“Bachelor in Paradise” contestant Pieper James defended herself after she made a hell of an entrance on the show by asking Brendan Morais out on a date while he was coupled up with Natasha Parker.
“Just an [sic] gentle reminder that reality tv isn’t real,” the Oregon native, 24, wrote Tuesday on her Instagram Stories. “An edited, produced, and cut down show isn’t going to show you every single thing said and done. An edited and produced show can’t show you conversations that happened before filming between friends.”
Until Monday’s episode, James and Morais, 31, had publicly denied that there was anything serious going on between them. However, she referred to him as her “boyfriend” on the ABC summer hit while implying they intended to go to “Paradise” together.
Cameras also caught the pair discussing their Instagram follower counts after first being linked together in June.
“I make light of this show because it’s a light hearted show,” the “Bachelor” Season 25 alum continued in her post Tuesday. “I don’t believe in pitting women against each other. I don’t believe men are prizes to be won at the expense of someone’s feelings. I believe in open communication to get answers, not name calling on the internet.”
James then doubled down on her implication that producers chose to show the shadiest footage for the sake of ratings.
“At the end of the day it’s a tv show,” she wrote. “We the viewers are shown what makes the best television, just as [with] any show. And folk [sic] what we have here is a very successful show.”
Both James and Morais lost thousands of Instagram followers after the episode aired, with several of their co-stars claiming they weren’t aware of the social media-centered conversation until the rest of the world witnessed it Monday.
“We are ALL shocked to hear what was said on this episode,” Season 24 “Bachelor” contestant Tammy Ly tweeted Monday. “We don’t get to listen in on ‘private’ convos until it gets aired back.”
Season 23 competitor Demi Burnett, meanwhile, wrote, “Honestly thinking Brendan went on the date with me bc I have the most followers. #BachelorInParadise.”
Burnett, 26, also joked that Morais had actually been cast for HBO Max’s “FBoy Island” but “accidentally showed up to the wrong beach.”
“Bachelor in Paradise” airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.