OWN and Will Packer both scored big with the hit dating reality show “Ready to Love.” Set against the backdrop of Atlanta, a city known for beautiful chocolate singles, the show has become a Twitter favorite as singles vie for a chance at real love.
This season moved slower than the first season, due to an upset in the love triangle consisting of Mario Tolliver, Reva Stout, and Tondy Gallant. When Season 2 ended Tondy and Mario were walking off into the sunset after Reva withdrew from the competition.
The reunion however, took viewers by surprise as mid-way through the show Mario revealed that not only had he broken things off with Tondy, but he’d also called Reva a few days later and the two were now in a full-fledged relationship.
Black twitter dragged the couple mainly because Tondy suggested that she and Reva were friends and she felt betrayed. Viewers also felt Mario treated Tondy coldly after initially choosing her earlier in the season finale. Mario and Reva stopped by rolling out to set the record straight on the drama and to reassure fans that their announcement was not simply a ratings stunt for TV.
For you and Mario to be in love now is a shock considering you “warned” Tondy about Mario before you withdrew. Did you try to make her doubt him so you could have him for yourself?
No. One of the guys told me something that was said at the cigar bar that made me question Mario. … At this time I knew I was going to self-eliminate so I reached out to Tondy and said I wasn’t telling her how to move, but to proceed with caution. I knew I was going to be out of the picture and would have issued the same message on my way out the door to any of the other ladies there as well. I can understand why it may be perceived as grimy, because of the position we are in now, but that definitely wasn’t the case at the time.
Even if you and Mario decided you were right for each other, fans felt you tried to embarrass Tondy unnecessarily at the reunion. Did the two of you plan the reveal that way?
Absolutely not! There was so much that was said that was edited out. People only saw certain cuts of what happened at the reunion. Also, the producers told Mario that he couldn’t tell Tondy about us and so it kind of set him up to look like the bad guy.
The entire season he was a favorite and then during the reunion he became the most-hated guy on the show, but people didn’t see the whole story. When you are dating this is what happens. People break up and they get with other people. Now that the cameras are off it’s been so much better. I absolutely love this man.
