Micah Lussier’s friends have been facing backlash over their reaction to meeting her fiancée, Paul Peden, in the newest episodes of Love Is Blind.
In the eighth episode of the season, which came out on 31 March, Lussier introduced Peden to her peers for the first time since their engagement. The pair had drinks with two of Lussier’s friends, Micayla and Shelby, at a bar in Seattle.
During the group’s conversation, Lussier called Shelby her “harshest critic” about anyone she dates. Shelby also said that she’s ended “a couple” of relationships for Lussier, claiming that she did this because the people her friend dated “weren’t good people” and “sucked”.
After the couple reflected on their time in the pods, the friends expressed their reservations about the nascent relationship and said they wanted to protect Lussier.
“Either way, I’ll have something a little b****y to say at some point,” Shelby told Peden. “So keep it up. I’m serious about it.”
When Lussier said that Shelby was “easily angered”, Peden responded: “Can’t say that I care.” As the three women spoke up and told him not to say that, Shelby had an unimpressed look on her face. Lussier continued to question Peden for not caring about what Shelby says, before the 28-year-old clarified that while he did care, he just wasn’t going to “take it personally”.
Peden then walked away from the group, prompting both of the women to question Lussier, who confirmed that she loved her fiancé. However, Shelby continued to have an upset look on her face before saying of Peden: “I’m 100 per cent not with it. He’s the best guy ever...right now.”
During a confessional interview, Micayla gave Peden her seal of approval by raising her two thumbs up, while Shelby had her thumbs down. Shelby said her reasoning behind her disapproval was because she’s “the most protective person of Micah,” who is “my best friend in the entire world. And I will never not be sceptical because of how I feel about her. And I’ve been there through so much...And I think that I need more.”
The episode went on to show the three women in the bar, with Shelby crying as she told Lussier that she deserved better and wasn’t “meant” to be engaged to Peden.
“You’re meant to have the most spectacular everything. You’re Micah. And I think you deserve that,” Shelby said.
She then held her hands around Lussier’s head and leaned towards the marketing manager’s ear, explaining: “You’re meant to have the best wedding of your life. You’re meant to have all this, and this isn’t it.” Lussier responded with a shocked look on her face and a nod, as her friend wiped her tears.
After this conversation aired, fans of the show criticised Shelby on Twitter. Many alleged that Shelby is either jealous of Lussier or has romantic feelings for her.
“Micah’s friend Shelby from Love Is Blind is either 100% in love with her or just a jealous ass friend,” another wrote.
“So we all agree, Shelby is secretly in love with Micah, right? Because if we’re gonna talk about who doesn’t deserve who, Paul isn’t the one hitting low,” another added.
A third agreed: “Micah’s friend Shelby on Love is Blind???? I think she’s fr in love with Micah. That b**** gives me the ick.”
Other people questioned and criticised the friendship, specifically their remarks about Shelby ending some of Lussier’s previous relationships.
“I also need someone to tell Micah that her inability to make her own decisions and stand by it is exactly why she went on Love Is Blind,” one wrote. “Shelby has probably pushed all the guys Micah’s dated away because of how much control she has and how nasty she is.”
“Shelby from Love Is Blind gives me misery loves company vibes,” another added. “She’s probably single & unhappy & that’s why she sabotages Micah’s relationships. Her immediate disgust when Micah was expressing her happiness, her personally ending her past relationships & acknowledging it.”
Amid the criticism of her friends, Lussier spoke to Decider about their reaction to Peden and said there “was definitely alcohol involved” at this event. She defended her friends’ feelings and emphasised that they are “really protective over” her.
“Doing this experiment, I was really putting myself out there and they didn’t want to see me get hurt. I think they didn’t want me to have a failed marriage,” she explained. “They didn’t want it, down the line, not to work. Me and Paul are pretty different, so I think they were a little bit unsure.”
This isn’t the first time that Lussier and her friends’ behaviour on the show has sparked backlash. Following the release of the first five episodes of the season, fans dubbed Lussier and her friend, contestant Irina Solomonva, as “mean girls”.
This came after Solomonova and Lussier eavesdropped on contestant Chelsea Griffin’s conversation with Amber Wilder, a 34-year-old flight attendant, in the living quarters. Wilder also had a connection with Peden in the pods before he ultimately got engaged to Lussier. When it came time for the engaged couples to leave the pods, Solomonova and Lussier were also often seen by themselves.
Last week, Lussier addressed the backlash and issued a public apology for her behaviour in the beginning Love Is Blind.
“I have apologised privately to the people that were hurt on the show by my hands. I would like to apologise publicly,” she began the statement. “To the viewers I’ve hurt, I’m sorry I’ve triggered so many of you with my behaviour. See that person on the screen would make me feel the same anger.”
The first five episodes of Love Is Blind season four premiered on Friday 24 March, followed by episodes six through eight on 31 March. The next three episodes will drop on 7 April, ultimately leading up to the season finale on 14 April.
