‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Fans Defend Brian After He Faced Unexpected Backlash In Season 10, Episode 7: “F*** Everyone In Paradise”

Throughout the entirety of Bachelor in Paradise Season 10, Episode 7, I found myself frequently thinking of Clickhole’s famous “Heartbreaking: The Worst Person You Know Just Made A Great Point” article.

This isn’t to say that Brian Autz, the 34-year-old aesthetics consultant from Florida who’s rubbed me the wrong way since his controversial Night 1 car theft on The Bachelorette Season 21, is anywhere close to the worst person in this world. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I’d be defending, siding with, and at times feeling genuinely grateful for the Botox-loving bro after watching his treatment of Zoe McGrady and Parisa Shifteh this season.

In fact, prior to Season 10, Episode 7, I regularly hoped Brian would be sent home and that he and Parisa would part ways! But week after week, he remained on the show. And until tonight, I couldn’t really understand why! Now, I firmly believe he made it this far in the process to bring the Jeremy/Susie/Bailey love triangle to light and highlight some mind-blowing moral shortcomings on that beach.

The drama that’s been brewing in previews for several weeks finally came to a head in Season 10, Episode 7, when Brian seized the opportunity for some crucial one-on-one time with Jeremy’s gal, Bailey. When the two were alone, Brian spilled the tea over what I believe were downright disrespectful comments and behavior from Jeremy, who was smitten by former Paradise contestant, Susie Evans. Whether Brian’s intentions behind telling Bailey were pure, largely driven by a desire to get back at his franchise nemesis, or a mixture of the two, I still think he was right to tell Bailey information she should have learned days earlier. And I was SHOCKED to learn that more people on the show didn’t feel the same way!

For those who need a refresher, after Bailey told Brian she wanted to know any info he had on Jeremy that could potentially impact them planning a life outside of Paradise together, Brian recapped the following points:

• The night you got a rose, [Jeremy] expected Susie to stay here.
• Post-rose ceremony, [Jeremy] told us he made the wrong decision and wished he picked Susie.
• Days later, [Jeremy] called her at the airport and told her to come back. She said it was too emotional, there was too much going on, and she couldn’t do it.
• During the bird dance, [Jeremy] said if Susie came back “I would propose to her on the spot.”

Now, I know that the edits on reality shows don’t offer the full scope of events. Jeremy has even called out Paradise producers on Instagram this season, writing, “If you’re going to blatantly insert words in my interviews from other conversations to make it seem like I’m saying something I never said please at least make it cleaner and less obvious.” (And yes, fans have found inconsistencies!) He’s not being portrayed in a great light this season, and as a Connecticut girlie was rooting for him on The Bachelorette, that pains me. But also, Brian was standing on business with those above points! And Bachelor Nation thought so, too!

Based on what we heard and saw so far this season, Jeremy did call Susie! He wanted her back! He told his pals he regretted giving Bailey a rose instead of Susie! And we heard him say he’d propose to Susie “on the spot.” Do I think the information should have come from Brian? No! But as Brian said, “The convo is never gonna be had. Spencer and Alexe already approached him. Girls that are her friends are not gonna have the convo with her.” Too many people on that beach knew, claimed to be good friends with Bailey, and were withholding valuable information from her. If I was in her shoes, I would be devastated and disappointed in them, too! And though I think those people who knew and stayed silent were also at fault, the conversation ultimately should have been initiated by Jeremy. If not after that rose ceremony, then surely after his call to Susie! I mean, she would have found out when the show aired?! And Jeremy himself even admitted, “This is something that could have been prevented.”

Had Bailey not run to Jeremy to report Brian’s rendezvous invite and Parisa not blabbed to Alexe about Brian talking to Bailey, I do think there was a world in which Brian maintained more anonymity, and thus, received far less backlash. But the backlash itself made such little sense to me, because what do you MEAN Alexe, Andrew, Kat, Dale, and even SWEET LITTLE SPENCER were furious with Brian for betraying JEREMY, the guy who betrayed Bailey?! They questioned BRIAN’s “integrity and character” and trustworthiness for calling out Jeremy‘s disrespectful behavior towards Bailey? They argued, “That’s not how Bro Code works?!” PUH-LEASE!

I nearly convinced myself I was losing my mind for believing that Brian wasn’t completely in the wrong while watching this episode, but then, Paradise‘s trusty bartender Wells Adams swooped in to succinctly spelled it out for the cameras:

“This whole Bailey, Brian, Jeremy, Susie saga is blowing my mind. I feel like I’m taking CRAZY PILLS here. Everyone’s mad at Brian for giving the heads up to Bailey that Jeremy called another girl and was like, ‘Hey I will leave Paradise with you today if you come back!’ And no one thinks this is a huge red flag?! You’re telling me that everyone knew and no one wanted to tell my girl Bailey? And all the guys being like ‘It’s bro code!’ I understand Bro Code, but it’s turning into Douchebag Code. Everyone’s defending Jeremy, and Brian’s the bad guy?! From where I’m sitting at the bar, Brian’s the only guy doing the right thing here! What’s happening?!”

Exactly that! And when Brian said he thought the backlash from others was coming from a place of guilt, I agreed again! Multiple people on that beach were in Damage Control Mode following Brian and Bailey’s chat, and regardless of how Brian handled the situation or who you feel was primarily in the wrong, I think we can all agree that Bailey deserved better from everyone involved.

Ultimately, Bailey lets Jeremy’s behavior slide in Episode 7, because, “In normal life I will forgive, but I never forget. But you have a finite amount of time in Paradise. So I am definitely giving a lot more grace than I would in the real world.” Based on everything that went down, it’s not the decision I would have made! But $500,000 is on the line, so we’ll have to keep watching to see how Season 10’s final episodes play out for the couple — as well as Brian and Parisa. Will they make it to the end? Will their relationships survive after Paradise? Will they get eliminated by their peers? Or will they call it quits on their own before the season concludes? I barely want to keep watching after the group made me question my sanity in Episode 7, but we’re in it for the long haul. So see you next week!

New episodes of Bachelor in Paradise Season 10 premiere Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.