Married at First Sightseason 18 has a clout chasing problem among several cast members. Clout chasers in the reality TV genre are people who come on the show with ulterior motives, and are using the show as a platform for personal gain instead of appearing with genuine intentions relevant to the show’s premise. There have been clout chasers inMarried at First Sight’s history, but the scale of it in season 18 is noticeable. From business promotion, goals to get a larger social media following, or personal prospects to get future roles, clout chasers diminish the show they’re on.
Married at First Sightseason 18 cast includes fivecouples; Ikechi Ojoré and Emem Obot, David Trimble and Michelle Tomblin, Allen Slovick and Michelle Tomblin, Juan Franco andKarla Juarez, and Camille Parsons and Thomas. TheMAFSparticipants were selected by a panel of three marriage counseling experts, who analyzed and interviewed the cast members to allegedly weed out those with hidden agendas. However, it’s become clear the experts dropped the ball in season 18.
Ikechi Ojoré
Ikechi Hasn’t Been Hiding His Self-Promotion
Married at First Sightseason 18 is the second time Ikechi has applied for the show. He previously applied to be onMAFSseason 10 in his native Houston. Ikechi’s repeated applications are a red flag, as it signifies that he wants to be in the public eye. Moreover,Ikechi is an author and musician, both of which he has promotedon the show. Ikechi also hasn’t been taking his marriage seriously, and is not putting in the work to understand Emem, which means he cares more about the clout of being on the show, than the show’s intention.
Juan Franco
He Has A Startup
36-year-old Juan wasted no time promoting that he has a tech start-up. Juan’s app, Flight Mate, helps users select seats next to individuals they are more likely to connect with. He has shamelessly dropped his start-up CEO status several times on the show, and has gone out of his way to show his wife Karla his entrepreneurial skills and spirit.
What’s more, when Juan was onAfter Party, he wore a shirt with his app’s logo on it.
Juan was also a modelfor several years, and could be on the show to promote his portfolio and get future jobs.
Emem Obot
Emem Has Her Own Business
Emem is a Nurse Practioner, and she has her own medpsa business.Her business has been the locale of filming several timesinMAFSseason 18, and it’s suspect that it keeps being brought up. Emem could be trying to expand her Chicago-based customer pool, or she may have bigger dreams for the future thatMarried at First Sight’s audience could afford her.
Karla Juarez
Karla Is Trying To Be An Entrepreneur
Karla is perhaps the biggest clout chaser of them all inMarried at First Sightseason 18.Karla joined the show homeless, as she did not renew her apartment lease and moved her things into storage. Her motivation for coming on the show could have been for a free place to stay in her shared apartment with Juan. Karla has also underscored the fact that she wants to be financially taken care of by her husband, but has been met with resistance from Juan.
Karla also began the season with a job working as a Hair Stylist in a salon, butshe quit her jobthere to attempt to start her own hair business.
Karla seems to be using the show to gain notoriety and clientele, as her business narrative has been at the forefront of her and Juan’s storyline.
Outside of doing hair, Karla also does sound bathing and is a Pilates Instructor. On the show, Karla has promoted her desire to own and operate her own own studio for hair, sound bathing and Pilates, which her presence onMarried at First Sightcould help with given her new reach.
Four out of the tenMarried at First Sightseason 18 cast members appear to be on the show for self-promotion and opportunity. Instead of focusing on making their marriages work, they have been preoccupied with what they get from being on the show and the favorable outcomes it could give them in that sense. With the season being almost halfway over, fans should brace to hear more about Ikechi, Juan, Emem, and Karla’s businesses, endeavors, and prospects, as they are on the show for clout.
Married At First Sightairs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Lifetime.
Married At First Sight
Cast
Based on the Danish version of the series, Married at First Sight is a reality show/social experiment that gives singles a chance to find a lifelong partnership with one particular caveat: they must agree to marry a stranger arranged the moment they meet. Experts provide counseling and guidance as they help couples navigate their new marriage with their unknown partner and highlight the journey of the newlyweds from wedding to honeymoon to beginning their new lives together. At the end of eight weeks, couples will decide to stay married or divorce.
