MAFS star shares surprising piece of advice for new brides and grooms: 'Call them out'

Each week, former MAFS bride Tahnee Cook shares her unfiltered thoughts on the current season of the series.

We say hello to three new couples this week and I can’t wait to see what they will bring to the current dynamic.

It’s so refreshing to see a not only stunning gay couple, but just such a beautiful representation of authentic, healthy queer relationships shown on a mainstream level. Honestly, Michael and Stephen have to be the hottest grooms we’ve ever had on MAFS. I’m seriously obsessed with these two and hope for the best for them!

I’m a big believer of mediums and psychics but I can’t help but feel Madeleine is kind of giving them a bit of a bad name. Maybe not even her specifically, but her edit so far is just really not doing her many favours. I hate that every time she speaks this undertone of chaotic music is added and everything she says feels super choppy and nonsensical. I feel like she and Ash weren’t a great match BUT I want to have hope that he can mellow her out.

"If I hear 'deece' one more time, I'm going to lose it." Credit: Channel Nine
"If I hear 'deece' one more time, I'm going to lose it." Credit: Channel Nine

I can’t think about anything other than “deeeeece” every time I see Jade and Ridge. If I hear that word one more time I'm going to lose it. I love abbreviations but can we limit how much we use them, please? I love Jade she seems lovely but I’m not sure if Ridge is going to be right for what she needs. I do get a bit of deja vu of Al Perkins (Season 9) from Ridge and we are already seeing the same non-serious energy. His “deece” quote is probably going to become the new 'shoey' and honestly, bring back drinking from a shoe at this point. I think Ridge is definitely in the experiment for a laugh so let’s hope he doesn’t waste Jade’s time.

It’s so interesting how Ollie and I were heavily pushed as the youngest couple on MAFS and the “Gen Z lovers” but we’ve seen quite a few cast this year who are even younger than we were.

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The big drama this week is centred around some gross and inappropriate comments Jack made about Tori. The comments were along the lines that Jack said if they do the partner swap week he would let the boys sleep with Tori because he wasn’t sexually attracted to her. This is wrong on so many levels but let’s break down all the factors of this.

I’m still puzzled that after six-ish weeks in the experiment, Tori and Jack still haven’t been intimate. To spend 24/7 with someone and not be attracted to them honestly would be hurtful if I were in Tori’s shoes. It’s clear that something is holding Jack back and these comments are truly shocking.

"Jack's comments about Tori were wrong on so many levels." Credit: Channel Nine
"Jack's comments about Tori were wrong on so many levels." Credit: Channel Nine

We see Lauren at the centre of the drama as the information is received through Jono. Before we get to the dinner table confrontation, the girls (Lauren, Sara & Eden) pull Tori aside at the cocktail party to inform her of these comments and have her back. Not surprisingly, Tori isn’t that receptive to this conversation and chooses again to stand by her husband. Then of course we get cut off and straight into the dinner.

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For context, after the cocktail party when you see the waiter do the iconic 'ding ding ding' “dinner is served” you see the cast walk to the dinner table BUT we don’t sit down at this moment. What happens is we all get separated to do voxxies [piece-to-camera interviews] and usually end up waiting another hour or so to then sit down at the table. So during this episode, my ex-MAFS cast brain was thinking, "I wonder if they separated Jack and Tori during this time so they couldn’t discuss the comments before being thrown into the dinner party?".

Lauren confronts Jack about the comments and we see quite a heated discussion break out between them. Jack admits to the comments but tries to disguise them as a “joke”, which honestly boils my blood. I hate when people will say messed up stuff and turn around with the “it’s a joke” attitude. Like Lucinda said “ I don’t see any humour” and I have to agree.

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Instead of Jack acknowledging he’s in the wrong, he doubles down on his comments and then throws out the “muzzle your woman” comment which left me speechless. I couldn’t believe this man thought it was appropriate to speak to anyone like that. I’m quite disgusted that none of the men at the table were as outraged by the comments either. I didn’t see that many people jump to defend Lauren, and even more so disappointed in Jono for leaving her out to dry. I hate this whole “bro code” chat, it’s such an ick for me. We had similar issues with our season with a lot of the men scared to speak up against bad behaviour. It always felt like the woman would be calling things out and the men sitting there silently. If you can’t call out your friends when they are behaving poorly, you aren’t a good friend.

MAFS' Lauren
"Jack's 'muzzle your woman' comment left me absolutely speechless". Credit: Channel Nine

I think my one piece of advice to anyone thinking of going on MAFS is to have your partner’s back. Call them out when needed but always be a united front. I say this while also acknowledging that I'm sure this is the approach Tori is taking with Jack, but I just don’t think he has her back or has been respectful of her during this experiment. It’s easy to get distracted in the drama and semantics of the social elements with the rest of the cast, but ultimately you are there to find a husband or wife and that should be your key focus. However, I think it’s important to approach your relationship and your opinion of other couples in the experiment with respect.

As we move further into the experiment, I’m shocked we still have so many couples standing. I feel like we have to lose at least one couple at the next commitment ceremony. It’s hard to guess which couple will leave but my guess is going to be either Timothy and Lucinda or Tristan and Cassandra. I also don’t see Madeleine and Ash going very far so maybe they could be on the way out too. We'll have to wait and see!

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