Quebec has been rocked by bullying scandal on Occupation Double, a smash hit reality show where contestants find love (or become an influencer). With sponsors pulling out and fans in an uproar, the show had no choice but to kick out three contestants, a first in its 20-year history. What’s going on? Let’s recap.
What is Occupation Double?
Occupation Double (or OD for short) is a reality show in which contestants travel to a country (this year, beautiful Martinique) to find love. Isolated in two different houses, one for men and one for women, the groups flirt through organized activities, find their “soulmate,” go on adventures, and try to reach the end of the game as a couple. The prize is a fully furnished condo and two cars (a value of around 500K). More importantly, contestants become influencers and get represented by a talent agency after appearing on the show.
What happened?
Things have been explosive this year because of three men making life hell for their roommates. It all started when the public selected Jonathan, a brooding firefighter, as their choice to join the reality show. The boy-next-door type was already the target of attacks from Félix, another contestant, who seemed annoyed by Jonathan’s soft-spoken demeanor. When Jonathan was speaking with a female contestant (Clémence), Félix interrupted him by telling him loudly that it was his turn to talk to her. When Jonathan told Félix not to speak to him that way, Félix doubled down and dismissed him, supported by another one of the guys in the house.
The situation took a turn when Jonathan dumped the contents of a dustpan on the bed of another contestant.
Wait…he did what?
Oh, the dustpan incident. Jonathan, annoyed by the level of dirtiness of the boys, decided to empty his dustpan on another contestant’s bed. Jonathan was isolated by the other boys, who never listened to him, even when he used humour to tell them to clean up. Desperately alone, being told multiple times that “everyone hates him,” his mental state ended up getting the best of him. The other guys even decided to push Clémence into the arms of another guy so they can save their friend from elimination. That’s why Jonathan lost his cool and dumped a dustpan on the bed.
Finally, orchestrated by Félix, Isaack (a model who looks like handsome Squidward), and Philippe (another contestant lying to a girl to get further in the game), the boys decided to eliminate Clémence, knowing that Jonathan will leave if she’s gone.
Well, they predicted right. Jonathan decided to follow Clémence after the elimination.
That’s it?
It gets more complicated than that. Since day one, Jonathan didn’t fit in with the “masculinity” of the other men. He spoke about his emotions, cleaned, cried, was respectful, listened to others, and was calm. The boys even made fun of him because he laughed like “an old woman.” Everything about Jonathan made the other guys feel insecure about their own masculinity.
Popular podcast Les Ficelles, a feminist show analyzing Occupation Double, found a reason for all this bullying from Félix against Jonathan. According to host Solène Paré: “(Félix is) maybe jealous, but there’s also a misunderstanding about how (a less stereotypical male like) Jonathan can be the public’s choice. How can Jonathan be this popular, while (Félix) gets rejected?”
The contestants of Occupation Double always look the same. The men are always muscular bros, and they treat women like trophy wives. OD has failed to address how the dating standards have changed for women aged 24-35. A Psychology Today study found men are lonelier than ever, and women prefer “men who are emotionally available, who are good communicators, and who share their values.”
Félix, Isaack, and Philippe, with their manipulation, gaslighting, and violent actions, were the first men publicly shamed for their behaviour on Quebec reality television. And they won’t be the last.
What has happened since then?
Sponsors pulled out of the show. On Wednesday, OD production company Productions J announced Félix, Isaack, and Philippe had been removed from Occupation Double.
Productions J also sent a press release saying that OD will be reformatted and that new people will join in, changing the game all over again. There’s no trace of any of the 3 participants. They disappeared from the website, and the episodes were edited so they would not appear in any of them. The show announced the original prizes will remain for the winners.
The PR nightmare isn’t done yet. The show might recover, it might not. Some viewers are already saying this season has been doomed from the start (week 3 more precisely), but it’s clear there’s more tea to come as this scandal unfolds.
They held a special episode last night with a bullying expert and said they wouldn’t air any new episodes this week. Also, Jimy keeps breaking out his guitar.
We’ll see if anything changes next time the show airs.
