CNN correspondent Rosa Flores asked a woman by the name of Danielle about her experience protecting her children in the flood waters just moments after she arrived at the shelter. To provide context, this was after waiting for 36 hours for help from emergency services which never came, forcing this woman to wade through 4-feet of contaminated flood runoff to a nearby gas station to hail a cab to the help center. SMH. This mother has been through the ringer with her two kids, and clearly wasn’t feeling being asked about her situation before having a chance to get her family settled in. Her frustration is pretty understandable. Twitter/Getty
Corinne Olympios Admits DeMario Jackson Did Not Victimize Her Corinne Olympios’ claims that she was too drunk to consent to a sexual act she engaged in with DeMario Jackson — in an open space, in front of reality TV cameras — got production of “Bachelor in Paradise” shut down for six weeks earlier this year. At the time, she claimed she was a victim in those exact terms. But now, she says that wasn’t the case. During an interview with Good Morning America today, she spoke out about the incident for the first time, and said that the only thing she was a victim to was the media’s perception of her. …OK. If you’ll recall, Warner Brothers did a full investigation of the incident and came to the conclusion that no sexual misconduct went on between Corinne and DeMario. Corinne says she still “remembers nothing from the situation,” But ultimately, she owns that she should have kept her wits about her so she wouldn’t even have room to question what happened that night. “I did drink too much. I definitely understand that, but I was also on a medication that severely blacks you out and impairs your judgment, messes with your balance … I didn’t know that you were supposed to not drink on [the medication]. It really just caused a horrible, horrible blackout. It was like I went under anesthesia and then just woke up.” But if you KNOW your medication takes you down sometimes…WHY would you mix it with alcohol in house full of strangers and cameras?? WENN/Getty
If you were to ask Rachel Lindsay, DeMario Jackson has a lot in common with Jon Snow. Because he came back from the dead? Because he may be the Prince That Was Promised? No. Because, according to Lindsay, Jackson knows nothing. Appearing on The E&G Podcast yesterday, Jackson touched on his brief stint as a suitor on The Bachelorette this past season, one in which Lindsay gave him the boot after learning DeMario had a girlfriend. “I was only there for the two weeks in the house,” Jackson said, prior to delving into controversial territory: “From the beginning you knew that she was attracted to white men. You knew that. No disrespect, you just knew. She had that vibe. “From night one, we all set down, all the guys and I said, ‘They’re going to have a black representative, either myself or Eric, and they’re going to have Dean, Peter, and Brian as the final four.’ “We all caught that.” In the end, Lindsay selected Bryan Abasolo over Peter Kraus on the show’s finale. Both men are white, but that’s nothing more than a coincidence, Lindsay says. Commenting on a photo from the podcast’s official Instagram page that was promoting Jackson’s appearance on E&G, she wrote the following on Tuesday: “Says the guy that dated Lexi [a white woman]. Demario never knew me and still doesn’t.” DeMario, of course, has become more famous for the controversy that engulfed him and Corinne Olympios on Season 4 of Bachelor in Paradise than for his time on The Bachelorette. Production on that spinoff was halted for a couple weeks while Warner Bros. conducted an internal investigation that eventually cleared DeMario of all sexual misconduct charges. He appeared on the show last night, sat down opposite Chris Harrison and discussed all he’s been through. “I know who I am. I know I’m not that monster they’re trying to portray on TV,” Jackson said. “Like Michelle Obama said, ‘When they go low, you go high.’ It was hard to go high, but I had to do it because I train and mentor children, and I can’t tell them to be something that I’m not. “That’s what kept me going. And great family, friends, school teachers, people at the gym. It was crazy to see the response from them… There was just so much love. I was extremely humbled.” Olympios will speak on air to Harrison next week. Asked about his one-time sexual partner turned quasi nemesis, DeMario had only kind things to say. “I felt bad for her ’cause she was being slut-shamed,” he said. “I love my mother and I love the women in my family more than anything in this world, and it hurt me knowing she was going through the same thing I was, but a little bit more aggressive and intense.” View Slideshow: 13 Most Despicable Bachelor Villains of All-Time
Sometimes, even when a scandal is resolved, the people involved are haunted by rumor and resentments. The Bachelor in Paradise sex scandal is, unfortunately, an example of that. DeMario Jackson is understandably bitter at how some portrayed him. What’s more, he says that the “scandal” would never have happened if he’d been white. Last June, just days into the first attempt at filming Bachelor in Paradise season 4, production was shut down after DeMario Jackson and Corinne Olympios had a drunken hookup in the pool. The alleged problem, brought forward by two producers, was that they thought that a sexual assault had taken place, because Corinne and DeMario were both said to be pretty heavily intoxicated. You can plan to hook up with somebody and drink, sure. But if you’re plastered, folks, you can’t consent. Nobody involved was ever heard accusing DeMario of taking advantage of Corinne or Corinne of taking advantage of DeMario, but the lack of information did lead to a lot of rumors. It didn’t help that Corinne was unable to remember what had happened. The investigation found no evidence of sexual assault , and Corinne publicly expressed satisfaction with the findings, but apparently even that vindication hasn’t soothed all of the hurt feelings during the investigation. Understandably, DeMario still feels a little bitter. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter , DeMario Jackson says that the scandal never would have happened if he were white . He suggests that the producers who expressed their concerns thought that they were seeing a narrative play out that wasn’t real. “They wanted the angry black guy and this little, innocent white girl. But it wasn’t that.” Very true. And before you say that it looks like DeMario is slut-shaming Corinne, he’s not. (We’ll get to that) “If I would have been [white contestants] Alex [Woytkiw] or Derek [Peth], we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.” Kind of awkward to name specific names. (Also, it’s funny that he mentions those two, because Alex Woytkiw and Derek Peth look like they could be related) DeMario laments his missed opportunities. “I would probably be engaged to Alexis [Waters] right now.” Wow. DeMario has mentioned before on Instagram that he has fond memories from his few days on Bachelor in Paradise . One of those fond memories was throwing coconuts into the water with Alexis Waters at, like, 3am. He apparently asked Alexis to marry him, but we don’t know at what point. She turned him down, though. We don’t think that DeMario is saying that he’d be engaged to Alexis if he were white, but rather that, if the scandal hadn’t happened, he’d be married to Alexis. And … maybe? White privilege is a real thing, and it’s certainly the case that some people are more likely to call the police on interracial couples, alleging either kidnapping or prostitution. (Racism sucks, folks) It’s always easy to imagine that your life would be better if that one thing hadn’t occurred. It’s not always true. We just hope that DeMario doesn’t get hung up on this and, personally and professionally, can move past this. DeMario has more to say about how things would have been if he were white. “This wouldn’t have been a story.” We’re not sure about that, because the producers who raised the (false) alarm may have been sensitive to a drunk woman hooking up rather than to DeMario’s race. But was there racism involved in the backlash? Absolutely. “We wouldn’t even be having this discussion at all. … I had white America calling me the N-word and telling me to ‘go back to Africa.'” That is so sad. We’ve spoken about how even DeMario’s mother was told hateful things . Again, Corinne never once said anything bad about DeMario. And DeMario is returning the favor, talking about how shamefully people talked about Corinne: “And they were slut-shaming Corinne, which sucked.” Racism and sexism combined to shame both people when there wasn’t even a sexual assault. DeMario says that this has impacted his entire worldview. “For me, I’m just sitting here thinking, ‘Wow. Our world.’ The human race continues to let me down.” That is wildly relatable. Like, there was a literal Nazi rally over the weekend that included a terrorist attack against counter-protesters. “Wow, Our world” is right. View Slideshow: 13 Bachelor in Paradise Headlines We Thought About Using For This Ridiculous Story
Sometimes, even when a scandal is resolved, the people involved are haunted by rumor and resentments. The Bachelor in Paradise sex scandal is, unfortunately, an example of that. DeMario Jackson is understandably bitter at how some portrayed him. What’s more, he says that the “scandal” would never have happened if he’d been white. Last June, just days into the first attempt at filming Bachelor in Paradise season 4, production was shut down after DeMario Jackson and Corinne Olympios had a drunken hookup in the pool. The alleged problem, brought forward by two producers, was that they thought that a sexual assault had taken place, because Corinne and DeMario were both said to be pretty heavily intoxicated. You can plan to hook up with somebody and drink, sure. But if you’re plastered, folks, you can’t consent. Nobody involved was ever heard accusing DeMario of taking advantage of Corinne or Corinne of taking advantage of DeMario, but the lack of information did lead to a lot of rumors. It didn’t help that Corinne was unable to remember what had happened. The investigation found no evidence of sexual assault , and Corinne publicly expressed satisfaction with the findings, but apparently even that vindication hasn’t soothed all of the hurt feelings during the investigation. Understandably, DeMario still feels a little bitter. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter , DeMario Jackson says that the scandal never would have happened if he were white . He suggests that the producers who expressed their concerns thought that they were seeing a narrative play out that wasn’t real. “They wanted the angry black guy and this little, innocent white girl. But it wasn’t that.” Very true. And before you say that it looks like DeMario is slut-shaming Corinne, he’s not. (We’ll get to that) “If I would have been [white contestants] Alex [Woytkiw] or Derek [Peth], we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.” Kind of awkward to name specific names. (Also, it’s funny that he mentions those two, because Alex Woytkiw and Derek Peth look like they could be related) DeMario laments his missed opportunities. “I would probably be engaged to Alexis [Waters] right now.” Wow. DeMario has mentioned before on Instagram that he has fond memories from his few days on Bachelor in Paradise . One of those fond memories was throwing coconuts into the water with Alexis Waters at, like, 3am. He apparently asked Alexis to marry him, but we don’t know at what point. She turned him down, though. We don’t think that DeMario is saying that he’d be engaged to Alexis if he were white, but rather that, if the scandal hadn’t happened, he’d be married to Alexis. And … maybe? White privilege is a real thing, and it’s certainly the case that some people are more likely to call the police on interracial couples, alleging either kidnapping or prostitution. (Racism sucks, folks) It’s always easy to imagine that your life would be better if that one thing hadn’t occurred. It’s not always true. We just hope that DeMario doesn’t get hung up on this and, personally and professionally, can move past this. DeMario has more to say about how things would have been if he were white. “This wouldn’t have been a story.” We’re not sure about that, because the producers who raised the (false) alarm may have been sensitive to a drunk woman hooking up rather than to DeMario’s race. But was there racism involved in the backlash? Absolutely. “We wouldn’t even be having this discussion at all. … I had white America calling me the N-word and telling me to ‘go back to Africa.'” That is so sad. We’ve spoken about how even DeMario’s mother was told hateful things . Again, Corinne never once said anything bad about DeMario. And DeMario is returning the favor, talking about how shamefully people talked about Corinne: “And they were slut-shaming Corinne, which sucked.” Racism and sexism combined to shame both people when there wasn’t even a sexual assault. DeMario says that this has impacted his entire worldview. “For me, I’m just sitting here thinking, ‘Wow. Our world.’ The human race continues to let me down.” That is wildly relatable. Like, there was a literal Nazi rally over the weekend that included a terrorist attack against counter-protesters. “Wow, Our world” is right. View Slideshow: 13 Bachelor in Paradise Headlines We Thought About Using For This Ridiculous Story
Image via Getty/Axelle/Bauer-Griffin Corinne Olympios Blames ‘Bachelor In Paradise’ Producers For Drunken Sex Scene Earlier this morning we reported on some freaky-deeky activity between two contestants on Bachelor In Paradise that lead to contestant releases and suspension of production. What wasn’t mentioned in the previous story were alleged complaints that cast members made to producers about Corinne Olympios’ state of mind when she was filmed making out and having oral sex with cast mate DeMario Jackson in a swimming pool after a long night of drinking. According to TMZ , the following day, cast mates are said to have explained to Corinne what had happened the previous night, she remembered none of it, while DeMario remembers everything. The rubbing, touching, fingering AND genital-licking. Here’s the problem, the cast says production ignored their concerns, production say no one from the cast said a mumbling word to them. The producers say that Corinne was “fully engaged” and seemed to know exactly what she was doing. To make matters worse, Corinne has a boyfriend and she claims she would never do anything to jeopardize her relationship while the cameras were on her. Corinne isn’t blaming DeMario as much as she blames the producers and she’s hired a lawyer to make her point for her. Is is really, really bad on a multitude of levels. If Corinne decides, it appears that she could accuse DeMario of sexual assault and the entire production crew would likely defend him. This is gonna be a mess. Smh.
Bachelor In Paradise contestant DeMario Jackson is being investigated for alleged sexual assault following a field producer’s complaint that claims Jackson engaged in non-consensual behavior with a fellow contestant. https://www.instagram.com/p/BVPnIpKBfgr/?tagged=demariojackson Jackson and Corrine Olympios had reportedly been drinking and engaged in sexual acts before venturing to the pool where they began “rubbing, touching and fingering,” […]
With Memorial Day kicking off the unofficial start of summer, a seasonal tradition – The Bachelorette Season 13 – is back and in full swing. (And The Bachelorette spoilers already tell us who wins … so don’t click the link if you don’t want to know how it all plays out). You sure as heck don’t need spoilers to tell you this much: Watch The Bachelorette Season 13 Episode 2 Online Rachel Lindsay’s journey for love will not be drama-free or eye-roll free with this collection of dudes vying for love (and screen time). Honestly, this has got to be hands down the craziest crop of guys ever assembled on the hit reality TV franchise … for better or worse. Case in point: DeMario Jackson . The shenanigans this guy pulled – which are not over yet, after last night’s cliffhanger – may well go down as the most brazen in history. We’ll get to that shortly … but DMJ will not be who Rachel Lindsay picks this season, we’ll go ahead and spoil that for you right here. Not even Bachelor superfans Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis could save this underwhelming crew from itself, but due credit for trying. The group date task was a “husband material” obstacle course that put the guys to the test … and tested viewers’ patience, as well. One lowlight? Lucas “Whaboomed” in front of Ashton and Mila, which at least made Rachel feel so sorry for him she gave him a kiss. That strategy can’t work over the long haul, can it? In any event, the group date rose went to Dean, who also got a first kiss with Rachel. Peter Kraus then got things very much back on track with a one-on-one date in which he and his gap tooth charmed Rachel to no end. He is one to watch this season. Peter got the rose, and it’s almost a surprise he didn’t earn a whole bouquet based on how wonderful their date was from start to finish. Lindsay’s second group date Monday night was with Will, Jamey, Diggy, Alex, Adam, Lee, Matt, Eric, Josiah, and yes, DeMario Jackson. DeMario was the guy that Rachel’s friends warned her about in The Bachelorette season premiere . Oh, the foreshadowing by producers! The group date featured a cameo from Kareem Abdul Jabbar and some bad basketball, though DeMario showcased some hoop skills. Life skills are a different story, however. After the game, a girl named Lexi approached Rachel while the guys were in the locker room, revealing herself as … DeMario’s girlfriend. To hear Lexi tell it, the two were dating for about seven months until he just disappeared and stopped answering her texts and calls. She had no idea what had happened to him until she saw him meeting Rachel on The Bachelor: After the Final Rose special in March. If you recall, one of Lindsay’s many franchise firsts was that she met some of her men on the finale of Nick’s season. DeMario included. Well, Lexi was PISSED, and Rachel did her best to handle the awkward situation with class as she retrieved DeMario to explain himself. He did not do a very good job. Trapped in lie after lie, he pretended not to know Lexi at first, then called her “psycho,” then dismissed the relationship as merely sexual. Then he pretended that he had mailed Lexi’s keys and broken up with her in person, though her texts proved this was not the situation. In a cringe-worthy moment, he admitted that they had enjoyed “sexual intercourse,” but the situation isn’t as bad as it looks. Or something. He asked if they could talk off-camera because this was “some personal life stuff,” but Rachel wasn’t having that for one second. “I believe you want to be here, I just don’t think you want to be here for me,” she told him after he insisted he wanted to be there. “Let me tell you something: I’m not here to be played. I’m not here to be made a joke of, which is what I feel like you’re doing right now.” “So I’m really going to need you to get the f–k out. I don’t like being f–king embarrassed, and I can’t even look at you right now.” Dammmmmmn! Eventually, he left in shame; Josiah ultimately got the rose and Rachel did some more kisses in as the other guys expressed sympathy. The silver lining, as she noted, was that as bad as DeMario was, the other guys really stepped up afterward to prove their true intentions. In the closing moments, however, DeMario decided that he simply could not depart without having one last conversation with Rachel. Security agreed … to bring in the venerable Chris Harrison to decide if he should in fact be allowed such a privilege after his conduct. As the credits began to roll, the other guys got wind of hisreturn and rushed outside because DeMario “needs to get his ass whooped.” Now that’s a cliffhanger. View Slideshow: The Bachelorette Suitors: Meet Rachel Lindsay’s Men!
