What did Buzzfeed Tasty post about Chelley? Offensive post controversy explained as outlet issues apology

Love Island USA star Michelle “Chelley” Bissainthe is currently trending after Buzzfeed’s food/ recipe brand, Tasty, shared an Instagram post about the type of breakfast meal they would make for her, in their July 9 post. However, the expression “knuckle sandwich” used in the description sparked a controversy online, with many claiming it had racial overtones.

"As any 'Love Island' watcher knows, the contestants NEVER forget to eat their breakfast. But while their mans are the ones cooking them the delicious meal every morning, I'm showing you the breakfasts I would make the girls instead," the caption read.⁠

Meanwhile, the image showing the said breakfast meal included a fruit bowl, Goldfish (in case Ace gets fussy), and a knuckle sandwich. While Ace is a fellow male contestant Chelley is currently coupled with on the show, a knuckle sandwich is depicted as a fist between two buns.

⁠The post soon sparked a controversy as social media users condemned Buzzfeed Tasty for the graphic knuckle sandwich exhibit, calling it offensive, insensitive, anti-Black, and seemingly violent.

In the wake of the backlash, Buzzfeed Tasty removed the original post and replaced it with one featuring pancakes instead of a knuckle sandwich. The now-deleted post also came with a clarification in the caption that read:

“We published a version of this post earlier today that was meant to ruffle some feathers – all in good fun, about a TV show we collectively can’t get enough of – but one of our jokes missed the mark.”

The caption continued by claiming that referencing a knuckle sandwich concerning Chelley “was meant to be cheeky,” however, it landed with “racial undertones that we didn’t intend (but should’ve seen coming)."

Meanwhile, Bissainthe’s team issued a statement calling Buzzfeed Tasty’s post “disturbing, disgusting, and unacceptable,” adding the outlet took “no accountability.”

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Exploring further Chelley’s statement amid the Buzzfeed Tasty controversy

On Wednesday, Buzzfeed Tasty uploaded a post on Instagram titled, “What I Think Each Love Island Girl DESERVES For Breakfast.” It highlighted the kind of breakfast meals they would make for female contestants of the seventh season of the reality series, including Chelley Bissainthe.

However, when the slide referring to Bissainthe drew criticism, BuzzFeed Tasty took it down and shared an apology post, calling itself a “joyful, welcoming space,” adding that the original post didn’t reflect the same.

“As massive ‘Love Island’ fans, we took it down, talked it through, and reworked it to make sure the jokes didn’t come at anyone’s expense. Thank you for helping us do better,” the caption ended.

Meanwhile, Chelley’s team issued a lengthy statement claiming the slide dedicated to her “was not breakfast but violence,” adding it specifically hinted at “domestic violence” as the men made breakfast for the women on the show.

“Hence, the message of domestic violence is subtle yet present when we use our critical thinking and reasoning skills. Especially in the field of journalism and media,” the statement posted to her social media read.

It further went on:

“It's not only disturbing, disgusting, and unacceptable. It is the harsh reality that implicit biases can be rooted in anti-blackness, misogyny, prejudice, violence, etc.”

Bissianthe’s team noted that while the original post was deleted, the one that was issued afterward contained “a condescending message and no tone of accountability,” which, too, was soon taken down.

The statement claimed that while Chelley did not see the posts as she was inside the villa, her friends, family, and supporters saw them as “a symbol of violence to someone who inspires and represents them.”

“Team Chelley will not tolerate this level of disrespect, anti-Blackness, prejudice, and misogyny. Furthermore, we will not accept a narrative in which Chelley deserves violence. No person deserves that. Not Chelley or any of the islanders,” it added.

Bissainthe’s team demanded a “sincere apology” from the parties responsible, adding Buzzfeed Tasty must take “steps of accountability to ensure this does not happen in the future.” The statement ended by urging people to foster “digital footprints” of love instead of hate, alongside a quote on racial equality by Nelson Mandela.

While Buzzfeed Tasty did not reference Chelley’s breakfast meal post, on July 10, it posted on its Instagram Story that a post recently published by them was “offensive” and did not meet the “high level of editorial standards.”

“The post has been removed, and we are taking steps to ensure this does not happen again,” it read.

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Michelle Bissainthe, 27, is not only a reality TV personality but also a day trader and model from Miami, Florida. She has over 927K followers on her Instagram (@_slimthin).