I can’t believe this even has to be said anymore, but don’t ask people when they’re having children. Vanessa Lachey could’ve used the reminder before the “Love Is Blind” season four reunion, where she grilled contestants about their baby plans to an uncomfortable extent.
After more than an hour of technical delays, the Netflix reunion finally aired on April 16, bringing (most of) the cast back together to rehash the drama that went down in the pods, Mexico, and beyond. Before letting the contestants go on their merry ways to celebrate at an afterparty, Lachey took it upon herself to ask each of the three married couples – Tiffany and Brett, Bliss and Zack, and Chelsea and Kwame – when they’re having kids. Not whether they’re having kids, but when they’re having kids, as if it’s an obvious decision they’re bound to make.
“I need to know, who’s going to give me our first ‘Love Is Blind’ baby?” Lachey begins. “I don’t want to ask if you’re trying because that’s TMI. Obviously you all are intimate. . . . We’ll start with Brett and Tiffany. What are you all thinking on the baby timeline?” The baby timeline? These people have been married for a year and got engaged after mere days of talking to each other through a wall. Maybe give them a breather and some time to just enjoy their time together before nagging them to procreate.
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Tiffany expresses this sentiment with her response, sharing that they’re in no rush, while Brett jokingly adds, “Jesus, y’all really put the baby pressure on, my god.” Lachey then further prods, “Brett, how cute are baby Air Force 1s gonna be?” in reference to the design director’s job at Nike.
Lachey’s pushy focus on the contestants pumping out a child is not only cringe, but also wildly insensitive.
Lachey’s pushy focus on the contestants pumping out a child is not only cringe, but also wildly insensitive. She’s making it seem as though having a baby is the only indicator of a successful marriage, which – spoiler alert – it’s not. What if one of the couples is struggling with infertility and discussing pregnancy is triggering for them? What if they just don’t want to have children? Or what if they’re simply not up for talking about such a personal topic in front of millions of strangers on live-ish television? The contestants aren’t just baby-carrying vessels – they’re newlyweds adjusting to real life after starring on a reality show together.
Kwame and Chelsea respond to Lachey’s inquiry the same as Brett and Tiffany, sharing that they have no set timeline for welcoming a child. When the discussion moves on to Bliss and Zack, Lachey practically bursts when Bliss expresses excitement over having a baby in the future and even falsely assumes the contestant is announcing her pregnancy in the moment. It might be even more agonizing to watch than all those horrid serenades this season.
After four seasons, several divorces, and only a handful of in-tact marriages, it seems Lachey is trying her darnedest to salvage the idea that the “Love Is Blind” experiment can be successful, using a baby as her ultimate benchmark for said success. Even if it’s not her intention, the whole schtick winds up reading as a frenzied desperation to pressure the women into motherhood so she can continue touting the series as worthy of participation. “Come audition for ‘Love Is Blind’! You’ll find your life partner and immediately pop out a baby and life will be perfect! I promise!”
Instead of butting into their potential reproductive plans, Lachey could’ve asked the contestants so many other valuable questions to wrap up the reunion on a positive note. (A few options, in case the producers need some ideas: What are you two most excited about now that the season has wrapped? Can you tell us about your favorite post-show date? Do you have any upcoming honeymoon plans you can tease?) Let’s hope Lachey learns from the fan feedback and avoids the baby questions altogether next season.
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