Summary

• Lauren made a derogatory joke about Native Americans, showing ignorance of the real meaning of “red skin,” causing a major setback in her relationship with Orion.
• Orion was deeply hurt by Lauren’s joke and questioned her understanding and sensitivity towards his culture.
• The couple’s relationship faces additional challenges, including Lauren’s infidelity, but they still have potential for growth and redemption if they can overcome these obstacles.

Married at First Sight season 17 cast member Lauren made a bad “joke” toward her Native American husband, Orion Martzloff, that she may not be able to redeem herself from. Lauren and Orion married at the altar as strangers in Married at First Sight‘s Denver, Colorado, chapter. Each came into the experiment thinking they were ready to share their lives with someone and be accepted for who they are. Lauren is a proud black woman, while Orion is deeply tied to his Native roots. Lauren said she was ready to date outside of her race after never having done so before.

Lauren and Orion hit it off immediately, describing how comfortable they felt around each other. However, Orion gave off some red flags to Lauren’s dad when he didn’t add Lauren into the equation regarding his future life plans. Despite that, viewers have been watching Lauren and Orion’s connection grow but have been privy to their first major setback in Lauren’s derogatory joke. Before that, they had been romantic on the honeymoon and found common ground on a lot of serious topics.

Lauren Made A Bad “Joke”

Lauren and Orion were enjoying their in-room hot tub while drinking champagne when Lauren asked Orion if he had ever used the N-word. He said he had ignorantly, and Lauren gave him a punch to the shoulder “for my ancestors.” Lauren admitted to saying terms when she was younger she didn’t know were derogatory, and Orion threw out the word “red skin.” That’s when Lauren said, “I don’t even know what red skin means honestly.” Before chuckling while saying, “Oh wait, I just looked at your face.” Orion immediately looked hurt and said, “That was a little rough.”

It was obvious by Lauren’s delivery that she thought what she said was original and funny, but it quickly backfired in the face of her husband. Orion educated Lauren on what “red skin” meant to his culture and how much negativity was attached to the phrase. He relayed that colonizers thought the scalp of an Indian was valuable, and the blood running down their face after scalping was the “red skin” part. Lauren backtracked and said, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t even making a joke necessarily.”

Lauren Relentlessly Questioned Orion’s Feelings

What happened next in the uncomfortable exchange after Lauren’s wayward “joke” was cringy as Lauren tried to undermine what she said to make it appear less offensive. Orion made it clear the topic was not a joke. Then Lauren asked how Orion could tell if he felt offended or if what someone was saying was a joke. Orion explained it was about delivery before Lauren questioned why Orion didn’t have the same “heated” reaction toward Cameron Frazer when he made a bad comment about “leaving the reservation” as he did when she made the “red skin” comment.

Orion described, “You can hear ignorance when it does come.” Lauren interjected that there was “humor within our pain” before Orion said there was a difference between “reservation” and “red skin” and jabbed that Lauren was trying to minimize her comparison. Lauren digging her heels into her “red skin” comment made her look bad. Orion put her on blast for the “joke” and her defense and was visibly turned off by the interaction. They left things in an awkward place, and it remains to be seen how the incident will affect them going forward in the experiment.

Orion Was Really Mad

Orion is very headstrong and proud of his culture, and it is apparent that he was cut deep by his new wife’s rhetoric. This cringy scenario is Orion and Lauren’s first uncomfortable discussion and disagreement, and while Lauren could be seen as someone trying to understand their partner better, her delivery came off more negatively. It seems that Lauren really wanted to press Orion’s culture button, and she crossed the line in doing so. If she is able to have a redemption arc from this situation, it will be an uphill battle based on the sensitive nature of the topic and what the conversation meant to Orion.

Lauren And Orion Have Troubled Days Ahead

Based on the trailer for Married at First Sight season 17, this upsetting interaction will not be the only hurdle for the couple. It will come to light that Lauren slept with someone, which hurt Orion. It’s unclear when or what the circumstances of the cheating were, but they are going to have a negative effect on Orion, who described in the trailer that he was “heartbroken.” Lauren will convey her remorse but reiterate that there was nothing more she could do. Since the couple is going forward on a slippery slope, they will be one of the most closely-watched couples this season as what seemed like a great match sours.

Lauren Is An Honest Person (Which Is Good For The Experiment)

The only thing working in Lauren’s favor in the fallout of this “red skin” discussion is that Lauren showed that she is honest and serious about getting her point across. These traits are good for the Married at First Sight experiment, where the couples are intended to lay it all out on the line in their effort to know and understand their new spouses. Orion will not have any mystery when making his decision since he will know all of Lauren’s ugly truths and controversial perspectives.

Lauren And Orion Do Like Each Other

A few of the things that Lauren and Orion have going for them are that they are attracted to one another, have already found common ground and visions for their future, and have expressed how much they like each other. While Lauren’s derogatory “joke” and future implications will no doubt cast a negative cloud on her marriage to Orion, there is still a lot of room this season for the pair to come together. They have yet to mingle more with the other couples, seek out advice of friends and family, and get the opportunity to live together.

There is room for Lauren to have a redemption arc for viewers and her relationship with Orion, but she will need to show more growth and restraint. With Married at First Sight season 17 only a few episodes in, viewers should buckle up for the drama that lies ahead. It’s clear that Lauren and Orion are committed to the process and want to live a married life, so they also have that going for them.

Married at First Sight airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST.

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  Married At First Sight

  Cast:

  Pepper Schwartz, Calvin Roberson, Viviana Coles, Jessica Griffin, John Aiken, Mel Schilling, Alessandra Rampolla

  Genres:

  Reality, Romance

  Rating:

  TV-14

  Seasons:

  17

  Writers:

  Lotte Offenberg Bergqvist, Razor Rizzotti

  Directors:

  Charlie Mysak, Michael Fitzpatrick Lawrence Jr., Nick Petrie

  Showrunner:

  Sam Dean