On 90 Day Fiance: Before The 90 Days Season 6, Episode 4, we finally “met” another of this season’s couples.
Christian and Cleo are both interesting people. But they have also never met in person.
Meanwhile, the episode showed a pair of couples meeting for the first time, an awkward hotel visit, and a bitter breakup.
Gino Palazzolo and Jasmine Pineda
Season 6, Episode 4 begins with Jasmine and Gino in good spirits. They are apologizing for the potato-related argument that was not, at its core, about potatoes. Gino is blaming the spud spat on how he had been operating on just a few hours of sleep. Which … is pretty fair. Honestly, most people finish a long flight and just want to sleep. There are deeper issues at work for this toxic couple, however.
Apparently, they had quite a morning
Jasmine spares no details as she describes how amorous her morning with Gino was. Sex has been an issue (or rather, a lack of sex has been an issue) in their engagement for a while. Not this morning, apparently.
It sounds pretty normal
While we wouldn’t call it universal, many people are familiar with the special intimacy of waking up to the physical sensation that their partner is ready to star the day, so to speak. By the way, the English word that Jasmine is searching for here is “poking.”
Not everything was as she had hoped
Gino himself did not climax. She blames this on his age and exhaustion, but we’d note that some people take a long time to orgasm. Some people never or almost never orgasm with a partner. It’s just one of the quirks of humanity. That said, if Gino does have a health issue, it would be worth investigating. Especially if he’s taking medication for sex.
WAIT, WHAT?
Apparently, this was the seventh time that Gino and Jasmine have had sex. Like, ever. They have been in a relationship for nearly two and a half years. Even if they did not meet in person right away, that is … a possible red flag. Especially given how openly horny Jasmine is.
What, no toothbrush?
After last season’s infamous toothbrush gift, Gino is stepping it … well, not up. He’s stepping it sideways a notch. His gift to Jasmine is a travel pocket, like the one that he wore under his pants. Allegedly, she wore the last one so much that it broke. Is that true, or did Jasmine tell him that to explain why she was no longer wearing it?
Gino also brings hair extensions
This box alone cost over $300. Jasmine tells him that she would need ten of those. When Gino balks in surprise, it prompts her to tell him that she will need to maintain her standard of living when she moves to Michigan as his wife. That is, she fully expects him to pay for these luxuries. Gino mentions the “budget” to her, and Jasmine objects. Gino tells the camera that he thinks that Jasmine thinks of his retirement savings as accessible money, like a normal savings account. He strongly disagrees.
Massage talk
Later, they go out to eat. Jasmine brings up massages, and Gino is totally up for receiving them. She is, to be clear, volunteering. Of course, she also suggests that she’d happily give Gino massages “with a happy ending.” Gino looks like he’s short-circuiting (as he often does), and not with horniness. He repeatedly emphasizes that he is only asking for regular massages. “Okay, whatever,” Jasmine replies. She then emphasizes that she’s grateful that he “tried” to get her hair extensions.
Prenup time!
In as awkward and nervous a manner as you can possibly imagine, Gino brings up the idea of a prenup. He prefaces it by talking about how long he has worked, how much they love each other, and more. Jasmine is immediately angry — and feels like he is accusing her of plotting to marry and divorce him.
Insults!
Jasmine asks if Gino realizes “how stupid” he sounds. Then, she tells him, from the bottom of her heart, “f–k you. A hundred times, f–k you.” Right after saying this, she then accuses him of being “very disrespectful” by bringing up a prenup. Which really makes us wonder what in the world she thinks that a prenuptial agreement is. Then, tears in her eyes, she tells him that they are “not engaged any longer.” Lunch is over. It seems that the same is true for their relationship.
The next day
Jasmine and Gino slept in separate rooms. Gino is hoping that he can reason with her by writing out the reasons why the prenup is a good idea and why he asked for it. Honestly, in my experience, writing things down is a better way to organize your own thoughts than it is to communicate during an emotional discussion with a loved one. Why? Because reading someone’s words can feel like an attack. A written letter isn’t a conversation, and feels final. But it might also be the only way for Gino to get his thoughts out, given how Jasmine reacts.
Jasmine is already not reacting well
She expresses that she feels hurt. In her mind, Gino doesn’t trust her. This reminds her of things with her ex — though, according to her, that man “hid all of the money” and forced her to walk away with nothing. That is not what any legitimate prenup should do. In fact, ideally, it should do the polar opposite of that. A decent prenup would delineate exactly how much Jasmine should receive in a divorce.
No room for conversation
“If there is a f–king a prenup, I’m not gonna marry you!” Jasmine yells at Gino when he tries to speak. This tells Gino that she does not really love him, so he tells her to “forget it.” He walks away. Jasmine says “stay with your f–king money” while beginning to sob.
Yeah
In the other room, Gino tells the camera that this is exactly why he wanted a prenup. With Jasmine’s “screaming and yelling,” and his “fears about her temper,” Gino can’t have a normal or healthy conversation with his fiancee. As evidence of that, Jasmine stops sobbing long enough to confront Gino, asking if he’s “talking about” her. Of course he is. That’s kind of their job right now, on a reality show.
Gino tries to explain
Getting out the paper where he wrote down his thoughts, Gino tries to go through the prenup. He emphasizes that it would be “protection for” Jasmine in a divorce. Any decent prenup would be, though we of course do not know what Gino has in mind.
Jasmine SNATCHES away the paper
Seizing the paper, she angrily reads it. According to it, she will get a lower amount of spousal support if she initiates divorce. Jasmine complains that she would be “stuck” with Gino. Apparently, her concern is that he would cheat on her and then leave her to either accept it or accept some measure of poverty upon leaving him.
Gino says that this isn’t true
He notes that he wants to include a clause for cheating. Meaning that if he cheats, she can divorce him without taking a financial loss. (Just for the record, a decent prenup would come together through negotiations by their attorneys — with the monied partner paying for both) “I don’t want this,” Jasmine says. And then she rips up the paper.
Jasmine throws the paper scraps at him
She tells him to get out of her home, she throws the paper at him, and she accuses him of bringing out her “demons.” Jasmine then begins taunting him about her attraction to her exes and how much better they were. He calls her “the worst sexual person,” whatever that means. The taunting about her ex continues. While Gino packs, Jasmine complains about how he is not respecting her by bringing up the prenup.
Amanda Wilhelm and Razvan Ciocoi
As their segment of the episode begins, Razvan is making pancakes. Part of the vibe is that he’s feeling a little hurt that Amanda wasn’t over the moon with his surprise “I’m getting a visa to go to the US right away” news. And part of it is that he thinks that he’s, like, a master of making pancakes.
Is he, though?
Razvan’s idea of making pancakes involves … spreading pancake batter around on a skillet, as if he were making an omelette. Wait, not even like that. It’s very strange. Amanda thinks that it’s weird, too.
“I thought that we cuddle more and talk”
Razvan tells Amanda that she fell asleep quickly the night before. They’d had an argument at the restaurant after he surprised her with the visa news and she expressed her discomfort and mixed emotions. He’d wanted to talk about it. But Amanda had fallen asleep.
But it’s all good?
Well, no. But they’re still affectionate enough to kiss through a sheet of glass. That’s not the same as resolving their hurt feelings and mixed emotions, but they’re at least on good terms. (After watching Gino and Jasmine, everyone looks like they’re a healthy and happy couple)
“It’s organic”
Razvan tells Amanda that he is taking her to the nicest grocery store around. It’s called Biocorner and we’re getting Big Whole Foods Energy from it. But, you know, Romanian. Also, he claims that it offers “American food.” That … is an interesting claim.
“American waffles”
Maybe I’m just in the pocket of Big Eggo, but what he claims are “American waffles” don’t look anything like what I would look for or find if I wanted to buy waffles. Amanda says that she doesn’t like prepackaged foods. There are a number of things that she doesn’t eat. No one has to eat anything that they don’t want, of course. But her aversion to “GMO” foods might be a red flag. The non-GMO crowd tends to be gullible in an alarmingly anti-science way. We’re not saying that this is Amanda’s reason, which is why we’re just considering it a potential red flag.
“I think Amanda is a picky eater”
Well, I’ll always 100% support any reasonable picky eater. (That is, anyone who is picky about taste and texture, not anyone who simply refuses to eat food from any other culture) But how picky is Amanda, really? Razvan appears to have wandered around a store, holding up random things and asking if Amanda liked them. Who, with even the slightest hint of a discerning palate, wouldn’t come across as “picky” on a trip like that? (Also? Make a shopping list before you go out, folks)
Later, they go to a park
Amanda makes a joke about vampire bats (they’re in Romania, folks!), but the main purpose of the trip is to discuss his upcoming video. Razvan is going to be in a music video, and there’s going to be a sexy woman in it. Amanda is not an actress or model, so she declines his offer. But he’s worried that she will become jealous when she sees him flirting with another gal — even if it’s pretend.
Razvan calls the music video producer
Ovidiu is familiar with Razvan’s relationship (even though he is only four months into knowing Amanda), and expresses concern about Amanda feeling jealous if Razvan smooches another model.
And that is the plan
Amanda has cautioned Razvan that she will not like it if he kisses another girl (again, even for work), but insists that she isn’t “telling him” what to do. So there “may be a kiss” in the video.
They talk about Amanda in front of her
They are not speaking English, but Amanda clearly hears her name. And she finds it pretty rude. It might be unavoidable, though, if the producer doesn’t speak English.
“It’s a test for her”
It’s kind of a garbage thing for Razvan to say that he’s testing Amanda with this music video. Yeah, we get it, his ex was super jealous so he’s worried about history repeating itself. But it sucks. At the same time, Amanda is also testing him by seeing if he’ll prioritize her feelings. Maybe they’re meeting way too soon in this relationship, huh?
Christian and Cleo
New couple alert! Well, not all that new to each other, but new to us. We’re finally meeting 30-year-old Minnesota native Christian. And his lovely lady love in London, Cleo. They’re not even the final couple that this season is introducing. Weird rollout but not unprecedented.
Anyway, Christian is “the life of he party”
You know how reality shows want people to condense themselves into a very simple bio? That’s his. He likes to goof around and party. If you need an off-screen example of his personality, he has an “OnlyFans” link on social media that is just a RickRoll. He’s a goofball and he clearly has a lot of extrovert energy.
And Christian is head over heels for Cleo
Some of his past relationships have been pretty spontaneous. He even eloped (and then had an annulment) with his girlfriend in 2020. Now, he’s in love with Cleo. They have never met in person, but they first came into contact on social media.
It started like so many chats
Now, he says, they have spent months video chatting every single night. He can’t wait to meet her. But he knows that Cleo is totally unlike any of the women that he’s dated before.
Cleo is autistic
The 32-year-old Italian model currently lives in London. She clearly has a great sense of humor. She’s a bit of a cat lady (we don’t mean that as a pejorative, either). And though the UK is extremely hostile to the transgender community (yes, even compared to most of America), her focus is more upon barriers that exist during everyday life.
City life means sensory overload
Anyone might feel overwhelmed by a loud siren or a busy crowd. But some (like Nicole Sherbiny from the most recent season of The Other Way) are clearly more sensitive than others. Cleo uses headphones to dampen some of the noise, which she struggles to process. Many folks with autism notice sounds that allistics (that is, people who do not have autism) tune out. The constant overstimulation can be agonizing. She wears a lanyard to show that she has an invisible disability, just in case of emergencies.
Cleo meets up with a friend
She and Ousama apparently bonded over shared spiritual interests. They sit down to talk about Christian and her love life, but Cleo quickly becomes distracted. This is her first day of filming, and she has a question … for producers.
“What’s your sign”
In as non-judgmental of a way as we can put this, Cleo REALLY likes astrology. The way that she describes it, it sounds like it has become a Special Interest for her. Meaning that astrology is central to her life and worldview and sparks a special kind of joy in her. There are issues when an austistic person’s Special Interest is religious or spiritual, because that can make others uncomfortable in a way that an interest in Icelandic history or aquatic biomes does not. But producers answer her question. According to Cleo, knowing people’s star sign brings her comfort as she interacts with them. I can sort of see where she’s coming from.
Cleo and Christian have not yet met
Their conversations look like countless DMs between friends, flirty friends, and partners. They’re both nervous about whether they will be as into each other in person. But for now? Cleo is hooked.
“What is a simp?”
A producer has to ask Cleo what it means to be a “simp” when she describes herself as simping for Christian. It means to crush on someone, basically, often with the implication that the thought of them makes your mind go blank — or that you’d do anything for them. (Anyone using that term as an insult is a coward, honestly)
But will Christian feel the same way?
She admits that she’s unsure. Christian has never dated a trans woman before. As nice as it would be if society weren’t hostile to autistic or to trans folks, it’s actually very hostile to both. Which means that it’s not always about whether a prospective partner is ableist or transphobic, but about how much toxic elements of society can influence them.
Later, Cleo meets up with Jane
The two hang out while Cleo is looking for an outfit to wear. She wants to make a good first impression upon Christian when she meets him at the airport.
She knows that Christian is already into her
But her concern is more about how his friends and family and society at large will act. People ask weirdly inappropriate questions of trans people (especially trans women) and their partners. Transphobia is sometimes enough to drive trans folks into hiding — or worse. It can obviously be enough to scare off a cisgender partner.
Meanwhile …
Christian is hanging out with friends and talking about his upcoming trip to see Cleo. They all know about his relationship. But they do have some questions. Honestly, the questions are kind of s–tty. We don’t mean that they mean them maliciously, and we are fully prepared to consider that production may have asked them to discuss these topics (rather than, like, just having normal banter that isn’t useful for the show). But asking things like whether Christian is into Cleo when he’s not into men? That’s s–tty. Cleo is a woman, she’s just not a cissgender woman.
Just for the record …
Christian does mention that he made out with a guy in college, adding that he knew then that men weren’t for him. That’s not surprising. A lot of people kiss a lot of people in college, especially at parties. It often has very little to do with someone’s sexuality. It can sometimes be an awakening … but clearly, not for Christian. His lack of interest in men doesn’t really relate to this relationship, though, because Cleo is a woman. So it’s weird and uncomfortable that his friends are bringing this up.
“I know everything there is to know about her”
Christian balks at answering any intrusive questions about Cleo’s body. He knows the answer, but he’s not going to announce whether she has had bottom surgery (that is, genital surgery). That’s not his friends’ business. And Christian correctly points out that asking is every bit as weird and inappropriate as it would be if he asked about a friend’s “girlfriend’s labia.” He’s right!!
David and Sheila
With David on his way, Sheila is packing to go meet him at the airport. Her son, Jhonreil, will stay with her parents for a couple of days while she and David get to know each other one on one. In the mean time, he helps her to close her relatively small bag.
Sheila feels anxious
She and David have never met in person, so of course she has the normal doubts and worries. Additionally, she wonders if David will find it frustrating that she has not mastered ASL. He is deaf. If they have to rely upon their phones for every conversation, it could be frustrating.
United!
By her own admission, Sheila did not know how she would react upon seeing David. As it was, she ran forward and hugged him. She also gushed over how handsome he was. David later gushed to the camera about how wonderful it felt to actually hold her after so long.
Sheila was selling herself short!
She is able to ask David what he thinks of her, understand his reply, and thank him for the praise. She has to spell out some words, but that’s still sign language!
Who looks better in person?
When producers ask which of them looks better in person than they did on their photos, they both indicate each other. SO cute. We’re really rooting for these two.
Meisha Johnson and Nicola Kanaan
With daughters Morea and Svea driving her, Meisha heads to the airport. She will be flying to Israel, and meeting Nicola in person for the first time. This is a meeting seven years in the making.
Meisha will miss her girls
It’s not like with Amanda, where her kids are little and require childcare and constant reassurance. Her daughters are young adults (19 and 17). They’ll miss their mom, but mostly they’re just wondering what sort of man Nicola will turn out to be and what their mom’s life will be like.
Meisha feels so excited!
But she also expresses anxieties. Meeting Nicola in person will be different than talking over video chat. A lot of time and emotion is riding on this trip. And remember, she hopes that this one visit will determine whether she and Nicola marry. We should also remember that neither of them consider divorce to be an option.
They meet!
Meisha and Nicola hug and exchange the briefest of pecks on the lips. But more than one. Nicola, remember, has not kissed a woman in about 16 years. He has never had sex of any kind.
“You brought all of America?”
Nicola’s comment about Meisha’s luggage will come up more than once. It is always interesting when men love women who put a lot of effort into their looks and appearance, but then seem baffled by the time and belongings that go into that. It’s not magic. Meisha’s Catholic, and we’re pretty sure that magic would be frowned upon.
Oh boy
It totally makes sense that Meisha and Nicola would make references to their shared Catholic beliefs. It is what first drew them together. But it runs the risk of making them look a little one-dimensional. Perhaps editing is to blame. In part.
They pray ahead of their drive
The two of them are going to Nazareth, which is very on-brand. Nicola initiates a prayer. It almost seems like Meisha thinks that he’s joking at first, but he clearly is not.
Just to be clear …
Plenty of people pray before undertaking journeys, before meals, before bed, etc. Either editing or Nicola himself seems to be laying it on a little thick. It will be interesting if we learn whether Nicola has interests beyond Catholicism and fishing. His own friend, Wasim, seemed to indicate that he does not.
What a face
Meisha finds Nicola’s driving to be a little intense. It is not uncommon for Americans to find traffic chaotic and frightening in many other countries. Conversely, some countries include notes about “polite” American traffic when advising tourists before they visit the US. We’ve seen some ugly traffic situations in America, but that puts things into perspective. Anyway, Meisha then jokingly calls Nicola “the best driver in the world.”
They’re staying at a hotel
Not at Nicola’s home. He lives with his mom, who knows nothing whatsoever about Meisha. And Nicola is not eager to tell her. He wants to avoid “drama” and he suspects that his mother will have a very negative reaction to Meisha. But … it doesn’t sound like Meisha really knows this.
Again
Meisha definitely packed a lot of luggage. But for a beautiful woman who is spending weeks in another country AND filming for a reality TV show, you’d expect a lot of clothing options.
“Two separate beds”
Nicola is so quick to emphasize that he and Meisha are not married and will not be boning tonight. We’re not sure why the hotel desk clerk needed to hear any of this. It’s not really his business.
The beds are tiny
Their hotel room looks a little bit like a side room that you’d have in a larger hotel suite. Like for kids to sleep in. Meisha immediately remarks upon the small beds. They have an I Love Lucy vibe to them. Just for the record, two chaste Catholics could also sleep separately on a pair of queen mattresses. Perhaps that was not an option here.
Oh?
Meisha doesn’t mind copping a feel and being physically close with Nicola. But she is immediately reminded of how he does not have any sort of relationship experience. At least, not the recent kind.
So Nicola is kind of awkward
Meisha knows that physical proximity does not always lead to sex. But she gets the feelings that Nicola is less comfortable with this.
A short while later
To put it simply, Meisha is kind of bonkers. She has unpacked her belongings and essentially consumed the entire hotel room. There’s a reason for it, as she looks at her outfits, but it is kind of nuts. Did Nicola pick the hotel room? It sounds like it. If so, he should have gotten a bigger room. Like, for grownups to stay for weeks.
It’s so much
Perhaps they will find a balance. This looks, and I do not say this lightly, even more chaotic than when my mother visits. Even so, the two enjoy some wine and some local cuisine and chat.
WHOA
Nicola tells Meisha that, were it not for her lack of an annulment, he would marry her on the spot. Meisha pumps the brakes a little, saying that she wants to get to know him better, first. He should want the same from her. Especially after seeing their hotel room. Anyway, she’s right, and his confusion over her statement seems like a red flag.
Riley Attaway and Violet
Finally, Riley is on his way to Vietnam to meet Violet in person for the very first time.
Violet is excited, too
She correctly predicts that Riley is excited and anxious to see her. There are a lot of feelings here. A lot of butterflies fluttering in their stomachs, so to speak.
Also, they have a bet going
Riley and Violet sort of dared each other that the first person to touch the other loses. Not an ideal bet for a show where a major iconic moment is couples running into each other’s arms. But it’s sort of cute. They quickly cave (allegedly, Riley lost) and embrace.
“You got a nice ass”
Riley is quick to comment on Violet’s booty. She adds that she has a nice “everything.” Their attraction is mutual, but what really comes across is their compatibility. They seem to share a sense of humor.
See?
The two tease each other and giggle. It’s really cute.
Riley feels nervous in Vietnam traffic
But he and Violet use this time to just be in the moment. They are finally together. Soon, we’re sure, the drama will begin.
.
