all about love.

This is all about this genuine thing.

And then you guys have to like combat within that environment and face the pressures of people projecting their own lives and relationships and struggles onto you.

You either remind them of someone you dated that screwed them over or you remind them of yourself.

Yeah, and it's just a really fascinating thing.

So I would argue, I think it does require a lot of skill.

And I don't think it's a coincidence people like you shined in the atmosphere that you were in.

Yeah, I mean, honestly, it's really tough, especially on the emotional side.

Like you said, it's a really big, like fight or flight all the time.

Like we're barely getting sleep.

I think like every night, maybe we got max like three or four hours of sleep.

Really?

So like, you know, having to shoot all night and then only getting that amount of sleep and then waking up doing it over again, like, it's kind of like, damn, like, I'm irritated that I didn't get no sleep.

Now I got to go talk about my emotions and how I'm feeling.

It's like, you may not want to at that time or may not want to with that person at that time.

So it's like having to get your mentality right in order to do that.

You for sure are going to cause some emotions to be to be heightened for sure.

So.

Do you feel like also.

And I can only imagine like not knowing what time of day it is or what day of the week it is can be such like a mental fuck.

Do you felt like it was, or do you feel like you honestly didn't really even think about it?

Honestly, at first, I didn't really think about it, but we kind of caught on a little bit just because of the sun.

Because when we go to sleep, the sun was kind of rising.

And then when we wake up, the sun would be like in a specific spot.

And then we would kind of like tell, like, by the time the sun get like over the fire pit, it's like midday or something like that.

You know what I mean?

Yeah, yeah.

That's crazy.

Shout out to Pepe.

You know what I mean?

Pepe figured that out.

Like

he was very intellectual with that.

He was like, hmm, I wonder what time it is.

He's like, okay, I see the sun over here.

But when they get right here, I think, yeah, it's probably like middays, like three or four o'clock.

I'm like, okay.

Think about that, right?

Like your emotional energy is going into stuff like that.

Yeah.

You know, in this type of environment where in normal life, in reality, we talk about this on the show all the time about like our emotional energy.

It's not this limitless thing that we all take for granted.

And so when you guys are in this world, not having access to your support system, not even knowing what time of day it is or what day of the week it is.

And then you start thinking about that and you feel disconnected from reality.

Yeah.

It's just something to say to like, all of you guys deserve a ton of grace and credit for like what you guys go through.

I think so many times we watch these shows and we're just like, it's fun to be snarky and it's fun to be like, oh shit, you know, like, because we remind ourselves of all our foolishness in life.

Right.

We are all entertained by your guys's willingness to.

bear it all and be vulnerable in these environments.

So yeah, I think, you know, it's very tough, especially like, I know you guys probably see like all the fun that we're having and stuff like that, but there's a lot of things that you guys don't see that cause us to be like really emotional, like missing our family and stuff like that.

Like, that's why on Family Day, like, we were all really so emotional because like that whole journey, like even before going in the villa, like being in that hotel for however long it was for me, it was like three weeks.

Just like that time with the no contact, no outside access, no nothing like that.

And then additional two, three weeks in the villa, like it played a huge toll on the mental, especially on the emotional side for me.

That's why when y'all saw my mom like walk in, I was, I couldn't help but like brawl my eyes out.

I mean, I love a good homecoming,

but I could, I truly couldn't only imagine what it's like.

You're just so disconnected, I think, from, you know, you make friends with producers because,

you know, some, I've made some really close friends with them, but you're just like, you aren't doing a job.

And like, I am like, but you want to confide in people.

But in that type of environment, is it, is it hard to know everyone's true intentions or what you,

if who you can trust?

Because again, like there is this huge opportunity that you guys are all presented with, whether it's the cash prize at the end, forget about that.

But like, you guys are all aware of just how popular this show is and the opportunities that come with being a notable character on this show.

And that's just immense pressure.

I always describe it as like it's a lottery ticket with incredible odds.

Yeah.

Like being casted on one of these shows isn't a sure thing.

You know, there's a lot of people who go on, we don't remember.

They just, they don't make a mark or whatever.

Yeah.

They don't get the opportunities some of their peers have.

But like so many do.

And it's life-changing.

And that's a ton of pressure.

Yeah, it is.

And I think to get to your point about people's attentions, it's tough, honestly.

Because you can have like a deep conversation with somebody, like man or female, and you can see like, okay, you can sense some type of energy that they're presenting.

But at the end of the day, like they could go over here and tell somebody something else, you know what I mean?

And act totally different.

So, I mean, I will say like there was a few people where you kind of sense that.

And at the end of the day, like you said, like it's a game.

So they kind of have to put on a certain persona at certain times.

So yeah, it's really hard to tell if people's intentions are really true or not.

But I feel like spending that much time together and like in the end game, like you kind of are able to tell like constant patterns and stuff like that to see if that's really who they are or not.

Who are people that you felt you could really get to know and connected with and you felt like, you know, they were presenting their authentic selves?

I'll say it till.

To the end, like, that's my boy.

You know what I mean?

I don't know if you guys saw it on the TV.

I don't know what they put on the TV, but like anytime that I was frustrated or I needed some good advice, I went to Brian because of his perspective on things.

He always kept it real with me.

Like when if he told me, hey, I think you're tripping, bro.

Like, you know, fix the way you're thinking.

Like, or he'd be like, no, you're not tripping.

Like, I feel you're valid in this point.

He would always keep it real.

As if I went to like a few of the other islanders, they would already have like their perception of me already coming in as a Casa Boy and as a someone that's fucking shit up or however you want to put it.

So it's hard to like go to them for advice, even though they may have been able to help me a little bit more because they've been there longer i feel like they just didn't understand me because in their in their eyes it's like oh he's just here trying to take my girl or whatever it is you know what i mean so um yes did you get a chance to get closer with any of the other casa guys or were you kind of more focused on you were yeah i mean um you know we spent a lot of time together especially in the beginning um before going to the villa

But I would say pretty much everybody as far as the Casa boys.

Mostly Brian and Elan, though, because I spent the most time with them, especially Casa and the Villa.

So I'll say mostly them.

But me and Zach have a great, Zach C have a great relationship.

JD, he's like my little brother in a way.

He, you know, he comes to me for about advice for anything.

And then Zach K,

you know, he's a goofbar.

So what were you doing in that hotel room for three weeks with no?

Journaling.

I wasn't like a big journaler, but I had so much on my mind and I couldn't talk to anybody.

And usually like my mom is my outlet.

I talk to her like three, four times a day about random shit.

You know what I mean?

So, not having that, I would just be writing things in a journal every day.

Like, I went through like two notebooks worth of journaling and then meditating, working out, going on walks, uh, and a lot of Netflix watching.

So, yeah, did you get to watch the show before you went on?

Uh, they would bring us the iPad and like show us like little episodes and here and there.

We didn't necessarily see everything, everything, but you know, we saw some stuff we needed to know or see.

So, okay, we've watched you be very like, you're very good at communicating.

You seem to have a very good head on your shoulders.

You seem very respectful.

Where did all of that come from?

Being raised by women.

Yeah.

My dad wasn't around, you know, growing up.

And I think my seven sisters, or I have a younger sister, but my six older sisters and my mom played that role because they understood, like, you know, he doesn't have that male figure.

So we're going to make sure we teach him everything to make sure, you know, he succeeds in life and like he's comfortable in all situations.

He's emotionally stable, uh, mature, and, um, you know, just how to act, especially around women.

So, you know, I appreciate them for real.

I'm gonna say that to the day I die.

Like, those is, those are my ride of dies for sure.

That's incredible.

Uh, how old are you again?

27.

27.

Yeah.

In addition to that, like, did, you know, you also seem like someone who, you know, like when I started dating at 19, I don't know how it was for you, but like, I always talk about love being like this powerful thing, right?

Like emotionally, it's very powerful.

And like anything else, like, I always love a good analogy, but like the first day you learn how to drive, you wouldn't get in the back of a Ferrari, like a stick shift.

It'd be like, hey, go nuts.

But that's almost like what love and dating is.

Literally.

You have this like powerful thing that we try to like that that will fuck us up emotionally.

Right.

And we just go for it, you know, and then we make a ton of mistakes along the way and we get in fights with our partners and we often feel like victimized, but then we have to like remove ourselves from a situation and be like, wait, why,

yeah, maybe I was part of the problem.

You know, and like we all have these toxic relationships, but like, what have you, what were some of the past relationships?

And I'm not, we're not, we don't have to get into specifics about the people you dated or anything like that, but like, what are some things that you learned about yourself and past relationships that brought you to this 27-year-old version of Chris?

That like, in addition to what you learned from this incredible household, it sounds like you had and the women that raised you,

what did you learn about yourself through, through dating and the trials and errors that comes with it?

Honestly, I've learned that I could be an avoidant.

I hate like conflict and like arguing.

I'm very big on like not i'm not going to argue with you i'm not going back and forth because that just causes more and more conflict and i don't like going in circles and i feel like arguments are usually things that go in circles like if we can't have like a regular conversation like how we're having right now and address the issue at hand and forgive each other hear each other's perspectives and then move on from it i feel like if we're not doing that then that's not something that i can entertain um and that's just something that I grew up to or how I was raised.

You know, me and my mom, it was just me and her, and we would never be going back and forth.

She would be like, son, like, I didn't like how you did this.

I need you to be better at this.

And, you know, I was very receptive to that.

And, you know, I'm very big on like, it's about how you address things and how things are presented.

And that's how it's going to be perceived.

Because, like, for example, if I came to you, be like, I don't fuck with you.

Like, I don't like how you did that.

Like, you can be like, damn, like, are you coming for me?

Like, you're trying to attack me.

But if I can be like, hey, bro, like, when you did this, that kind of bothered me.

Like, could you do this instead?

Like, that type of things, I'm really big on that.

But yeah,

I hate feeling like when somebody does me wrong, I hate making them feel like they did something wrong because then that hurts my feelings, if that makes sense.

So, I feel like I've learned to, especially this experience, like I've learned that I have to talk about my emotions and when something bothers me, I have to address it right then instead of like avoiding it and talking about it two days later or something like that.

So, that's like a big thing that I've learned about myself.

You mean like big props to your mom raising seven children on her own?

Uh, well, it

was my dad's children, but she she just has me and my older sister.

Just to make that clear for everybody, she's not popping out babies or anything like that.

But yeah, big props to her, though, for sure.

So

you have six older sisters and then one younger sister, and it's you and your younger sister who are your moms.

No, so me and my oldest sister are my moms and then everybody else for my dad.

Gotcha.

Okay, and so you're close with everyone.

Everyone.

And I'm kind of like that, even though I'm the youngest boy, second youngest of all.

I'm like that person that brings everybody together, like all my games, like everybody comes out and supports or something like that.

or like with this experience like everybody's having watch parties and bringing them together um so yeah i you know i'll i'm always like that that person that the glue guy if that makes sense you know so yeah has and you don't have to answer this question at all but has being in the limelight being so you know successful with basketball yeah has your dad tried to re-enter your life He's tried at certain points.

And there were certain times where I didn't let him or I didn't want him to be because I was at such such a high to where I felt like if I let him in while I'm at my high, that's just going to mess up with my head.

Um, just how he is so inconsistent.

And I was like, I don't want to let him in while I'm at this high.

And then he pulls some bullshit, and then now I'm like low, you know what I mean?

Um, so I'm very big on that.

Yeah, I imagine also you're very protective of not only yourself, but your entire family things like that.

Absolutely, there's always challenges when it comes with that.

I know, right?

Um, you know, we still have a great relationship.

He's kind of like my best friend in a a way, instead of like a father figure.

He sure does have some good words of wisdom sometimes, but I don't really think we have like that.

He doesn't give like that fatherly advice.

That's like how, yeah, I have the same relationship with my dad.

There's not a dad bone in his body.

And I think once I got to the point where I just accepted him for who he was and like didn't expect dad

actions to come out of him, then it was like,

you know,

it's fine.

Yeah, I get you.

Yeah, for sure.

I can relate.

Did you watch much like before I got into this crazy world?

Like, I didn't watch reality TV.

Did you get into it at all?

Are you a fan of pop culture?

Or were you just like this killer athlete?

And like, you got, you got the call from Love Island just being like, I guess I'll go.

I kind of know about it.

Honestly, I wasn't really big on reality TV.

I don't know if you guys remember the show Next on from MTV like a while back.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But ever since then, I wasn't really big on reality TV.

Like I've kind of just.

really grinded with this hoop shit.

But it wasn't until Love Island hit me up that I even even started watching the show.

As soon as they hit me up, and I was like, you know what?

Like, I'm interested.

We could talk more.

I tapped into season five, watched all of season five, and then I tapped into season six.

Even though I saw like a lot of TikToks, they were going viral in that way.

I just watched it from beginning to end.

I'm like, okay, you know what?

Like, still not me, but it's something that I'm willing to get into.

So season five is probably my favorite season out of the whole

season.

Hot tech.

Yeah, for sure.

There we go.

Very hot take.

What did you like about it?

The drama.

It was just great TV.

And I feel like that was perfect.

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah, for sure.

And I really, I really love the story about Bergie.

Like, that really got to me.

Like, the fact that he couldn't find his match in the beginning, like, first, what, two days, I think it was.

And then he came back.

They gave him another opportunity.

I was like, I damn near cried, like, watching that forum.

I'm like, damn, my boy Bergie.

Like, he also ended up on Traders.

Traders, yeah.

There you go.

You know what I mean?

And now he's, I think he's married, yeah.

I think him and yeah, I think they either engaged or get married.

So shout out to Bergie, man.

I mean, listen, like, this, this experience y'all went on, it makes or breaks people.

Yeah, you know, and I think if you're someone who can kind of be able to separate what matters and what doesn't,

appreciate your fans for what they are, fans, and things like that, without getting so obsessed with the criticisms or the praise.

I mean, I think honestly, the praise is more dangerous than the criticisms.

Yeah, you can really learn a lot about yourself.

You can open up a bunch of doors.

You'll have incredible access for a long time.

Crystal and Violent, oh, shit.

Like, people are just going to be fascinated with your experience.

I mean, mean, you guys are on this rocket ship that just in it, and it, it lands pretty fast.

And you kind of settle in.

And then also, you have these huge opportunities.

It's a mind fuck.

You really, you really, now more than ever, your people are so important for sure to you.

Well, Justin Bieber has tapped in and he has posted you.

He's posted huddle.

Yeah.

How was that like?

Honestly, that was a surreal feeling.

I'm like a huge fan of Justin Bieber and I have been like most of my life

ever since I was a kid.

So like seeing that, like my face on his platform, like, oh shit, like, you really tapped in for real.

So, that was really cool to see.

Uh,

here's his new album yet?

I didn't, I didn't.

I'm still like getting back to like hearing all this new music.

Like, uh, I'm really big on Give Yon.

I don't know if you guys listen to Give Yon, but I heard he came out with an album, so I've been trying to tap into that too.

Uh, also, I saw Kaylani have posted about me and Huda, too, which was pretty

nice to see.

I'm a big Kaylani fan, uh, and she's one of my celebrity crushers, so that was honestly like I mean, this show is watched by so many celebrities which is like

so many i mean like kylie jenner is posting about like just series oh yeah oh kylie jenner kendall haley bieber all of them are like sitting down on their yacht to watch on a little ipad word

i did not know that that's so crazy me like i'm still trying to learn like and wrap my head around like how big this show is like it's a pretty big deal like i knew megan win the show and like she's like

hell yeah stupid question hell yeah, I was high.

I'm like, damn, like, of course, you go in when I'm not in there.

But I mean, it is what it is, but that's just crazy to me how, like, people are like, so like, they dive into the show, like, they knew everybody, knew their story, everything like that.

I'm like, damn, like, that's actually kind of crazy.

So, really crazy, yeah.

But, shout out to them, man.

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getting into your experience on the show you went in costa more yeah and immediately coupled up with shelly what was that relationship like what did we i mean did you get to watch anything back yeah i haven't watched anything only thing i've seen is like parts of the finale when did you find out you're gonna be a casa guy what the day before uh maybe the day before we started filming it so you'd watched the the previous other seasons.

Yeah.

What did you think your assignment was?

Like, you know what I'm saying?

What did you go in there thinking like, this is what I need to do?

Was it like any internal strategy that you had from watching other shows?

Nah.

Or was it like, yeah, but it must be very nerve-wracking.

Oh, for sure.

You know, like, what does that look like?

Honestly,

we didn't even know like the format of Costa was going to get changed this year.

They kind of just told us as we were filming and as we were there.

But I just was going in with like pure intentions.

Like, I know what I want and I'm going to just do what I would do in the outside world and just go after that.

Uh, and if it works, it works, if it don't, it don't.

Like, you know what I mean?

Yeah, that's really all I had planned.

I didn't really have like a certain plot to go after.

What clips did they show?

Like, how much about Shelly and Ace's relationship and Huda and Jeremiah's relationship were like, were you aware of?

Pretty much everything, honestly.

Um, with Ace and Shelly, though, I didn't see how deep of a connection they had before they before she came into CASA.

I thought it was, I didn't think it was as strong as what I saw in person, so you know, but yeah, yeah,

I don't want to go too deep into that, but yeah, I didn't, I didn't know it was that deep until when she got to Casa and she told me, like, yeah, we're really getting serious and stuff like that.

I saw that they had coupled up, but I didn't know like they were getting really vulnerable with each other and like opening up that much.

So, um, until she told me, would you have not proceeded with Shelly had you known, or would you still have been like, This is Casa more, this is what this experience is?

I mean, I was just going about it how I would naturally.

Um, I wasn't really too worried about that because I knew if she was going to like me, she was going to like me regardless,

which she did, you know what I mean?

But I didn't want to have like a certain plan, like, oh, let me really try to do this so I could really steer her away from Ace.

You know what I mean?

Like, I'm not, I'm not that type of person.

And I think seeing them together in person, like after Costa Moore, really gave me like a clear head of like, damn, like he really does like her.

And I feel like speaking from a, from a black man's standpoint, seeing another black man be that vulnerable with somebody, somebody, especially a woman, and like her letting him,

that's like, that's huge.

You know what I mean?

Cause we don't really get the opportunity nowadays or ever.

So it's like that kind of resonated with me.

And that's why it made me feel some type of way towards him and why I respected him so much.

Did you and Ace have a chance to have that conversation?

I know you guys.

Yeah.

You two talked.

We got a glimpse of it, but was that something that you guys talked about?

Yeah, I had pulled in for a chat.

Oh, wow.

Me saying that is crazy.

But I wanted to talk to him because I noticed like some weird tension when I first got to the villa.

I knew why.

And I just wanted to address the situation like, hey, bro, like, I don't want to move like awkwardly around here.

Like, I don't want things to be like, oh, I don't, I don't mess with him because he's trying to take my girl or like

anything vindictive, anything like that.

So I just want to address the situation at hand because, as you guys know, I'm very mature and I don't like to feel like I can't go say what's up to him or like we're in a group setting and I can't crack a joke or we can't, you know what I mean?

Like it's just me and him in the kitchen.

He feels like he can't come talk to me.

Right, right, right.

So, uh, I just wanted to clear the air as soon as I got there, and as soon as I sensed that, so you know, that um, the kissing challenge where you're holding Shelly like Superman was so insane, yeah, so insanely viral.

It was everywhere.

That was her idea, honestly, and it worked, you know, it worked, it did work.

As you guys got back to the villa and you saw the relationship between Ace and Shelly, yeah, during the stand-up business challenge,

I feel like most of the audience was kind of confused by how the group addressed you.

And they seemed to kind of come for you a little bit.

Yeah, for sure.

Love how you stood up for yourself.

Thank you, brother.

But were you as caught off guard and surprised as the audience felt?

Because,

like, you know, we got to see Ace and Shelly.

Yeah.

And I think they seemed like one of the most compatible couples.

For sure.

Maybe from like episode two.

Oh, for sure.

You know, Shelly had a little thing with Austin that she was, you know,

exploring.

And I think, listen, it's, I think it's tough for the islanders to know, like, are we supposed to close off?

Are we not supposed to close off?

You know, like, how long do we explore relationships without sabotaging what I have in front of me?

Right.

So I think a lot of the audience were like, yeah, like, get to, get, you guys, you guys are great together.

You know, we see it.

But it seemed like Shelly really, you know, had different expectations of you

after you got into the, to the villa.

And like, did you get a better understanding of where she was coming from?

Kind of.

There were just like some situations, you know, kind of like off camera as well, where it kind of gave me a little bit of a different insight on her and how she moved.

I think the point of like the stand-on business challenge, I think the reason why they were coming for me so much was because they saw a little bit of a difference of like my efforts as far as like when we were in CASA and then we got to the villa.

But I addressed it.

I was like, you know, like how I said, like, I really see how Ace is with her and I respected that.

And I'm not a man that's going to step on toes when I got a whole other connection that's willing to get to know me as well.

Like, if I don't feel like that same want to, like, want from that person, like, and I have somebody else that does want me, I'm going to go explore that and make that my priority.

You know what I mean?

And so it was no shade towards her, like, moving how I move, like, that change.

And I wouldn't even call it, like, a switch up.

I just put my efforts in a different basket because that basket was, you know, wanting me more than the other one.

You know what I mean?

No, it makes tons of sense.

Like, I was kind of confused by when everyone was saying how you switched up.

It's well, it's Love Island.

People are switching up all the time.

It just, it didn't make sense why kind of the group itself was kind of like had this like, well, no, you're supposed to, you're only supposed to go after the people in the villa.

And as if you couldn't explore

anybody else.

Yeah.

And I hated that perspective because it's like, okay, so you basically, you guys all want my experience to be me fighting for Shelly and me trying to take her away from Ace.

Like, that's not what my experience is going to be.

Like, especially when I have a beautiful woman that wants to get to know me, you know know what I mean?

That I was actually interested in.

I'm going to for sure dive into that instead of me just focused on trying to take Shelly away from Ace.

Like, I'm not a person that's big on competition.

Like, especially seeing them together, I'm like, okay, that's all you.

You know what I mean?

I'm going to go take my efforts and put them over here.

So, you know, it worked out, but

yeah.

How did you feel having Alandra kind of out the kiss that you and Huda?

Honestly, in the moment, I thought it was very disrespectful and it wasn't like her place to do that.

But at the same time, like, I kind of get it.

She was just trying to stand up for her girl, Shelly.

And that's something that I would do like for my boy.

So I can't really blame her for it.

But in the moment, I did think that was disrespectful just because of how they were all coming at Huda.

Did you know the kind of plan or whatever that Huda and Shelly had put together to bring you to the villa?

Yeah, Huda brought it to my attention.

I forgot if it was during our first conversation or the second one.

I think it was the second one she brought it to my attention.

When she told me, it kind of weirded me.

I'm like,

I don't know.

Because

I didn't want like that narrative of, of, oh, he's just trying to stay in the villa because that wasn't the case at all.

Like, you know, before we found out we were all going back to the villa, like, Shelly was going to bring me back herself.

And, you know, I feel like I had done the work for us to get to that point and for her to feel that way.

It wasn't until we all found out we were going back to the villa and Huda, you know, realized, you know, she didn't really have a connection in Casa more.

And she had expressed that interest.

And, you know, I was interested as well.

And so I think that plan kind of just benefited all of us i know there was a like a lot of talk in the villa like oh like you saying like you did this for shelly like wasn't true but

it for sure was i can assure you that uh and i and i try to make sure that i'm like okay like i understand we're going to explore but just as long as you know like i am still going to be exploring shelly because that's my top priority at that time and she understood and she pushed me to do that even we were while we were in the villa she's like hey go talk to shelly or do this or do that like she would still be pushing me even if it wasn't shelly she just wanted me to explore everybody you know what i mean because she still wanted to be open as well yeah i mean um but the true plan was to to be there just to explore or mostly to explore shelly as well so it's kind of silly that like for whatever reason you had to face this pressure of like your intentions of why you were there as if anyone wanted to go home right you know like exactly you know like everyone wanted to stay for sure for romantic connections for friendships for the experience right it was fun yeah you know and like just seems silly that you had to justify wanting to be there yeah for for a couple of days.

Yeah, and I'm sure if anybody was in that same position, they would have the same thing.

You know what I mean?

But I think because they were all so close to Shelly and they saw that switch up or whatever, like they had to point that out.

And I'm like, that's why I said what I said.

And it's going crazy on TikTok.

Like, I could be playing basketball right now.

Like, I really could.

You know what I mean?

Like, I wasn't tripping about getting back to the villa.

Like, if I did, great opportunity.

You know what I mean?

I get to still explore connections.

But if not, I'm perfectly fine.

You know what I mean?

I did my time here.

I tried.

I tried my hardest.

You know what I mean?

With Shelly.

So,

yeah, I mean, it is what it was.

Watching Huda and Jeremiah's relationship, I can't help but think that like your connection with Huda must have been so genuine

that you really thought like, oh, I'm seeing, and correct me if I'm wrong, a different person than maybe what you saw

watching it back that you're like, now I do want to give this a shot.

Is that right?

Yeah, absolutely.

I think even.

When I first met her in CASA, I noticed a difference.

And, you know, she was expressing to her first connection, JD, that she was planning on moving different.

And the way she was talking and me hearing some of her conversation, I'm like, okay, like, you know, she's cool.

Like, I don't think like what I saw was like truly her.

I think she was just in a very toxic situation

that, and both of them are like, they just weren't compatible.

Right.

So, yeah, I mean, I saw, I truly saw a different side of Huda that I connected with and that I really liked.

And I'm glad that, you know, I was able to explore that and get to know that real side of her because she really is a cool ass person.

I'm not going to lie.

So when you got to see a little bit of Jeremiah and Huda's relationship,

did you come in with preconceived notions of how she moved and then have it drastically changed?

Or were you were you already just been like, I don't know, man, I'm just going to go in with the clean slate?

Because I think a lot of fans, you know, Huda's the star

of this season, right?

She is whether you like her or don't like her, people care about her.

They have opinions.

She's the star, right?

And so what was that like for you?

Or was it intimidating knowing that you were quickly like connecting with one of the show's biggest stars?

Honestly, like when I first watched her coming in, I thought she was great, you know what I mean?

And I think when she started getting to that point with Jeremiah where things got bad, I think it just brought out a whole different side of her that wasn't truly her.

And I know like people are either going to uplift you or they're going to show like different sides of you, you know what I mean?

And I don't think like that side of her was the true her.

I think it was just her situation that she was in brought that side out of her.

But that's not how she would act normally, you know what I mean?

Because how she was with me was totally different.

But I didn't, I didn't have like thought, like a thought process on how I thought she was, like coming into CASA.

I just gave it a clean slate.

You know what I mean?

Just, I tried to see her who she really was from an outsider's perspective because I didn't, I wasn't coupled up with her from day one.

So,

but seeing her like that, I mean, I truly don't think that's the true her.

What was the moment between the two of you?

Well, it was a conversation or a moment where you were like, oh shit like this is someone i'm really interested and i want to pursue and it made you you know in your head go from pursuing shelly to pursuing huda good question um

i think after she brought the you know i'm interested um when we had that little moment in casa i think after that i kind of saw her a little different obviously the physical attraction was there like she's gorgeous you know what i mean um but like I think once we got to the villa and she started opening up a little bit more about her daughter daughter and stuff like that i'm like okay like actually like

you're you're you're dope i've gotten to know you as a friend like throughout casa um we've had you know funny conversations she was really funny she had me laughing every every single day um but like hearing her open up uh and like coming from a single mom myself like i understand like how hard that is and so once she did that i'm like okay like i really like you because

You don't just do that with everybody.

You saw how long it took her to say it to Jeremiah, you know what I mean?

Because she didn't, I don't know if she didn't feel comfortable or what it was, but

and I already knew off bat, so she couldn't really like keep that away from me.

But like, just her even wanting to open up about that

for sure made me like her a lot more.

So

that's really cool.

You even had, I mean, you had your response to her asking, like, or I don't even know if she asked, but you were just like, I'm just going to make this clear.

Like, I have no issue with you having a daughter.

Did that come from you just growing up with a single mom?

Yeah, me coming up with a single mom and then also like seeing my sisters go through that as well.

And I know how hard that is.

Like men already, like, as soon as they hear, oh, she has a kid, oh, I can't do it.

You know what I mean?

Like, and I hate that because I feel like that's not fair.

Like, you know what I mean?

Just because she has a child doesn't like mean anything.

So yeah.

I feel like we kind of heard maybe a little bit of that mindset whenever

maybe it was Nick talking to Jeremiah.

Jeremiah, I don't know if like you got to see this, but he was kind of like.

And then like, you know, the baby daddy, he's always around, you know, like he's going to be in the life.

And like, do they have a good?

And it was kind of like, oh you're already questioning you know the negative side of this without even knowing you know the full the full picture so it's really cool of you to be like you know what i'm just gonna go ahead and let you know off bat i don't give a fuck and like that doesn't sway anything yeah and i think me expressing that so soon and like right off the or off the bat kind of made her comfortable yeah and made her want to dive into that connection a little bit more i just wanted to tell her just so she didn't think that I would switch up when finding out or when she talked about it or she felt like she couldn't bring her up.

You honestly probably provided her such a safe place.

Oh, absolutely.

And that's a really, that's really dope.

Yeah, and that's what I wanted for her because I feel like her past situation before I came in didn't really provide that for her.

Yeah.

And, you know, I saw a different light in her that I wanted to do that for her.

So.

Yeah, it's just cool that you were able to empathize with her and like be able to write with her, make her feel seen.

You know, it's like everyone had so many opinions of Huda in general.

And then obviously, specifically, how she chose to like talk about being a mom.

And yeah, it's just like,

how do you go about doing that on an international scale?

Right.

Let alone doing it with people you're going to date.

Are they going to accept you?

Is it going to be used against you?

Again, this isn't just like some normal like interaction, you know?

And so.

Yeah, everyone has opinions about it.

But like, yeah, like we've all heard the stories about like single moms who try to date and then like people like pretend they don't care and then find ways to like, but like, yeah, it's not really for me and things like that so it's it also is nice to hear though because i i mean i remember i was you know critical of the way in the beginning how she talked about being a mom so it is really nice to hear that there was so much more and that she was able to open up to you and talk about her daughter in ways that maybe we didn't get to see yeah um so that that is really nice to hear yeah i just i cared about that side because like i said i know how hard it is to even talk about that or bring it up to a man you know you you might do that and they'll be and they'll instantly judge you or have like some type of um thought process when it comes to that that's why i always was asking about her like her situation with the you know her daughter's father and stuff like that just to hear um let like let her open up and let her feel comfortable with bringing all that stuff up and me not judging her or seeing her differently did the stand on business challenge where you both for different reasons kind of people came at you do you feel like that kind of solidified your connection and brought you guys closer together?

I think so, honestly, because I wasn't, I didn't like how they all ganged up on her.

And I was going to stand up for her for sure because that, that, she didn't do anything wrong.

You know what I mean?

In my opinion, at least.

And do you feel like when you came in?

Because it, you know, it's like that season is so long and things move so fast.

When you came in, it felt like to the rest of the house that Huda was kind of on the outs, where like she, everything that happened with her and Jeremiah.

It like everyone else seemed frustrated with the whole situation.

Jeremiah got the boot.

Was that what was really going on in the house where

Huda was kind of treated like an outsider a little bit with the rest of the group?

Or was that more, you know, that's how it was shown, but not in reality?

Honestly, I mean, I can't really say I know too much just because I don't know how it was shown.

But I don't think she was seen as an outsider, though.

Yeah, in my opinion.

I think people saw like the genuine connection between me and her and they liked me for her.

And because I feel like I'm totally different than Jeremiah, you know what I mean?

So, I mean, yeah, but I wouldn't say she was considered as an outsider, though.

Okay.

So obviously y'all didn't end up together.

You ended up breaking things off.

What was the kind of thing that switched for the two of you?

Honestly, just like compatibility and not meeting each other's love languages.

Although we were only

not dating, but what would you call it?

Coupled up.

We were only coupled up for what?

I think it was like two weeks, maybe a little bit more than that.

So, you know, there was still a lot of things that we needed to learn about each other.

And I feel like, although we were with each other for 20, I mean, 24-7 for two weeks,

we didn't really have enough time one-on-one to like really talk about that and really like dive into that part.

I was so fixated on like trying to get to know her as a person and like the deeper side of her to where I didn't really, although we talked about love languages, I didn't really see like how important it was to her.

And, you know, sometimes she would be like, hey, like, for example, like.

in the mornings, like when I, when, when you see me come downstairs, like, can you do this for me?

And then I'm like, oh, okay.

So that really is something that she really needs.

and i would do that for her you know what i mean so i think i've learned like a lot about love languages and how important it is to like give that to somebody because they could be looking for that like every day and it's like it's the little things so um yeah do you feel like it was kind of the

not wanting to show pda

throughout the villa but at night time being okay with it do you feel like that was kind of like the tipping point I wouldn't say it was the tipping point because I was still willing to try.

Even on our day, I expressed like, hey, like, I still am willing to make this work on the outside and just see if it works at all.

If it doesn't, it doesn't like, but I was just willing to try.

I just didn't really understand her perspective when it came to that because I'll re-say this, like, I have seven sisters and I see all different types of perspectives and points of views and stuff like that.

But that kind of just didn't sit well with me because in the real world, you're basically saying, okay, if it's in private, you're basically going to invite a man to your home and have sex with him.

or whatever it is before you kiss him on a date.

That didn't really make sense to me.

So that's why I couldn't really just wrap my head around her thought process.

Although I do understand where she's coming from as far as like she, her not wanting to repeat what she had or what she had did with Jeremiah.

I just think, like I said, like I'm totally different.

And I provided her such a different space to where she felt comfortable.

She felt safe.

She felt,

you know, not less anxious, all that.

So I just didn't understand.

Was it confusing?

to hear her kind of say like, I'm not comfortable like showing PDA.

I want to move differently.

But then to say like, I want my man obsessed with me.

I want, I don't want to have to tell you to like put your arm around me.

It was very, I want to, I don't want to say contradicting.

It was just confusing because one, at one thing, I'm like, well, everything we do here is PDA.

Like, you know what I mean?

Cameras are everywhere.

The cameras are literally everywhere.

So that's another thing that I couldn't really see her point.

Like, I'm like, okay, you don't want to do things in front of the other islanders.

I'm like, okay, but they see us make out all the time in challenges.

You know what I mean?

Like, they're right next to us in bed when we're kissing or whatever we got going on.

on so it's just like i didn't really understand like what she meant about pda but i think she just wasn't trying to be on like some pepe and iris type of thing like always kissy and touchy and stuff like that she was trying to take it slow which i respected when it came to that part uh and that's you know i'm i'm i move slow when it comes to that too like i don't want to be making out in front of people and stuff like that like a peg or a kiss on the cheek okay cool forehead kiss like that's those are little things that i'm about but like I didn't really want to like just be full tongue making out in front of people either.

Do you feel like maybe like given like everything we've talked about, just the pressure to the show and just how long she was there, do you feel like kind of like the whole her and Jeremiah have it all like gotten her head in a way where did you guys ever like address that part, the disconnect where it's like, all right, maybe we're just not seeing eye to eye because this, we're just coming from two completely points, different points of view where she's like, hey, like, it might not be reality, but I dealt with this.

This is my reality now.

And I, I got shit for this.

Everyone came at me.

America came at me.

Yeah.

When America voted to break up Jeremiah and Huda, that was like America being petty.

Yeah, for sure.

And just being, and, and, and telling Jeremiah and Huda, like, we don't like what's going on here.

And just like that, just to be in that world and then find that out about people voting for you is a mind fuck.

Yeah, for sure.

I think she was a little traumatized from that.

Yeah.

And that's what really made her be like, okay, I'm going to move completely different.

I'm going to move so slow, which I respected.

You know what I mean?

Like, especially with the whole America thing, like, of course, you don't want America to hate you

or the islanders.

Like, you're going to spend so much time with them, like, to where you don't want to walk around and be like, oh, I don't like her.

You know what I mean?

So, I totally got where she was coming from with that.

As far as moving slow, it just like, I just didn't really see like how you can move slow, but you want to, you know, do things in a better way.

How dark is it in those bedrooms?

Oh, my gosh.

You can't see nothing.

Okay.

Like, even once your eyes regulate to the darkness, you still can't see anything.

Oh, you can see some when you're adjusted but like it takes a minute though yeah it's dark like i'm i assumed the reason i asked i assume that in her mind she's just like this is dark as

this is our moment we're alone even though we're not alone and like every you know it's our own it's the only time i can be alone it's like under these sheets right um

do you i guess i'm wondering do you think there's any like have you guys spoken much off outside of the villa yeah like we're staying with each other right now Okay.

Yeah, me and her are really cool.

And I want to make that clear because I feel like everybody thinks like we hate each other, stuff like that.

But like, me and Huda are cool.

And do you feel like, is there, is it just friendly or are you guys kind of almost taking it slow being like, I don't know, we're out of the villa.

This is pressure's off.

It's just us.

There's no weird sleeping arrangement situation.

There's no cameras.

Are you open to like to seeing like how things play out?

And is there a chance that a romantic connection could still be a possibility?

Honestly, I don't know.

As of right now, like, I'm taking this friendship and I just want to run with that.

You know what I mean?

I don't think we got the chance to be friends before

being coupled up in the villa.

So now that, you know, that's done and we can, you know, be regular, I want to take us being friends.

Like, I want to do that.

I want to be friends with her.

And if, you know, down the road, like, we come back to each other and it's organically and it's mutual.

then you know i'll be open to it of course but i think right now and for the time being i being friends is what's best okay so the baby challenge did huda know that it was not a real baby

she's like you have to hold her head she can't sit up yet she's too young that is true

i mean i

it's like you're ripping her shirt off too hard right i'm like first of all i didn't want to she is i think she dove into that challenge head in because she has a daughter and i think she really wanted to prove like how much of a mommy she was like and how iris left their baby next to the stove yeah you know what i mean and they were both both fine with that type somehow they won the like they passed the challenge right i don't know how they passed the challenge with that but um

yeah i think huda may have taken it a little too serious because she is an actual mom and she was looking to see if like I was that that man that knew what I was doing, I think.

But in my opinion, like, yeah, like, it's a challenge and I should be taking it seriously.

But at the end of the day, it's a doll.

Like, I'm not really too worried about this neck.

I wouldn't do that with a real baby, just like sit him up.

And I feel like she was trying to put like an age on the baby to where, like, the baby was like two weeks old or something like that and couldn't control her neck.

I'm like, that's not it at all.

You were like, we were just sitting together over here.

She was just sitting up perfectly fine.

Like, but she didn't see that.

So, you know, I can't really blame her.

Were you there for the heart rate challenge?

I was there for the heart rate challenge.

That broke people's brains.

Yeah, I'm sorry you guys had to see that.

No, no, we no, we enjoyed it.

It was pretty good.

But it certainly broke the internet, centered around Huda and the whole Shelly and ace of it all.

And there's all these fan theories and people trying to dissect these scenes and things like that.

But you were there.

It's like, what did you see, being a person who was there?

How did you feel like everyone's reaction was?

I feel like

I don't think she really did anything wrong.

Before the challenge even started, we all mutually said, like, okay, do we all have consent about anything?

Like, does anybody have any boundaries that they have?

Like, let's address them.

Who's not comfortable with what?

Really?

Everybody raised their hand.

Yeah, we're all comfortable kissing, touching, whatever it is.

We're cool.

And no one said nothing.

Anything.

We were in the fire pit, and I think it was either Shelly or somebody in the group were like, just to make sure everybody is consensual with everything.

Like, is, you know, is everybody okay with that?

We all put our hand up.

You know what I mean?

So going into that, Huda's like, okay, I'm going to really do my big one then like everybody's cool with it like it's just a challenge okay cool and i think a big thing is nobody established their boundaries with their person before that led to people doing whatever they wanted to somebody else's couple which in my opinion it's a challenge you shouldn't really take it that seriously and if you didn't want that to happen you should have said something I mean we still yeah we have uh I think Taylor and Clark were definitely like she damn near was sitting on Nace's face like she was that she was that she was

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The

last date,

you've said something about it.

Yeah.

You know, it's kind of been very talked about the whole like, are you going to make me walk through the water?

Are you going to carry me?

You have come out and since said that there were specific reasons as to why you did not carry her through the water.

Yeah.

What are those reasons?

So to me, I don't know if, I don't think they showed it, aired it, but like how the date went, she was like, I don't like this about you.

I don't like this.

I don't like this.

I don't like this.

So it kind of put me in like a mental state of like, damn, like, do you not like me at all?

Like, and then that's why I was like, when she brought up like, I think we should be friends, I was like, I was just waiting for you to say it because she was literally telling me all the things that she didn't like.

And in my head, I'm like, okay, like, she don't, she don't fuck with me.

You know what I mean?

But when it came to me not carrying her, I think it was the way she kind of asked me that kind of threw me.

I was like, are you going to carry me or are you going to make me walk?

I'm like, okay, first of all, like, I didn't really like how you, how you just asked me.

I came back wanting to help you down and like walk with you as a gentleman should.

I just didn't want to give her that treatment of, okay, you still think like.

you can still get like that princess treatment out of me.

Like once we establish what we are, which is friends now, I'm not going to treat you as like you're my woman and hold you like that.

Like, that's just how I move, you know what I mean?

Like, I went up to her.

I came back to make sure she was cool.

Like, why are you crying?

Stuff like that.

We talked about it a little bit.

And I held my hand out for her to help her down so we could walk together.

She didn't want that.

She wanted to be carried.

And I'm like, well, I'm not going to do that.

Like, you're not mine anymore.

Like, we're not, you know what I mean?

Like, we're broken up now.

So I'll help you.

I'll be a gentleman to help you like down.

And, you know what I mean?

So you don't have to be by yourself, but she didn't want that.

So one question I have for you, like man-to-man.

And I wasn't, when we were talking about this moment on our show yesterday, and obviously we recognize things are edited.

Anyway, something us men, I think, are notorious for when it comes to ending relationships is just letting them break up with us.

Right.

You know, it's like if we're kind of checked out or we feel like it's not working or not vibing, we become more distant and then kind of just wait from them and like, we should break up.

And then we're either maybe we're happy or maybe we're sad.

Was Huda breaking, ending the relationship 100% her call where you were just still hoping to leave as a couple and then you were very hurt by her actions?

or was it kind of a mutual decision that ultimately she had to like make that decision and then and then obviously it seemed like your feelings were hurt yeah for sure hurt yeah because at first it kind of felt like you were and I think we do this a lot right you want we act like we don't care you know at first you were kind of giving I don't give a fuck I was just waiting for you to say it just say it just say it you know and then you're like well do you not care you know I think that's why it was perceived that way because like there was no like in between there was a lot of stuff that happened in between that didn't get aired or get didn't get showed like what you know can you share well me personally like i told her like i wanted to keep working on it i wanted to see where it went on the outside world and i i genuinely did like her and wanted to see like what that would look like and leave there as leave there as a couple but and so that was purely her decision i had been waiting there for maybe like 20 minutes for her to make her make up her mind because she couldn't wrap her head around it and she told me she was like it's crazy because like you didn't cheat on me like you haven't done me dirty like you've been everything that i wanted in a man so like me coming to this decision was really hard and that's why she was crying so much um but I mean, that's growth on her part.

That's she seems like someone who, like, when she says you haven't, like, I think fans are, again, we're so myopic in how we watch this show.

Yeah.

And like these experiences that you guys go through are so like, I mean, it's like, it's therapy, right?

You guys are constantly being asked about your feelings, your emotions.

You're, you're reflecting on your past relationships and things like that.

And she probably only had, I don't know, maybe, and like that was me.

It's like you only run relationships when something just terrible happens, you know, and you fight for these relationships well beyond the timeline in which maybe you both should.

And maybe this was growth on her part of saying, like, I don't know, like, you're great, we're great, but like, there are some specific compatibility problems that where I think maybe it's best to walk away now rather than like torturing each other forever, how long, you know, because it kind of seemed like that's what her and Jeremiah did, where it's like, right, there are some compatibility issues.

And then instead of just talking through them, acknowledging them, and maybe decided they just kept, you know, leaning into the lust and the chemistry and annoying the compatibility part yeah for sure and i think um with us like even though we didn't really have the physical we had the emotional and everything else she claimed like you know i i she kept having to like repeat herself and like repeat herself but that wasn't the case she only told me about what she needed twice because i don't know if it aired or not or if it was shown but I was always the type of person like, hey, do you need anything from me?

Like, are you okay?

Like, anything like that.

And vice versa, she would do the same for me.

So like her saying, like, oh, I don't want to have to keep repeating myself, especially on the outside where I'm like, where is this coming from?

Like, that was never the case.

You know, you've always, this whole time, you've been saying, like, how much I check up on you, like, how much that I do for you, the efforts that are being shown.

So, that kind of confused me as well.

But, you know, the three, two, one,

in the bedroom has been a very talked-about moment.

Yeah.

Thoughts?

I mean, now that you're out of it, do you feel like it was as bad as maybe it looked for us?

Or,

like, what didn't we get to see again?

Like, yeah, I feel like what you guys didn't get to see is the whole argument and why we were arguing.

We weren't arguing because I didn't cuddle her, we were arguing because we were told like we were only going to get two hours of sleep.

And instead of prioritizing sleep, she wanted to get you know active in the bedroom.

And I wasn't, I wasn't about that.

And I had made that clear to her.

I'm like, look, like, if we're not going to be doing PDA on the outside, you can't even give me a kiss.

Like, we're not doing shit in the bedroom.

Like, especially if I only get two hours of sleep.

exactly i'm a i'm a big like sleeper and i'm gonna prioritize my sleep yeah i set a boundary and you know she she crossed it you know i mean she didn't she wasn't okay with it and i feel like for her to catch an attitude and for her to be like okay like if you don't talk to me or anything like that like right now i'm gonna i'm not gonna talk to you all day tomorrow i'm gonna ruin your day and like count three two one like i'm some child like i'm a grown-ass man like you can't talk and if my mama don't talk to me like that you for sure not gonna talk to me like that so that's what rubbed me the wrong way especially that next day i had i was i was hot i'm not gonna lie and i'm big on like not bringing my past emotions from yesterday to the new day but that really didn't sit well with me because i'm like how are you gonna act like that like i've never rejected you like all i did was set a boundary and you just weren't respecting it you know what i mean um i respected all her boundaries you know what i mean like i wasn't like forcing her like complain that she wasn't kissing me on the outside like when she told me why i'm like okay like i get it but you know i don't i don't understand but i'm gonna respect your boundary at the end of the day um so i just feel like that wasn't really reciprocated, but you know, it's okay.

Was it hard to hear the threat of like, if, is this really worth like

me being in a shitty mood tomorrow and not talking to you?

Like, if you don't do this, I will.

I think in the moment it was tough to hear because it's like, why did it have to get to that extent over a boundary that I had set?

But, you know, she is who she is, especially when emotions are high.

And she, her biggest thing was like feeling rejected.

She didn't want to feel like she was getting rejected.

Did you explain that that was how you had felt when you'd wanted wanted to kiss her and she didn't want to kiss you in front of everyone?

So like being like, I understand how you felt rejected in this moment, but in these other moments where I wanted to show affection and you didn't, like I also felt hell yeah.

I told her that and I told her like it kind of made me feel like you were embarrassed to me or something like that because everybody in there approved and they told you how much they like us together, but you're still worried about their perception on how it's going to look to them if we kiss in front of them.

You know what I mean?

So again, didn't really make sense to me, but you know, it is what it is.

And it was tough, Like, it's like watching you two.

I mean, like other couples, again, like whether we got to see it or they didn't want to even engage in it, there wasn't a lot of like conflict to work through.

It was just like happy-go-lucky a lot of it.

Yeah.

And you and Huda were in the most interesting way, like giving us glimpses into like relationship dynamics, right?

Yeah.

And there was a, like, a theme.

It was like, oh, my God, we love them together.

And you guys really seemed both interested in like, all right, let's, let's figure this out, right?

But then when you would try to figure it out, you guys would like both trigger each other right and and it kind of got contentious early on do you feel like it was again more lack of compatibility or again maybe at that stage of the game it's just no sleep like you guys were running on fumes yeah and every day to expect either of you to work through these highly you know emotional conversations that are triggering both like with each other and bring up past relationships.

Was it just more like as a result of that?

Like, are you curious about how, like, I know you guys are going to remain friends for now?

I'd be curious how you guys would try to have the same conversations outside of the villa after you guys like start healing from the experience.

I feel like the conversations now would go a lot smoother because we kind of understand each other.

But like, I told her, like, every

couple has hiccups, you know what I mean?

But that doesn't mean like we should be giving ultimatums like, okay, like, do you want me to leave you alone or do you want me to just, do you want to just end this?

Like, I'm a big person.

Like, I'll work through it.

And like I told you earlier, like, if we can't sit and have a a conversation and try to see an angle and like try to figure shit out, like, I don't really engage in that toxicity or that combativeness or back and forth, like, stuff like that.

And I feel like, you know, the things that were being said and how we treated some situations may have triggered us from like past relationships.

And I guess it was like a kind of like a lack of compatibility, but I mean, at the end of the day, like, we're still getting to know each other.

So, I feel like if we would have figured that out, we could have gone about it the right way going forward.

So,

your sister

has entered the chat.

She responded to, you know, she's being protective sister mode, responding to some trolls on your behalf.

Yeah.

She kind of said, like,

alluded to her having a lot of things to say.

Yeah.

Where is that coming from?

Honestly, I didn't even know that was a thing.

That kind of got brought to my attention.

I didn't even know that she was going to do that, nor did I see it.

Somebody be like, hey, like, did you see what your sister said?

I'm like, what are you talking about?

But as soon as I heard about that, I was not okay with it.

I'm not mad at my sister.

And I expressed that to her.

I'm like, look, I I still love you, I'm not mad at you, but like, you can't do that.

Yeah, you know what I mean?

Because that doesn't like, if you were like a random person, okay, that's you know, no big deal, but like, you're my sister, and that shit comes back to me, and it makes it makes it seem like I support it and I did not support that ever.

It's tough with family because they're so protective and they see all the things online and they want to come for you, and they feel like no one has my brother's back, or nobody knows them like I know them, exactly.

And I see both sides.

And then, when I addressed it to her, she, you know, she issued an apology, and then she sent something for Huda as well right after because I told her, I'm like, directly for

Huda.

She sent us a voice note and like a long text message, like an apology, besides the one she posted on Instagram or whatever she posted.

Right.

Was this the one who had met Huda or was this one of your sisters who was just watching?

This was just one of the sisters that were just watching.

And she's so passionate about me because our dynamic, our relationship, she's very big on like protecting.

She's like my protector in a way, you know what I mean?

So I totally get where she's coming from, but at the same time, you can't do that because that makes it seem like I'm supporting what you're talking about.

And that's not the case.

So, right.

Yeah.

Okay.

What's next for you?

I don't know, man.

I'm still like in the process of like trying to wrap my mind, my mind around, like, do I want to go play basketball again?

Like, is that what's best right now?

Or do I take all these opportunities that's getting presented to me now and just take that and ride with it and then build something else on that?

I've wanted to get into scripted acting.

Okay.

You know, people like Will Smith are like inspirations to me or inspirational to me.

I've always looked up to him.

I've done like skits and like school plays and stuff like that in the past.

And seeing him makes me be like, damn, I feel like I could do that.

You know what I mean?

Or I want to be like that.

So I want to say scripted acting, maybe some modeling.

I feel like I'm very comfortable in front of the camera.

So maybe some modeling, but other than that, I don't really see myself doing too much else.

I want to open up a boys and girls club type of situation.

and add like a basketball camp, like a summer camp type of thing implemented in there.

So I want to do that.

There's a whole bunch of things I want to dive dive into oh yeah so uh we'll see where that goes but you should definitely do the uh you should try the acting out i think i think i will uh i don't know if i need to go like acting school or how to go about that but i feel like i got the talent i just need to be put in the in that situation to be to show that so there was a moment at the end of the finale when you and huda were announced third place y'all went over to iris and pepe yeah have you seen this clip i don't know pepe kissed iris on the head and then iris is like in one for Huda.

And there was like this little moment that they had and then you did like an office scene

directly into camera.

Yeah.

What was going on in that moment?

That was when I grinned.

Yeah.

I smiled a little bit.

Yeah.

I was just like, this is some shit right here.

Like, no way that just happened because I feel like.

Me and Huda had established what we were going to be and we kind of like, you know, moved on from it and stuff like that.

But like to see that and like, that kind of was like, that was real.

You know what I mean?

That wasn't like no acting.

Like they, I don't know, there was something there that was like, okay, like, what's going on right here?

Um, so no, it just, I smiled because it kind of just threw me off.

I'm like, that wasn't a joke.

Like, that was like real shit.

So I'm like, no way that just happened in front of me.

Like, you know what I mean?

So, but yeah, I did break the, the, the law and look at the camera a little bit.

I don't know why I did it.

No, they still showed it.

So they obviously were okay with it.

Yeah.

It was such a funny moment.

Do you feel like, I mean, I think all of you on some level need to heal from this experience, but you fell for a girl, had some emotions, it didn't work out.

Do you feel like you're more healing from a broken heart or healing from this whole ordeal?

Or maybe a little bit of both.

And I don't mean to like dramatize it.

I get it.

You've only talked for two weeks, but like in that, I don't think people fully realize just how intense that is.

But yeah, like how are you processing all that?

Honestly, I really did like her.

And I think.

I'm not necessarily healing from that, but I'm trying to get myself to not like her anymore.

You know what I mean?

Which is hard.

I bet it's extra hard when you're staying with her.

Yeah, it is.

And seeing her, like the real her, like outside the villa, you know what I mean?

But it's cool.

Like, like I say, we're, we're really good friends now.

Um, there's no like awkwardness or like tension or we're not like no hatred towards each other.

But I feel like now I'm mostly healing just, you know, from being in the villa, um, getting back to the real world, trying to adjust to stuff like that.

I'm just healing from like all the emotional drama that I went through because I don't think I've ever gone through some shit like that ever in my life.

So do you have any regrets looking back?

Hell no.

I feel like I moved the way I wanted to move in there.

I was really genuine and authentic.

And how y'all saw me in there is how I am in the real world.

So I'm 100% okay with how

everything went down.

I'm not like a Love Island historian, but like the impact you and Brian had on the show as Casa men.

Yeah.

I don't feel like happens very often.

No.

You know, and like, so credit to both of you.

Just the way like you became, you know, I feel like with CASA people, we're like, all right, they're just going to fuck some shit up and then they're all going to go home.

Right.

And I mean, you guys were such a big part of the show.

Yeah.

And also such a big part of like lifting up the women.

Yeah.

You know, which oh, yeah, Brian, like the only one who stood up for Amaya during that challenge, it felt like, where it was just like, yeah, and how, yeah, how did that all go down?

Because it just feels like my interpretation from an outsider who knows how these things work is like the bully is the household.

And what I mean by that is like the majority is always like, everyone's just afraid of standing out and being isolated.

So when one's like, I think this, and then one other person chimes in, yeah, me too, then everyone's like, oh, okay, cool.

We, we all think this.

Let's all just dump on this, this situation.

Is that kind of how the Amaya thing went down?

I think so a little bit, yeah.

And then I feel like I don't even think Brian was like interested at that point.

He truly was coming in like, hey, like, you know, just so y'all understand, like, that's some real shit like in the Latin household, like.

saying things like babe and me am old and all that is like that's real and so i hats off to him for like being you know confident enough and brave enough to stand up for her i think that was some real shit right there.

So, but yeah, I didn't, I didn't like how everybody was getting up on Amaya because she didn't deserve that.

And I feel like just because y'all don't like the way she is or how she talks, that doesn't give you the incentive to be like, oh, like, you're moving too fast or we don't fuck with you for that.

Like, so what?

She wants to call you babe.

Like, oh, well, you know how many people wish, like, they people, you know, someone would call them babe.

Exactly.

Like, she's beautiful.

Like, you guys are crazy.

So I don't know.

I just

like, who are these guys?

And what are they?

What is

tripping?

So, what if she call you baby or my love?

Or that's like a word of endearment.

Like, don't take it so seriously.

Like, especially, like, if you know a mine, she says that.

She calls me that.

You know what I mean?

And that's like my sister.

You know what I mean?

So, like, I don't mind it at all.

Like, she, if that's how you are, like, cool with me.

I'm not going to try to change who you are just because I think you try to move too fast or stuff like that.

Like, no, that's.

Anything else you want to leave with or say or

let the people know or get off your chest?

Or I really enjoyed getting to know you.

This has been really great, man.

Thank you, bro.

I appreciate you for having me.

You definitely didn't disappoint and you're as dynamic as I think we all assumed.

But

it makes me wish we would have seen more of you on Love Island.

Man, for real.

But as far as like letting people know anything,

I don't really have anything specific to say.

I just really hope like this whole me not carrying her thing doesn't affect like my character because I genuinely did try to help her down and wanted to walk with her, but she wanted to be carried and i just wasn't going to do that i didn't think you know after establishing what we are i don't think that's something that a friend would do i mean yeah it's it's very gentleman like i guess you would say but at the end of the day like i did my part with trying to help her you know i mean it would be different if i'd be like nah out of here like let me just get up out of here like i i try to do my part um in some type of way so i don't want people to come at my character come at me like saying that i'm not genuine or i'm not i didn't act as a as a gentleman i think you've shown us more ways than

not of you being a gentleman and a kind person and someone with good morals and good values.

So I don't think this is something that you should worry about.

Thank you.

I just hate being judged on that part specifically because I feel like there was so much more that I had done throughout the whole time I was there to be like that one part.

Oh, he's not a gentleman anymore.

He's an asshole.

I'm like, damn, that's all it took.

Well, maybe you explaining it and adding some context will help, you know?

Yeah, for sure.

Yeah.

I mean, like, that's why we love doing what we do here to like, you know, reality TV.

It's like,

I don't know, man.

We love it.

It's, it's, it's, it has this toxic world.

We, we love when fans are engaged, not only with shows that we watch itself, but our show as well.

And it kind of comes with the territory that, like, people, everything's short form, everything's cut and taken out of context.

Right.

And again, when people have those reactions, it's not really about you or it's just, it's a projection of what they're feeling inside.

And

obviously, your character is going to be defined by how you move

every day going forward.

Right.

You know, I mean, yeah.

Yeah.

So, but yeah, I not that my opinion matters, but I feel like you should be proud of how you carried yourself on the show.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

And whatever people think of you, like your story starts now.

You know what I'm saying?

Like now you are in control of your edit.

You know what I'm saying?

Like before you signed some shit and said, all right, I'm going to be my, I'm going to do my thing and trust you guys.

Like, now you really, you really are in control of your edit.

You have your platform now.

You'll get opportunities on other people's platforms and

people will be able to decide for themselves what they think of you.

And even then, none of that really matters, but like your circle, your people, and things like that.

Right, right, for sure.

Yeah.

Well, thank you guys for having me.

I really enjoyed being here.

Oh, it was our pleasure, man.

Thanks for coming.

Where can people find you?

Where can people follow you?

Follow me on Instagram.

What's my Instagram?

Chris Seely underscore four.

We'll put it in the bio for anyone here.

Yeah, please, please.

I'm starting to get active with TikTok.

I'm not really like a, not a fan, but like

I'm not too engaged with it.

So I'm still learning how to do it.

You can link up with JD and Zach.

See, See, they're very good at it.

I've been seeing it.

I'm so proud of them for doing that.

But yeah, I for sure plan to like collab and, you know, get to the social stuff.

But I'm very big on like, if people see me in person or want to come take a picture, I'm very open to that.

I think with me playing overseas and like little kids coming up to me and like old people, like wanting to take a picture, like I'm very big on that because I think of myself, it's like I've met people in the past that be like, oh, I'm such a big fan.

Like, can I get just an autograph or just a picture or something like that for my memory?

And I'd be like no like fuck off like watch out i don't want to be that person i would never be that person you know i mean so uh yeah if you guys ever see me like please feel free to come talk to me have a chat uh take a picture whatever it is i'm very open to that so yeah

man all right chris well appreciate your time again yeah of course best of luck for everything hope we get a chance to interact in the future and

see you on our big screens big actor

i'm sure we'll see you soon again somewhere somehow absolutely you will for sure take care guys danny thank you guys for listening subscribe tell your friends, all that fun stuff.

We'll see you tomorrow for a lot more Love Island and a bunch of other content.

One last question: What's up?

Throwing the pillow at Hala.

I was gonna let him off the hook.

I just wanted to say, real quick.

Was that one of those like, oh shit, I'm 6'8 ⁇ , and I threw that too hard?

Nah, honestly, I feel like

because the reaction everybody gave was like, I mean, yeah, you threw it at her, but it's not like it was a rock or something that was solid, like it was a pillow, you know what I mean?

And that wasn't like full force.

Like, I'm a big guy.

If I wanted to really throw some a pillow, like, I'm gonna throw it.

So, I didn't think I did hit her that hard, which is kind of like, okay, did you just play that off?

Or she came back with it with the nose, yeah.

Like,

I'm like, okay, I don't, we all thought, like, I don't think it was that serious, but I mean, I did apologize, and I felt bad that it, you know, it, it did cause her some pain, some hurt.

Um, did you know that she doesn't like dirty hands on her?

Oh my god,

that killed me.

I'm like, girl, like

the amount of times you then did that, and but when I do it, it's like I'm like, were you eating barbecue chips or something?

I was eating some salt and vinegar chips, and she was like, Oh my god, your hands are so dirty.

I'm like,

No, no, they're not.

Oh, it's funny, all right,

you're better off friends, yeah, for sure,

yeah, for sure.

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