01x11 - The Reunion

[bunniefuu]

- [all cheering]
- [indistinct chatter]

Hey, everyone,
I'm your host, Vanessa Lachey.

- And obviously I'm Nick Lachey.
- [chuckles]

- Welcome to the Love Is Blind reunion.
- Yeah!

[all cheering]

[Vanessa] I love it. I wish you could
feel the energy in this room.

We have seen all of our contestants
fall blindly in love for each other.

They've connected
emotionally and physically.

They have made up,
they've broken up, they've made up

and some of 'em
even made it down the aisle.

[Nick] We're here to catch up
with the participants

and talk about the results
of this blind love experiment.

And their reactions
to seeing it all play out on screen.

It's just crazy to think
that a couple months ago I was single,

I was livin' the life.

And the journey has just brought me here.

- Will you marry me?
- Will you marry me?

Will you marry me?

- [woman] Yes.
- Yes.

I will marry you.

[Cameron] I've spent every second
focusing on finding my wife.

Oh, my God. [chuckles]

My favorite was Barnett.
He made me laugh so much.

- Hi.
- [Barnett] Oh, God.

[Jessica] I know we're gonna have
a lot of challenges in the real world

but I wouldn't change anything about him.

You guys, it's so good
to see you all again.

- Yes.
- Yeah.

It feels like a family reunion.
It's nice to see each other.

Like a true family reunion
that you kinda don't wanna go to.

I think the first thing we should do

is kick this whole thing off
with some quick updates from you guys.

Raise your hand
if you are currently single.

[Vanessa] Okay.

Raise your hand if you are married
to your fiancée from the experiment.

- Wow.
- [Vanessa] All right.

- All right.
- [Nick] All right, guys,

raise your hand
if you are currently in a relationship.

- Okay, Kenny.
- Yeah, I guess that would...

[indistinct]

Raise your hand
if you are currently in a relationship

with your fiancée from the experiment.

- Yes! Okay!
- [all cheer]

[Vanessa] What goes around,
comes around. I can't wait.

I can't wait to get into this.

This is good already.
We're barely started here.

Nick, I don't know about you,
I'm gonna need some details.

- A lot more details. Yup.
- A lot of details.

[Vanessa] We had Kenny and Kelly.

- Hey, guys.
- Hi.

- [Nick] How's it goin'?
- What's goin' on...

Yeah, so, I am still single.

Um, but I did a few career transitions
since the show.

I also dated one of my best friends
since the show. And...

- he was actually at our wedding.
- [Vanessa] Oh, my God!

[Kelly] At our wedding.

[Vanessa] Wow.

I think since the show,
it's been a lot of, um, self-growth.

From what I learned from this show,
taking that into that relationship.

- How about you, Kenny?
- I, honestly,

and not to sugarcoat it,
but could not be doing better.

This experiment,
whether I understood it or not,

allowed me to find
the person I'm with today.

'Cause it allowed me to open myself up
to truly be vulnerable.

And I have the best girlfriend,
uh, for me.

And I'm sure you guys are documenting
everything on camera.

I've learned that is not a good thing.

Amber and Barnett, you guys,
you got married in our experiment

and you are still together.
Fill us in. What's going on?

- Well, I haven't k*lled him yet. [laughs]
- [Vanessa laughs]

Uh, we've been doing great.

Learning about ourselves while we've been
traveling and doing fun stuff.

- It's been awesome.
- [Amber] Learning about ourselves.

We did move closer to the city now.

Our house was haunted, y'all. Not a fan.
[laughs]

She thinks it was haunted,
I think it was dust, whatever.

[all laughing and exclaiming]

Ever since this show,
we've been followed by bad spirits.

- Oh, my God.
- [Nick] On that note...

What about you, Jessica,
what have you been up to?

Honestly, you know,
we've all just seen this all play out.

There were some really
cringeworthy moments for me,

watching it back,
that I've been able to reflect on.

It was kind of rough for me,
when I realized that things weren't really

going the way that I hoped
that they would.

So I took this past year, um,
went back home to Chicago for six months

just be closer to my family
and kinda heal up a little bit.

And kinda reflect and figure out
how to change course.

And then, now I'm out in LA.

And, um, I've just recently
started dating again.

- So, I'm doing great.
- [Vanessa] I love that.

Carlton, what's been goin' on
since the experiment?

I've really just been working on Carlton.

Um, I'm single still.
I've taken some self-reflection.

Obviously, what happened on the show
was major in my life.

It was very important to me to preserve
my personal space and my mental space.

Because subject matters like that could
take you down a dark road.

In the back of your mind, you're thinking,

"Oh, my God, did I really
just share my entire life?"

Like there's no other secret.

- You get what I'm saying?
- Yeah.

On one end,
I feel very free since doing the show,

but on another end,
I'm just very disappointed

that love didn't work out
the way that I wanted for it to.

- What you did in confronting that...
- [Carlton] Mmm-hmm.

...and doing that on
a television show like this

takes an incredible amount of bravery.

- Thank you.
- I know we were all

- very proud of you for doing that.
- Thank you so much.

- Still processing it.
- [Nick and Vanessa] Yeah.

It's kinda weird sometimes,
but I'm proud, at the end of the day.

Damian and Gi, so y'all are together?
Please dish.

We are so together. Every single day,
waking up next to each other

and going to the gym together.

I don't wanna lose this. I just don't.

- [Nick] That's awesome.
- And I didn't.

Okay. So, Diamond,
how've you been since the show?

I've been great.
I've been waitin' on Beyoncé to call me.

No, I'm just kidding.

'Cause everybody's been
lovin' that for some reason,

that I quoted her.
But anyways, back to me. [laughs]

Everything's been great.
I'm workin' on my PhD.

- I'm going back to school.
- [Nick] Congratulations.

- Thanks, guys.
- [all cheering]

And I know
each and every one of us can say

that this was a very hard thing
to open up to the world

and allow people to come in
and being judged.

And we have to really take that all in
and also try to be able to cope with it.

Yes. Especially in this day and age
when you've got those keyboard warriors.

- But we'll get to those.
- Exactly.

Lauren and Cameron, you guys,
just like Amber and Barnett,

found love in this experiment, got married
and are still together.

- Still together.
- What's happening? What's goin' on?

Life for us has been really, really good.

Each and every day
is like our own little experiment.

Because we're still learning each other,

even though we've been married
for over a year now.

Trust me, that never stops.

I've seriously never been
as happy as I am with Cameron.

He makes me so happy.

Can't wait to dive into that love story.
I'll come up here to Mark.

- How are you?
- [Mark] I'm good.

As a man, I think I learned more
about vulnerability, communication

and just, I don't know,
just more about myself.

I think I can speak for everybody,

it was totally worth
the price of admission.

- Mmm-hmm.
- And, yeah, life's been good.

- And you're single now.
- Yes, I am single.

Guys, it's probably
one of the most asked questions,

but how was it dating in the pods?

I know I said myself a lot
that it was, uh...

possible that this could work for me,

but I honest to God
didn't think it was probable.

I went on this show thinking,
"It's a chance to find love. Why not?

- Let's see what happens." But...
- [Cameron] Yeah.

Hey, I was as skeptical as anyone was
probably watching coming into this.

Is there anything that in a pod,
you were like, "This is not the one"?

- It was an instant...
- Mmm.

- Me and Barnett.
- No.

He was like, "Oh, Diamond,
you're a stripper." She was like...

Nope.

If you'd have given me
a second chance, I...

He's still tryin' to be smooth.

Barnett, you had enough
going on as it was.

And I'm so sorry that
I fell asleep on Amber. I'm so sorry.

Okay, in all fairness,
in this process, it was exhausting.

And the second date...

- She was all over me on the second date.
- Get outta here.

- [all laughing]
- Nobody got to see Carlton say,

"My God, you're so interesting.
I wish I'd known this on the first date."

Okay? So, no, I am not boring.

Barnett and Diamond,
you guys didn't connect,

- but as I mentioned...
- I love you, Barnett.

...you had a pretty active thing going on
in terms of dating in the pods.

- There was a lot goin' on there.
- I dated, like, 15 women.

- Yeah.
- Should we watch a clip?

I think we should watch a clip.

Me and LC were very freakin' similar
and it's like,

what's goin' on here? [chuckles]
Why are we so alike?

With Amber, she excites me but she also
scares the livin' hell out of me.

- [Jessica] Hey, B.
- Hey, girl.

Yeah, I think Jessica is my number one.

Because every time I talk to her,
there's like mad goosebumps.

I love everything about these girls
but all in different ways.

And I'm like, "What the hell?
What am I supposed to do?"

Let's talk about this.

Now, we just watched that clip
and seein' how secure

Amber and Jessica and LC all felt about
their relationship with you in the pods,

watching that and looking back,
would you have done anything differently?

Actually, no. The last couple years
before I went on the show,

I was kinda emotionally empty.

I had no connections.
I couldn't figure myself out.

- Excuse my spit. But, um...
- [Nick] Can we get a napkin, please?

So smooth.

- [Nick] Or a bib.
- Or a bib?

[all laughing]

Anyhoo, um...

It's really crazy to go to a place
where you actually start opening up

and you feel people
accepting your emotions

that you've never really shown to anybody.

- It's just... It was kinda crazy.
- [Nick] Yeah.

I think most people could attest to that.

Um, that I'm not super good
with girls, actually.

So it's kinda funny to see it, but,
I don't know. I guess it's just like...

When you think back to it and... and...
you're sittin' there trying to figure out,

like, who, you know,
would be the best wife,

you kinda wanna see what they think
about even getting married.

I may not have used the best words.

Like saying that I would propose
to you tomorrow or somethin' like that.

But I feel like it gives you a good idea
of how someone's gonna react

to the thought of even marrying you.
So...

Do you have any regrets
with how things went down?

I always regret everything I say.

- [Nick] Ha!
- [Amber chuckles]

I mean, no,
I don't regret anything, really.

I think that maybe there are better words
to use to fill those feelings out.

But, I mean, really, I don't regret it.
'Cause it got me to where I am today.

Everyone has a different path
that they take on something like this.

And that was your...
That was your journey.

And I see him cracking his knuckles,
and I feel you.

I'm a little uncomfortable.

You guys are actually seeing this process.
And for Amber, you knew.

You knew, 'cause on the women's side...
You knew this.

There was a very strong sense
of girl power over there

and we were all leaning
on each other a lot.

And we were very supportive and open
about who we were all interested in.

And when it got to the point
that LC and I realized

we both really cared about Barnett,
we came to a mutual decision.

Like... can we just not talk
about our dates with him?

And she was really respectful about that.

So, Jessica coming out
of left field tryin' to tell me

that he proposed to her that night...

Maybe he's having issues.

But he told me that
he doesn't know what he wants.

That he's f*cked up in his head.
That's what he told me.

After last night, he told me
that he was gonna marry me.

I was not happy.
I confronted Matt about Jessica.

And I said, "What the hell?
What's going on here?

What are you thinking? What are you doing?
What do you do want?"

He told me he was trying
to figure things out and feel it out,

and that he shouldn't have said that.

That wasn't how he meant it. I'm like,
"Okay, that's not how you meant it."

I believe you. That was all...
I trusted him.

As far as I was concerned,
that was nothing after the fact.

So to see her
throwing herself at him in Mexico...

Bitch, you're shiesty. You're so fake.

Comin' to my face like we were cool.
You were so fake.

I think you're a very disingenuine person.

And I hope seeing this,
you do grow from it.

Because the world does not need women
going behind people's backs like that.

You were engaged to another man
that you were leading on.

He was engaged. He made his choice.

Anyhoo, so no,
I'm not super happy seeing that.

But I would have been
a lot more comfortable

had somebody else said,
"Hey, I'm still having feelings for him."

Do you think you should
have come forward sooner?

Do you think, "I still respect the way
that I kept it to myself"?

Yeah, I mean, [clears throat] for me, um,

obviously there's...
To go back to kinda Barnett's point,

that I really wanted to see
how my relationship was with everyone.

Everyone needs to realize that
this was days, not weeks,

to find a connection
to spend forever with someone.

So I really wanted to vet everything out.

Obviously, I was rejected by Barnett.
I didn't take that very well.

Seeing that play out is brutal, you know?

So I was really trying to keep myself open

and work that all out. I don't think
that necessarily played out.

But I do definitely owe a major apology
to you, Amber, and to Barnett.

Who... I super respect them both.
I respect their relationship.

Um, and, you know, definitely was not
good of me to even ever question that,

so I apologize. And I have
nothing but the most respect for you both.

I wish you nothing but the best.

I'm just happy that
I was able to participate

in an experiment where this does work out.

And there are happy married couples.
It's...

I have no hard feelings
towards you whatsoever. At all.

I have a whole lot of respect for you
for coming here and being a part of this.

- Thanks.
- [Nick] And being big enough to to say,

"I messed up and I apologize."

I wanna clear this air.
If she is apologizing,

do you accept that apology

or is there something that you're like,
"I wish that this would've happened

- so that we can all move on"?
- [Amber] My...

I had a full understanding
of what this experiment was.

And I knew that she may
have had a crush on him still.

And the fact that she was going to him
behind my back with me in the same room,

saying things like,
"Are you sure this is what you want?"

Yeah, that bothered me. Because if you
still have feelings for my husband

and you're engaged to my friend,

the least you can do is be honest
about where you are at.

I fully believe in being up-front.
I have no filter,

as you guys have seen. I have no filter.
So, what I needed

to be okay with this was for her to say,

"Look, I'm still feeling him.
I'm still confused."

So that I'm not sitting there
looking like a fool,

thinking we're cool, we're friends.

[Vanessa] I don't know that
you looked like a fool,

'cause you got the guy,
but she had her process.

Do you accept an apology or are you like,
"I still need a minute to process"?

I accept the intent behind the apology.

- I can't be fully there yet.
- [Vanessa] Yeah.

- That's okay.
- [Nick] Well, the process continues.

All right, every one of you
sitting here today

decided to choose to spend the rest
of your life with someone sight unseen.

Let's hear more about
what was going through your minds

when you saw each other
for the very first time.

- [exclaims]
- Yeah.

[chuckles]

[all exclaiming]

- [Vanessa] Yeah, D-money!
- [Nick] Smooth. Smooth.

Who surprised you the most
when you guys saw them in person?

Because you obviously talked to everybody.
Everybody dated.

Even for that speed date round,
everybody dated.

So who did you see
that you were like, "Wow!"

I'd say Lauren. Honestly. 'Cause you and I
talked, I think, twice. We dated twice.

Um, no, I mean, you're captivating,
you're stunning. It shines through.

I can agree to that.
It is funny. I love you, Cam, but...

[all laugh]

It is, because me and Lauren,
I think we dated every day

up till the point of engagement.

- We dated every single day.
- We did.

We had the best conversations.

We would laugh all the time.

- We started to talk in a Star Wars voice.
- [all laughing]

We really did.

Wait a minute. We gotta see a Star Wars
date right now. What's your voice?

It's like,
[in squeaky voice] "Hey, Damian."

And I was like, [in throaty voice]
"Hi, Lauren. Hi, Lauren."

I was trying to do Yoda,
but I'm not getting casted for Star Wars.

I was really surprised to see Mark.

I really was.
He actually is really attractive.

- Like, he's a good-looking guy.
- [Damian] Rico Suave.

[all laugh]

He wears his heart on his sleeve.

I really thought
he was a beautiful person.

You know, y'all are both single, right?

We have a pod in our garage.
You guys wanna come over?

But we've already seen each other, so...

We've talked lot about
the emotional connection

that all of you, I think,
found on this show.

But you guys
took that emotional connection

and you developed a physical connection

and obviously with that, face time,
you know, brings new challenges,

brings new obstacles to light,

and reality really started to sink in.

Let's see right here.

- [Carlton] Diamond...
- [chuckles] Yes.

Will you be my wife?

[Diamond chuckles] Oh, my God.

Will you marry me?

[Diamond inhales deeply]

[chuckles] Oh, my God.

- Yes.
- [Carlton] You will?

[Diamond] Yes.

Baby!

[Diamond crying]

- All the way... I saw suspense.
- I know, right?

What is it like, Carlton, Diamond,
to see that?

I get emotional. I really do.

Because to actually hear someone
actually say, like...

"Do you want to be my queen?
Do you want to be my wife?"

I've never heard that before.

And to hear those words, you know...

A lot of us have been wanting that
for a long time.

You could see I was crying like a baby

because I've never heard those words.
I didn't even know how to respond to it,

other than that I knew
I wanted to do this.

- And Carlton, you said it's a lot...
- Yeah, it's a lot. It's a...

I think it just goes back to, like,

no one will fully ever understand

what was going through my head
in that moment.

That day, still to this day by far,

is the happiest day of my life.

Like to the point where I'm actively
trying to, like, top it,

so that we can just
move to the next chapter of my life.

Well, as we all know,

once Carlton and Diamond got to Mexico,

the relationship shifted
almost immediately

and it came to a head

the morning after you, Carlton,
opened up to Diamond

about your past relationships.

I'm okay with or without this situation.
I am okay.

What? I ain't got time for this

- because you have a bad attitude.
- Go ahead, throw it.

- This is not for you.
- Go ahead. Have your moment.

You have your moment.

I don't care
if you're not f*cking with me.

I gave you your ring back.

I don't give a f*ck about a ring!

- f*ck a ring! f*ck a ring!
- I didn't do that.

This is why I don't deal
with b*tches like you.

Oh, I'm a bitch now.

You gon' call me a bitch in my face?

- I don't deal with women like you.
- f*ck you! f*ck you. Fucker!

- [Carlton] Nah, f*ck like me.
- [Diamond] f*ck you!

- [Carlton] Bye.
- Good luck.

Watch my ass to the next d*ck, boy.

Nah, watch your wig,
'cause it keep sliding.

[Diamond] Who the f*ck do you think I am?

[Carlton] Your wig been sliding...

You ain't married to no average bitch!

[Carlton] Peace out!

- [Nick] Hmm.
- Okay.

First of all, I want to thank
both Carlton and Diamond

- for coming here for the reunion.
- [Nick] Mmm-hmm.

I know that this has been hard.

Kind of what I was talking about earlier,
we have a lot of keyboard warriors

and a lot of the fans
have voiced their opinions.

I'll start with you, Carlton.
How are you feeling being here?

Um, so, it's very awkward.

It's obviously something new for me.

Um, like, I've gotten death threats.

It brings you to a very dark space.

Um, the biggest misconception is that
fluid people are just like rabbits.

Just hopping around,
sleeping with everyone,

talking to both parties at the same time

and that we have no self-control sexually

and I think it's very unfair.

And it's a very ignorant assumption
for anyone to make.

Out of everything, I think,
I've been more concerned with Diamond.

And like, her backlash
and I just want to make it clear that

the woman that I fell in love with,
I don't...

I've never felt that
she was biphobic, h*m*.

Um, or that she wouldn't love me.

I just was afraid that
we would have some issues

that we would have to work through.

The types of feedback
that I've been getting online,

it's no reflection of who I am.

Now, do I deserve some of the feedback?

Yes, I do.
Because I made a horrible mistake

and indirectly called her out of her name.

That is something
that should've never happened.

There's no excuse.

Um, and I told myself, you know,
before the show start,

I want to at least be comfortable
with him in the same room.

And I didn't want any animosity
or any tension towards us.

I felt like I could at least do that.
At least hear what he has to say,

and then he did apologize.

Who initiated that contact?

I think it was, like, "Happy holidays"
or your birthday?

That's how we were able to move forward
and even be here.

Because like he said,
he was getting remarks

and people attacking him.

I'm getting the same thing.
I've gotten death threats as well.

I've gotten a lot of...
Been called those names.

I was really hurt by that.

And I'm like, "Why would they...
People are seeing it

in a totally different perspective."

My goal right there in that scene

was to talk to him and understand
'cause I didn't know about it.

You know, I didn't want it to get crazy
and out of control

and me going off
and coming out of my character.

'Cause that's not who I am.

Um, although, if you mess with me,

I do have a tendency to, like,
put my foot down.

[Vanessa] You were just spewing words
and I know,

sitting here, watching you watch that,
you're mortified.

- You're like, "This is not me."
- Mmm-hmm.

So, if you had an opportunity now
to write that scene,

and I'll start with you, Diamond,
what would you want to say?

So, I guess, in my way,

I should've approached it differently

and been more comforting.

And maybe approached it
in a way of saying that, you know,

"I respect you as a person."

- [Vanessa] You all right?
- Yeah, I'm good.

[Vanessa] Would you have told her sooner?

Do you think that would have
made a difference?

I would have done, you know,
whatever it takes

to be sitting on the couch
as happy as these people,

even these people. [voice breaks]

I would've done whatever it took

had I known then that that's what it took
to sit here happily married.

You know?

- To her?
- Yeah.

I think that, um, in that moment,
I felt I went back into my shell.

It was a shell that was
difficult breaking out of,

not to mention
in front of the world. Um...

And once something just
felt like it wasn't right,

I immediately let fear sink in and like,

"Oh, I have to go back into...

'Carlton's the only person
who will defend Carlton

and understand Carlton' mode."

And that has translated into
my everyday life.

Sometimes, people may say,
"Oh, he's so to himself.

He's so standoffish."
It's not that I want to be,

it's just like
that whole fear of rejection

and being judged for something that's...

Why do we have to be judged
for who we love?

Like, that's so lame to me.

Even now, I could see people going,

"Well, now you've cleared the air,
so you're good, right?"

What is like that now for you to sit here
across from him?

I mean, no woman...

I know you wouldn't allow him
to disrespect you like that.

I see your love. I see you guys
are really passionate about each other.

And, um, I always felt like
a man should always have his woman's back.

We couldn't even just have
an open communication.

Just to be able to say,

"Hey, this is me. Let's move forward.
Let's move past this."

And just that disrespect as to myself,
I could never probably let that go

and move past that.

And I think that it's fair now to say that
you probably won't get back together

because you feel you're that hurt
and you're that disrespected

- and that was a red flag for you.
- Yes.

I think what I'm hearing
from both of you is

regret that that scene
ever played itself out.

It's disappointing that, like, you know,
there is a line drawn, um...

because my sole purpose
of coming here today,

as much as I didn't want to,

I wanted to make it clear
that I am here for you.

No matter what was said
or what we've been through,

at the end of the day,
you're like my ex-fiancée in real life.

Forgiveness sometimes means,

let's create something beautiful
through all the darkness.

And today I would like for it to be
the start of, um, creating something...

really beautiful.

And I'm not proposing to you,
before you, like, uh...

- [all laugh]
- Oh, my God.

She's looking at me like,
"Are you really going to do it?"

[all laughing]

I want to get down on one knee
and just apologize again, um...

at eye-level.

And I hope that you
take this ring again as

a significant piece of our friendship
and the start of something beautiful...

um, without any type of, like, plan,
or like, "This is our plan of action."

- Look familiar?
- [Diamond chuckles]

- Did you go in the pool for that?
- [Carlton] I sure did.

Sure did.

I do. I accept your apology.
And I do forgive you.

All right. I'm supposed to put it
on your finger first.

Oh, okay.

[all chuckle]

It don't fit anymore. There we go. Okay.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

[both chuckle]

- Here's the box. [chuckles]
- [Diamond] Sure.

[Nick] Wow.

I'm never speechless.

Trust me, never happens.

- That was lovely.
- I don't know what to say.

- Thank you.
- [Nick] That's what today's all about.

Well, another relationship
that had everyone talking

from the moment she proposed
to the moment he said, "I don't."

Giannina and Damian.

[crying] I want to ask you, Damian Powers,

will you marry me?

[cries] I will marry you.

I'll marry you, too.

I needed someone strong

'cause I need to be able to really be me.

[Damian] I felt closer
and a stronger connection with her

than I have anyone else before.

You guys were fiery from the get-go.
There was a lot of passion.

Damian, had you ever dated
someone like Gi before?

I could combine all of them together
and it'd still be no.

[all laugh]

Well, so, Gi, you...
The proposal heard around the world.

Did you know you were gonna get down
on your knee and propose to Damian?

Or did that just happen in the moment?
In the pod, like, "I'm doing this."

I had no idea I was going to do that.

- Really?
- I didn't.

- What I...
- [Vanessa laughs]

I mean, I wish I could say, like,

"Yeah, I was going to
propose to him and..."

But I...

Everything that Damian was saying to me
while we were in the pods,

he always spoke about
wanting to find his equal

and that's always what I wanted too,

and that's what made me say
we're soul mates.

It was the first time where I felt like,

"If he says yes, then okay."
Like, we're so in this

and it's not even funny
how we're going to be in it.

'Cause it was just...
He sees me and he gets me.

Yeah. But then you go all the way
to the wedding day.

Do you think you and Damian weren't ready?

I mean, yeah, I...

Looking back,
I respect his decision. Um...

I feel like where we are now is just...
It's so right for us.

Where we can just date

and he has his own place,
I have my own place.

And we're getting to know each other
at our own pace

and it's just so refreshing.

And it hurt so much,

but it's all about, you know,

"What can I do with that?"
And "What did I learn from that?"

Yeah.

Well, you mentioned that.
It was hard, I think,

for all of us to watch both of your
emotional reactions to that day.

You blamed everything on me,
and all I did was tell you how I felt,

and I wanted to work
everything out with you.

- Gi.
- I wanted to work it out so bad.

This is you running...

- So bad!
- I'm trying to talk to you right now.

I know what happened was embarrassing
and you'll never forgive me for it.

And I'm sorry.

You messed up.

Honestly... [sniffles]

That was such bullshit.

[sniffles]

You can take your bow back.

I mean, looking back on that,

would you have done anything different
on that wedding day?

No.

Why not?

It was definitely a strong love
from the beginning.

We pushed through a lot of challenges,
as did everyone here,

but I wanted it every day since the day
I told her I loved her in the pod.

And it turned into our love story, but...

she was in and out of it so much.

You know, the butterflies aren't there,
the stuff, even like the sex conversation.

But getting to the day of the wedding,
me and her had talked,

and I said, "Look, no matter what happens,
we leave this together."

And she's like, "Yeah, we do."

When she said "I do," I didn't...

I didn't expect that. Um...

I thought she was going to be
the one to say, "I don't"

and I was going to say, "Okay.
I don't either. I'll walk away with you."

I wish I could take the pain away
from her that day, and the hurt,

um, and the embarrassment, you know,

to her family and friends, I'm sorry

that I ever put her through that.
[voice breaks]

I am. And to you, I'm sorry.

Um...

But that was the hardest decision
I've probably made in my life, honestly.

And I would stick by it again
because of where we are now.

So, okay. I love, love that
you are proving that love is blind.

This is beyond the show.

And how has your relationship evolved
since we stopped filming?

So, I mean, right after...

There was a lot of things that
we both needed to come to terms with.

You know, I was so afraid
of driving this person away

that I was just instinctively
doing it anyway.

I guess, like,
the whole thing of me is that

I self-sabotage and I'm aware of that.

And, um, I felt
because we were in the pods

and we would communicate so well
that he could instinctively tell.

But he couldn't read my mind,
or know these things.

So when I felt frustrated,
I just let it out

in very, you know,
non-constructive, insensitive ways.

And especially looking back at it now,

it's just like,
how did you ever, you know,

come about and be so calm
and patient with me?

And I really just want to take
that time to apologize to you and...

[voice breaks]
I never wanted to hurt you, either.

[sniffles] You know, we both have
expressed ourselves in really hard ways.

Um, but since the show, it's just...

It's... it's been such an amazing journey
with you.

To get to know you

and to see how we integrate
with each other's lives

and my friends and family love you.
[chuckles]

And so it was just all these fears that

were never there in the first place. So...

So, I'm so happy. [sniffles and chuckles]

I love that you guys have the wherewithal
to be able to see your faults.

And I don't mean that in a negative way.
But to see what it is you have to work on.

I'm so proud of you guys.
And I love your love.

Well, Kelly and Kenny

were a couple that seemed solid
from the beginning.

But as the experiment went on,
fans were surprised to see

that maybe things weren't as perfect
as they initially seemed.

We were able to make this commitment
to each other

and then we haven't, you know,
had sex yet.

I know how I feel about it.
Like, how do you feel about it?

We are just so perfect on every level.

- Right.
- And I just

don't want to throw that
in the mix just yet.

That's why I say I'm not in love with him,

because if I was in love,
I would have that infatuation,

like... nothing else matters.

The emotion was there because
there were senses of guilt,

senses of embarrassment,

you know, getting my friends and family
involved with it. Uh...

Didn't even know
how this would ever come to fruition

and be portrayed to the masses.

And honestly, it doesn't matter.

So, I love the fact that
I was able in that moment to share that.

I think about all the takeaways
I went through on the show,

I've applied to my current relationship,

and I've been able to be vulnerable
and I've received it.

My takeaway at this point is that
I am not embarrassed by anything,

uh, and that is why
I'm supposed to be here.

To hopefully impact others

to make them feel supported
in times of fear, in times of doubt.

'Cause there's nothing you can't overcome.

I say Kenny for president.

[woman] Right?

[Vanessa] So, um, Kelly, it was hard.

At what point did you know
you were gonna say, "I don't."

- Right, um...
- I can see now how emotional you are.

[voice breaks] Yeah. Um...

[Kelly crying]

I mean, from day one

of watching the show back,

it's definitely brought up every emotion.

I cry not just from my journey
but Carlton's.

Everybody made me cry. [laughs]

I think with Kenny and my relationship,
I think we both agreed to an "I don't"

way before the wedding.

And for me, it's like, although, yes,

I was not that girl that planned
everything of her wedding to a T

as, like, a dream.
"This is how my wedding's gonna be."

But, like, I imagined
how my wedding would be.

I wanted a bridal shower.
I wanted those things.

I wanted the conventional.
And, you know, I'm, like...

You guys, like, I just...
I don't know how you did it.

I kept saying, "My head and my heart
are not connecting.

My head and my heart are not connecting.
They're not in the right place." And...

I think something for me is that,
what I have learned,

what I have reflected on,
is the fact that...

[voice breaking] Kenny, you were amazing.

You're a great guy.

And I did love you. I did love you.

I was not in love with you,
as we mentioned, but...

I did love you, and I wanted
to continue our journey of dating

and getting to know one another, you know?

That didn't happen,
and it's water under the bridge now,

and I'm so happy for you
and your relationship,

but, um, I think I just needed time.

For me, it's like, again,
Kenny being such a great guy,

I have friend-zoned
a lot of those great guys in my life,

and those are probably all the guys
I should be marrying. [laughs]

Now, it's like, "Kelly, stop thinking,
'Well, we attract who we are.'

Put it out there into the universe, like,

what are you gonna accept now
into your life?"

Yeah. A love story
that ended in two "I dos"

- is Amber and Barnett.
- What, what?

[Vanessa laughs]

Yes, you said, "I do," and she said,
"I do." That's two "I dos."

- Okay.
- You guys pulled the trigger,

you both said I do, you got married

and it's been, what, over a year now?
So how's it been?

- It's been a wild ride, I'd say.
- [laughs]

- [Barnett] It's, uh...
- Lots of laughs.

- [Barnett] Yeah.
- Lot of fun.

- All we do is have fun. I mean...
- That's...

Not all we do. We've had the normal, like,

arguments and stuff
that everybody probably has. But...

sh**t, I'm really excited
that we found each other

and have gotten to grow together
over the last year.

I mean, really, it's been crazy.

It's been a great adventure.

I'm really proud of how far we've come

from where we were in the pods

and how fast the process was.

I know there is one point
where we almost broke

because we had such expectations

out of what we wanted
out of a husband and wife,

and we knew we were married
and we knew we were in love, but also...

we were still learning each other.

I was working as a cocktail waitress

and there was a while
I was making Matt so uncomfortable, like,

I wasn't working.

So, that was putting strain because
I was so financially dependent on him,

which... was new to me.

I've never been financially dependent
on somebody before.

I've always had to figure that out
for myself

and had friends
that helped me along the way,

but being financially dependent on him
was something that was totally new,

and then I think him...

Y'all saw
how he liked to flirt with people,

so, obviously, he was totally
used to his bachelor life,

and I was used to my bachelor life, too,

but I think it took us a while
to figure out how to

hang out and party together, so...

- And be respectful.
- [Amber] Yeah.

Normally, in a relationship,
as you're dating,

you take time and you adjust to that,
but we were married.

So, immediately, we expected it
to be different, to be changed.

And we weren't giving it
the time that it needed to adjust,

- to get used to it.
- Interesting.

I, at one point, had actually called about
potentially getting the divorce lawyer.

I was like, "This isn't working."

- [Vanessa] You threw the "D" word out?
- Something's not... Yeah.

- Different.
- Sorry, Mama Barnett,

I love you. Just kidding. Um...

- I'm a stubborn assh*le, so...
- I'm stubborn, too.

So we butted heads a lot,
and it took time to figure it out

because when we were still in the bubble
on the show,

we hadn't really butted heads
at that point

'cause everything was just so perfect.

- It was easy.
- But seeing how

we both are so stubborn
and strong-minded and bull-headed,

when we butt heads, it could be bad,
it could be intense.

So, figuring out how to handle that,
it made a huge difference for us.

Yeah.

We stopped trying to force
what we expected on each other.

And once that happened, you know,

I don't know, it's just nothing
but really good things since then.

I love that you guys
have found what you need

to have a lasting relationship,

- and that is working on these challenges.
- You guys are happy, clearly.

And that's a beautiful thing.
It's great to see.

So, for Mark and Jessica,
their relationship kept us on the edge

through the entire experiment.

We wanted to see how this would unfold.
So check out this clip.

[Jessica] In the outside world,
I would never have looked twice at Mark.

I would've figured out his age,
or maybe that he was a fitness instructor,

and that would be something, maybe,
I wouldn't have been into.

Usually, I'm someone who runs
before commitment.

But Mark has exceeded every expectation.

Taking those vows, it's a huge commitment.

And it's something I take very seriously.

Jessica, what's it like for you
to watch that over

and watch your relationship with Mark
on the show?

[Jessica] Yeah, um...

Actually, I looked down,
'cause I've seen it all.

I don't need to see it again. Um...

Yeah, it's tough, you know,
because watching it back,

it was obvious that
I was working through some things.

I just didn't really like the person
that I saw.

And the things that played out,
obviously, I was really uncomfortable,

and I was drinking too much,

and that was really disturbing
to see play out.

And some of the comments I made,
um, that were derogatory...

And that certainly wasn't fair to Mark,
who's a fantastic person.

And, obviously, very, very attractive.

I've gotten a lot of messages about that
[chuckles]

and that was never a concern whatsoever,
and you knew that.

I need to start with a friendship
which, ultimately,

that's not a good situation
to sign yourself up for

when you need something that's gonna
maybe progress a little bit slower.

Mark, I wanna ask you what,
in your opinion,

was the reason or maybe reasons
that it didn't work out with Jessica?

Um... Wow.

Um, I think we were just two people
trying to figure it out.

We got engaged in ten days, you know?

And I think that
you get into this situation

and maybe we just...

Even myself, I didn't realize how much
all of it was, how intense it was.

And I think we were just both
trying to figure it out.

And she is a phenomenal woman.

I still, to this day,
a year and a half has gone by,

and I learned so many values. And so,
I still have so much respect for you,

no matter what happened
and what went down.

Um, I've become a better man.

I know you are introspective.
And I know you've done the same thing.

I couldn't be more thankful
to go through it with someone like you.

And I think that's why,
if anybody asks us why, like,

"Oh, Mark kinda, like,
feels strung along."

No, we did have
really powerful, strong moments

even when we were in person.

It's almost like I blinded myself,

no pun intended, because I had these,
kind of, thoughts about the age difference

and I annoyed
the living hell out of myself.

It's tough watching it back. Um...

But seeing the connection that we had,

obviously, that surpassed
any differences that we had,

which we found out were many.

- I think we just needed more time.
- Yeah. I agree.

And to commit to him that
that was going to be forever,

he didn't deserve that,
'cause I wasn't there.

I will say and, like,
I know that we're all here

to clear the air and everything.

I wish you would've told me the Barnett...

I thought we cleared the air about that.

Like, if you were still having
recurring feelings

for Barnett or anybody else
that was in the experience,

I felt like that was an obstacle
we could've tackled together.

Yeah, so I just saw the behaviors
that I have in the real world,

where I normally go after something
that's unavailable.

And I think you see that
I kinda struggle with just accepting

and understanding that people can love you
and accept you for who you are.

And also, I was served whiskey,
[chuckles] you know?

Like I said, the comment was not something
that I ever should've said

and that's truthfully
not how I felt in the moment,

so I don't know how to answer it.

I really didn't have those feelings
for him at that time. Um...

But the pressure and what you were feeling
that day, like, I still remember it.

And I am sorry
that we got sucked into this vacuum

and I'm sorry that
we didn't get that chance and opportunity

to really get to know each other

and get to know each other's friends,
family, and what we stand for,

but in the end, I still respect you,
and I'm still thankful for all of this,

and I know that no matter what
you decide to do moving forward,

you're gonna be even better off,
and, like, kicking ass, so...

I was always honest, and I get
a lot of hate for that, you know?

- You told me how you felt.
- I was always honest from day one.

It wasn't fair, for sure.
So, I'm sorry.

You never made me Italian beef,
by the way.

[all chuckle]

[Mark] You said that the first day,

- and you still haven't.
- I forgot about that.

- I'm just kidding.
- [Vanessa] We could make it happen.

It's not too late for that.
Well, obviously,

while not every relationship
has a fairy-tale ending,

Lauren and Cameron's relationship

had the happy ending
everybody was rooting for.

[Cameron] Before, I wasn't really
that happy, to be honest.

[Lauren] Mmm-hmm.

I think it was because
I felt like I was missing you.

I've never had a man so, just, willing

to show me how much he loves me.

So you gotta catch us up.
How is married life? How's it been?

We really started
to get to know each other more.

And do things together
that we've never done. I mean...

And coming from different backgrounds,
as they said so much on the show!

[all laugh]

But we're able to teach each other things

that the other may not have experienced
or enjoyed.

I feel like Cameron has opened my eyes
to so many things.

Like, he teaches me stuff every day.

He's so loving, he's so genuine.

He got me a puppy.
We have a fur baby. Life is good.

I think people often think that
changing who you are is a negative thing.

Lauren's an amazing woman,
obviously. We all know that.

Just being with her,
I feel, like, changed me in many ways.

Watching the show back,
I mean, it was still me,

- but I feel like I've evolved over time...
- Me too.

...because I've become more like her
in a lot of ways.

I don't think that changes either,
after you get married.

It's just like you kinda continue
to evolve into each other.

I actually wanted to know
whose idea was the fur baby.

Oh, me. That was a part of, like...
I was like, "If we get married,

- I have to get a puppy."
- That was in our marriage agreement.

The thing for my mom was
she had known that I had always said

I would never date a woman
who wanted to have a dog,

which sounds crazy, in retrospect.

She knew it was true love
because I told her,

"Yeah, we're gonna get a dog
and that was something we agreed on."

She was sold. She knew it was true love.

- His name's Sparks.
- Sparks!

- Because the sparks flew.
- Oh, that's so cute!

[all exclaiming]

- That thing that you do.
- It's cheesy, but it's cute.

[Diamond] It's so cute.

Like, we got a fur baby,
and that was like,

we're then committing to see
what we would be like as parents.

- Oh, yeah.
- Are y'all excited about that opportunity?

Is that, like, actively happening?

We're definitely excited.
We've talked about,

"Our kids could look like anything.
From this to this,

it could be Drake,
it could be Barack Obama."

Who knows, you know?
So we are just... One day.

- [Damian] They'll be gorgeous.
- Hopefully, soon.

Oh, thank you.

We gotta talk about Dad for a bit.

- Oh, yeah. Papa Speed.
- [Vanessa] Papa Speed.

- [Nick] He kept it real.
- Mr. Big.

If I think about how it would be
if my daughter came to me and said,

"I'm marrying someone
you don't know and have never met,"

- I can only imagine.
- And I met through a wall.

You're a white guy, she's a black woman.
Let's talk about that.

I had a serious relationship
prior to meeting Lauren.

- We dated for five years.
- Okay.

She was a black woman.

I've experienced being in
an interracial relationship where,

- you know, people have issues.
- Well, that's not everything,

but it's going to play a factor
to how you live in the world.

Your daughter is the most amazing woman
I've ever met.

I fell in love with her
without ever having seen her.

I don't judge you by anything
other than how you treat her.

- I appreciate that.
- Okay, let's see how this goes.

Lauren's dad,
I mean, I love him, you know.

And we're family.
I mean, he loves Lauren so much.

- And, um... [voice breaks]
- Here we go, crying again.

He's gonna cry!

I mean, we have that in common.

And also, too, I mean...

Lauren has a strong connection
with her father.

So...

I mean, it makes sense
that I would love him too,

- because, you know...
- Mmm.

She's emulated him in a lot of ways.

She's her own person,
but they have a lot in common.

At first, I was kinda nervous,
because me and my dad are so close. Sorry.

And I've never really introduced him
to a boyfriend.

So for me to introduce Cameron
as my fiancé

for the first time, like,
him ever meeting anybody,

that was a lot on its own.

But, for me, it was kinda scary.

But Cameron was cool as a fan
the whole time.

He's like, "I'll win him over.
It's all good. I'll just be me."

Um, so, of course, I was nervous,

but, you know, I'm happy
that things turned out great.

Both of our families
are so important to us.

I love Cameron's family.
His mom, his dad, his sister.

I visited Maine a couple of times.

They showed me the deers.

Honey, I was out there
in the apple orchard. It was great! So...

I mean, me coming from Detroit, the city,

that's like a whole new world to me.

I felt like Jasmine in Aladdin,
on the carpet...

It was... Yeah, but, I mean,

it's beautiful just how our families
have blended and merged.

Like, we just had...
I feel like I'm snotty...

No, we got a tissue right here, girl.
He has a hankie! Stop it!

We just had Thanksgiving together
for the first time

with both of our families recently,

and that was, like, so beautiful to see.

Like, our dads getting together,
bonding, drinking bourbon,

like, our moms baking in the kitchen,
the dog running crazy.

It was like, "Wow!"
It was such a beautiful moment.

I'm... I'm... [talks gibberish]

I'm getting emotional, too,
because it's... [voice breaks] Sorry!

And I just commend your families

and all of your families
who are coming together

to accept you for who you are

and to trust your judgment and opinion.

This is true, real, and who you are.

This is the man you love
and your dad accepted that.

So you can honestly, truly say
love is blind.

I truly believe
that you guys are finding yourself,

if not have found yourselves,
through this process.

And sometimes,
it took a route of finding a guy

- and going to Mexico with him.
- Right.

Sometimes, it took a route
of saying some stuff on TV

that is cringeworthy.

And sometimes it took a route

of running down the streets
of Atlanta, Georgia in a wedding dress.

- Fastest I've ever ran in my life.
- [women chuckle]

And I am just... I'm so amazed,

and honestly... I believe
that Nick and I have said this,

that this was called a social experiment.
A love experiment, if you will.

But, ultimately,
these are your real emotions.

- This is your heart.
- [Nick] Absolutely.

Even if the end result wasn't marriage
for all in this love experiment,

it clearly affected how each of you
looks at love and relationships today.

We've all learned a lot from this.

Mark, what have you learned
walking away from this experience?

I think that all of the things
that we went through

prepared me for who I'm supposed to be.

And that's why
I'm forever thankful for this experience.

Yeah, and I think, now,
I'm standing much stronger,

much more, kind of, independent,
knowing who I am.

And I'm going to be much...

I'm gonna be ready.
Once I find the right person.

I've definitely learned that at the moment
that you feel like you love someone

and they love you,
there's no fear involved in love.

Um, you should be able to let go
and just completely be yourself.

Yeah, like, everything
at the core of it is love.

Self-love, in particular.

If you can't accept yourself,
your flaws, your great moments,

the things that you think
are so cringeworthy

that you're afraid to show
that other person,

if you can't accept those,

then you're not gonna be able
to allow someone in.

All right, you guys, one last round
of "Raise your hands if."

Should we do it? [chuckles]

[Vanessa] Even if marriage
wasn't in it for you guys,

raise your hands if you think
love really can be blind.

[laughter]

- [Nick] Wow. Wow.
- [Vanessa] Yeah?

- I think we leave it there.
- That says it all.

That says it all. Thank you again
to these wonderful humans,

these incredible individuals
who have opened up their hearts.

[Nick] And then opened themselves up again
to share how they're doing now,

so, again, thank you for your honesty.

Thank you for giving all of yourselves
to this experiment.

And thank you for loving each other.

Love is Blind, season one,
down in the books.

[all cheering]