"World-class pr*ck": Gold Rush: White Water's Carlos calls out Dustin over disrespect and being pushed to the limit

Tensions between Carlos and Dustin reached a boiling point in Gold Rush: White Water season 9, episode 5, when Carlos openly confronted Dustin about feeling disrespected and pushed beyond his limits. During a heated exchange, Carlos told Dustin:

"I'm telling you for me ma, man, and I'm being truthful with you, you're a world-class pr*ck dude, A world-class pr*ck."

The conflict revolves around Dustin's pressure on the Gold Rush: White Water team, Carlos's reaction to that pressure, and how both men eventually worked toward a resolution.

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Carlos calls out Dustin over disrespect and pressure in Gold Rush: White Water

Conflict over respect and leadership

The disagreement began when Dustin accused Carlos of holding a grudge and bringing unresolved issues into their daily interactions. Dustin said:

"If you can't get over this then this is your problem man just trying to ignore it and then you pull it into the next day walking around and looking at me like I'm some sort f**king evil sh**."

Carlos responded by expressing his feelings of being sidelined, stating:

"I thought from day one that I was part of something. Then yesterday, you made me feel like Joe Schmo when you said I just sent you home."

Dustin further challenged Carlos by questioning his behavior, asking if he had seriously approached him and made "demands." Carlos denied this accusation, but Dustin remained firm, dismissing it as "bullish**."

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Physical and emotional strain on the crew

Dustin's physical injury significantly increased the pressure on the crew. A diving injury forced Dustin to stop working underwater, but his determination to keep his claim going intensified the demands on his team.

The Gold Rush: White Water flashback narration explained that a "freak injury" forced Dustin to stop diving for the rest of the season. Despite this, Dustin, desperate to maintain control of his Nugget Creek claim, pushed his crew to their breaking point. Carlos highlighted the physical toll on the crew, stating:

"Shattered, exhausted. Tiredness kills people, man."

When Dustin questioned Carlos's work hours by asking if he could only do "4 hours," Carlos firmly stated that was all he was willing to do. Dustin then threatened to send Carlos home because of it, prompting Carlos to respond with disbelief and ask if Dustin was "serious."

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Resolution and moving forward

Despite the intensity of the confrontation, Carlos and Dustin sought to resolve their issues. Carlos challenged Dustin to self-reflect:

"You know what, man, go look in the mirror and ask yourself, 'Who am I, dude?'"

After the exchange, Carlos acknowledged that the tension would remain in his mind whenever Dustin got angry at him and that he would have to "deal" with those feelings until they faded. Dustin then proposed resolving the issue by either fully settling it or moving past it. Carlos agreed to settle the matter, saying they should call it "squashed."

Dustin confirmed the agreement as he left. Following the confrontation, Carlos apologized to the other crew members for causing trouble, expressed regret for "kicking the hornet's nest," and admitted he should have understood his role better.

In his Gold Rush: White Water confessional, Carlos stated that he was unsure exactly what happened but believed they had talked things through and decided to mentally "ball it up" and move on. Dustin reflected on the situation, explaining:

"Everything's going to be fine. We had to say our peace, and that's it. We're men. It's fine. When I get too stressed out, I go too far, but you can't have me doing all these crazy things, taking all these chances, and be completely sane and rational."

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Stream Gold Rush: White Water anytime on Max and Discovery+.