90 Day Fiance: The Most Uncomfortable Moments
TLC's 90 Day Fiancé has quickly grown from reality show to TV empire with high ratings and a whopping five (yes, five) spin-offs. The series documents the lives of international couples as foreign-born fiancés move to the United States to get married, though Americans go to their partners' countries in the spinoffs 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way and 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days. The couples must deal with cultural differences, adjust to changing family dynamics, and decide, in just a few months, if they truly want to get married.
While the show is filled with arguments, blow-ups, and even breakups, some of the most memorable scenes from the show (and its spin-offs) are the moments that were just very, very uncomfortable. From one man treating his younger fiancée like his daughter to a lover's fat-shaming, to the reveal of one couple's very unhealthy sex life, there's so much to cringe about. Here are some of the most awkward and uncomfortable moments from the 90 Day Fiancé franchise.
Chantel's family wouldn't eat chicken feet on 90 Day Fiance
Season 4 of 90 Day Fiancé introduced fans to Chantel and her Dominican fiancé, Pedro. The two seemed to be genuinely in love, but, in true Romeo and Juliet fashion, their families didn't get along. And the family feud only got worse when the couple returned for 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After. The couple traveled to the Dominican Republic for a second wedding, and, during a family dinner, Chantel's family noticed that Pedro's mother and sister had served them something strange: chicken feet and chicken neck.
Chantel's family, seeing it as a "set-up," wouldn't eat, and soon the two families were fighting. Chantel and Pedro scrambled to translate and keep the peace, but, in the end, Chantel's family angrily stormed out. "In the religion of voodoo, they use a lot of chicken feet, so naturally I don't want to be taken advantage of," Chantel's mother told the cameras.
It's not clear if Chantel's family was justified in their wariness of the dish, but, after they left, Chantel and Pedro's family ate dinner, and Chantel pointed out that Pedro's mother and sister didn't even eat the chicken feet themselves. Strange.
Anfisa learned Jorge met with divorce lawyers during 90 Day Fiance shoot
In 90 Day Fiancé Season 4, Jorge welcomed his Russian-born fiancée Anfisa to California, and soon, their relationship was in trouble, as noted by Cosmopolitan. Anfisa and Jorge's family didn't get along, Anfisa seemed to only be in the relationship for the money, and, when Jorge came clean about not being a millionaire (as he'd claimed to be), their relationship began to crumble.
Still, the two married and went on to star in 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After? where, in one episode, Jorge and his sister Lourdes met with a lawyer to consider Jorge's divorce options. Then, later in the season, a producer mentioned the meeting to the couple. "When is the last time you talked to Lourdes?" the producer asked. "Was it when you went to the divorce lawyers?"
Anfisa, shocked to hear this, asked Jorge to tell the truth, though Jorge denied the meeting. "I didn't go to no lawyers," he said. "What are they talking about?" Cut to footage of Jorge and his sister talking to a lawyer about getting a divorce. Anfisa, not falling for her husband's claims, said, "You're just making yourself look stupid right now." Yikes.
Mohamed and Danielle talked about sex on 90 Day Fiance
In Season 2, Mohamed moved from Tunisia to Ohio to be with Danielle. However, their relationship was reportedly filled with one-sided affection, tearful arguments, and threats to break up. Later, their story continued (as a separated but still legally married couple) in 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After? Season 1. While Danielle and Mohamed's interactions were uncomfortable to watch, things reached a shocking boiling point in the season finale. At the "Tell All" episode, moderator Shaun Robinson asked if there was any intimacy between the two of them after the wedding, opening the floor to what may have been the most awkward sex talk in TLC history.
"There was, but we started facing a problem," Mohamed said cryptically. He claimed that Danielle would beg for sex, allegedly screaming, "I want my sex tonight," and threatening to have him deported. Danielle countered, "He has told people that I smell and I peed on him."
What made it even weirder was that the rest of the 90 Day Fiancé cast members, who were watching the conversation offstage, could be seen by viewers laughing nervously, gasping, and making faces during the couple's conversation.
90 Day Fiance's Paola wasn't welcomed by Russ' family
When 90 Day Fiancé Season 1's Colombian beauty Paola moved to Oklahoma to be with fiancé Russ, things immediately got tense between the couple and Russ' conservative parents. When Paola first arrived, Russ admitted that his parents weren't completely supportive of their relationship. "I know that they are hesitant about my engagement with Pao," he said.
Then, during their first dinner at home all together, it became clear that Russ' parents were uncomfortable with Paola. The meal was strangely quiet until Paola asked Russ' parents what they thought of their engagement. "The joke was when he first left," Russ' mom said, "was, you know, don't go down there falling in love and, you know, bring a girl back home. Sure enough, he does." Yikes.
Eventually, the two moved out of Russ' family home and headed to Miami, but not before plenty of other strained interactions between Paola and her conservative in-laws took place.
Leida and Eric argued about child support in 90 Day Fiance Season 6
In 90 Day Fiancé Season 6, Indonesian beauty queen Leida brought her young son to Wisconsin to be with fiancé Eric. Unfortunately, these two families didn't mesh so easily. Leida insisted on moving Eric's daughter out of the apartment they shared and complained about Eric's duty to pay child support for his other kids. Then, when Eric wasn't able to buy Leida the expensive furniture she wanted, their family drama came to an uncomfortable climax.
"Your f**king child support, and Tasha's going to live with us," Leida said, listing off her concerns, "and the wedding venue. It seems like I have to like accept everything. When is going to be my time?" After Leida referred to his daughter as a "burden," Eric defended his children, saying, "In America, family is what matters." Leida, still mad, seethed, "Then I don't want to get married, then." To which, Eric asked, "Because of child support?" Leida's answer? "Yeah."
The two did ultimately get married, but Leida's issues with Eric's children didn't end. In February 2019, Leida was granted a restraining order against Eric's daughter Tasha. Apparently, Leida and Tasha won't be sharing an apartment again any time soon.
Larissa tried too hard in 90 Day Fiance Season 6
Larissa and Colt, a couple from 90 Day Fiancé Season 6, had some serious issues during their engagement. There was drama with Colt's mom and even Larissa's arrest. Still, nothing was quite so uncomfortable for viewers to watch as Larissa's desperate attempt to impress her co-stars on the season finale. After arriving late, Larissa stressed about looking great before joining the other 90 Day Fiancé couples. Soon, it became clear that Larissa didn't just want to look good — she wanted to impress someone. "Fernanda is jealous of me because she's ugly," she said (via Us Weekly).
When Larissa and Colt finally made it to set, Larissa and Fernanda immediately got into an argument. Fernanda said Larissa and Colt were mean and had mocked Larissa. Larissa called Fernanda was a brat. Eventually, half of the couples left the set, and, when Fernanda and John walked away, Larissa called after her, telling her to "buy a butt."
The interaction was awkward and strange, and, above all, very uncomfortable.
Ashley from 90 Day Fiance Season 6 discovered Jay's Tinder
Despite the age difference, Ashley and Jamaican-born Jay seemed to really get along. Jay moved to Pennsylvania to be with Ashley in 90 Day Fiancé Season 6, even amidst rumors of his infidelity and Ashley's friends' concerns that Jay could be unfaithful. But just a week after the couple's Las Vegas elopement, Ashley caught Jay talking to another woman on Tinder.
Ashley, on the couch with a glass of wine, looked heartbroken as she explained what happened. "He created the account the day we got home from our wedding," she said. To add insult to injury, Ashley further shared the gravity of the situation. "I can't even kick him out of my house," she noted, adding, "I'm responsible for him for ten years."
It's uncomfortable to watch Ashley, just a week after her romantic elopement, saying that she "should have known better" — but the scene got even weirder when Jay walked in the front door. He sat next to Ashley and simply said, "You wanna talk about it?" Probably not.
90 Day Fiance's Kalani told her sister she was pregnant... again
Before 90 Day Fiancé Season 6 star Kalani could bring her fiancé, Asuelu, to the U.S., she gave birth to their baby in her home state of California. During this time, she depended heavily on her family, especially her sister Kolini, for support and childcare. So when Kalani found out that she was unexpectedly pregnant again, she knew that her sister was going to be disappointed.
After going back and forth about when to tell her, Kalani finally broke the news to Kolini during her bridal shower: "I know it's like disappointing news and, like, horrible timing right now but I just feel like, I feel like, either way if I told you it was bad." In tears, Kolini walked away from their table, saying, "I don't want to do this."
It's hard to watch Kolini realize that her sister is going to be faced with even more financial troubles, but it's even more difficult to see Kalani watch her sister walk away. Maybe Kolini's reaction is overly dramatic or maybe it's just some sisterly tough love. Either way, it's tense.
90 Day Fiance's Azan called Nicole fat... multiple times
In Season 4 of 90 Day Fiancé, American-born Nicole visited her Moroccan boyfriend Azan. After some tension in their relationship, including doubt from Nicole's family and Azan's comment about her being "big a little bit," Nicole was excited to get engaged. "Last night, Azan proposed to me," she said, "and today's the first day of our journey, a new start."
But not much seemed to change — especially his problem with her weight. That morning, as Nicole and Azan went to meet their camels (their ride back to the city), Nicole struggled hiking up a hill. When Nicole said she was going to pass out, Azan responded, "Stop being lazy, and go to do some workouts, honey." When she continued to struggle, Azan said, "Almost there, lazy. Oh my god. You're lazy."
Nicole later said to the show's cameras, "When I hear Azan say that kind of stuff, it just makes me feel like maybe I'm not good enough." Azan tried to comfort her, but, even then, he still managed to bring the conversation back to her weight.
Luis suddenly hated Molly's bedroom decor on 90 Day Fiance
One might have expected Luis and Molly's breakup from the beginning. Between the striking age difference and Molly's daughter's disapproval, the relationship wasn't meant to last. Still, no one could have foreseen the strange details of one of Luis and Molly's last big fights.
In episode 10, Molly sat down with Luis to discuss their relationship and his feelings about her kids. "You want my kids to not be here," she said, in part. "You want my kid to go live with her dad." Instead of responding to Molly's concerns, Luis brushed her off. "You have the period now," he told her. "Everything you speak is like crazy right now." Then, he started complaining about Molly's home décor.
He criticized the candles and a Buddha statue, saying, "I never see one something about God." Molly stated, "You're blaming an owl with a candle on the fact that you are an a**hole to my kids." When Molly pointed out crosses and scripture in the house, Luis shushed her. Yes, he actually shushed her. Finally, she stood up and said, "I can't do this. I am not marrying you."
Luis' diversion tactics were strange and uncomfortable, and they certainly didn't fool Molly.
90 Day Fiance star Paul wore protection to swim
In Season 1 of 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, Paul went to Brazil to meet Karine, his soon-to-be fiancé he met online. Things were already uncomfortable because the two didn't speak the same language and had to communicate through a translator app, but things got downright weird when the couple decided to go swimming.
In episode 5, Paul explained that his doctor warned him about drinking and swimming in the water in Brazil. So, he pulled out a small, cylinder bag. "I have this," he shared, holding it up and describing it as "a sheath protection bag." He went to the bathroom to put it on, explaining, "Definitely don't want nothing swimming up my penis."
When he finally got in the water, covered in protective wear and a life jacket, Karine, who wore a normal swimsuit, seemed to be embarrassed by his behavior, and they soon returned to dry land.
Mark scolded his 19-year-old fiancé Nikki like she was his daughter
Nikki and Mark's relationship was strange from the very beginning. The two, who were featured in 90 Day Fiancé Season 3, had a big age difference: She was 19, while he was 58. Given his age, he could have easily passed as her dad. In fact, Mark seemed to treat Nikki more like a daughter than a fiancée, and this behavior began at the very beginning of the season. When Mark picked Nikki up from the airport, Nikki admired the sights from the car window. At one point, she touched the window. "You putting fingerprints on my windows?" Mark asked.
Nikki looked at him, understandably confused. He explained that she shouldn't put her fingers on the windows, and that this was a rule he had for his children. Nikki put her whole hand on the window in retaliation, and Mark responded with, "Nikki, you're messing with my happiness," and said she'd need to clean it with a towel.
"You're weird," Nikki finally said. Not wrong, Nikki, not wrong.
90 Day Fiance's Carolina found women's underwear in fiance's closet
When Carolina came to the U.S. from Columbia in Season 3, she was uncertain about her relationship with her fiancé, Fernando. He had been unfaithful to her before, so she was on the lookout for any sign of further philandering. In one scene of the show, Carolina looked through drawers in Fernando's home. "I look whatever I can find," she said. Eventually, she found a pair of pink panties in Fernando's closet. "This is for a girl," she said, holding up the underwear.
Carolina called Fernando upstairs, and he nervously (and awkwardly) tried to give her an explanation. "I, that has nothing, that's nothing from recent, that's old," he said. "I'm serious that's, uh, it happened so many years ago that I can't even remember who they're from or what they are."
He ended up tossing the panties in the trash. While the two still ended up getting married, this uncomfortable moment highlighted one of their biggest early challenges as a couple.
Angela put her finger in Rachel's face during 90 Day Fiance cast "Tell All"
While many of the most uncomfortable moments on 90 Day Fiancé happened between couples and their families, some of the most dynamic fights actually occurred on the "Tell All" episodes. In the Season 2 "Tell All" of 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, the American cast members talked about Darcey's relationship. Rachel, who'd traveled to England that season to marry her husband John, told Darcey, "Your relationship is nothing but a blame game."
Darcey seemed to agree, but Angela, who'd traveled to Nigeria to meet with her fiancé (now ex-fiancé) Michael, had a problem with the comment. "In defense of them," she said, "you don't know nothing about their relationship. I mean you don't. You can barely know your own yet." Rachel responded with a terse, "Excuse me?" The exchange then escalated into a tense argument, complete with Angela pointing her finger in Rachel's face. "You put your finger practically up my nose," Rachel said.
Eventually, Angela walked away, saying, "She don't do that to me, 52-year-old granny," as she left set.