A Love Island USA spinoff series revealed one Philly-area contestant’s reaction to the reactions of the audience, including the Bethlehem mayor and police chief.
The unseen footage that aired Saturday on Peacock of former Lehigh Valley cop Sean Reifel aired on the inaugural Aftersun episode, a weekly talk show co-hosted by Ciara Miller, of Bravo’s Summer House, and internet personality Tefi Pessoa.
Reifel, who was a police officer for the Bethlehem Police Department, came into the show as an original cast member. The 29-year-old had his eyes set on finding love on the show, leaving behind his job and his phone — contestants must forgo their phones for the duration of the show to participate.
But six days ago, Reifel was left single and vulnerable, and was dumped from the Love Island villa after a dramatic recoupling. The next morning, the Aftersun crew filmed the former cop getting his phone back — only to find out his former bosses — the police chief and mayor — weren’t too happy about his TV debut.
On the show, Reifel read aloud comments from Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds, who swore Reifel in in August.
“Mayor J. William Reynolds says ‘Sean Reifel resigned from the police department after the city spent thousands of taxpayer dollars on his training and police academy education,’” Reifel read. “He [Reynolds] called the departure disappointing. He said, ‘I never thought I’d see the day in America where a reality show participation wins out over being a police officer.’”
“I guess he’s upset,” the former police officer said. “That’s interesting. I definitely had a sit-down with my job and told them exactly where I was going and what was happening, and they asked me to put in for unpaid leave.”
Reifel also read his sister’s rebuttal: “‘This could have been a great opportunity for the mayor and police department to connect with the community instead they chose a response that will likely reinforce the stereotypes they should be working to change.’”
Reading the mayor’s comments bothered Reifel. He, along with his colleagues, had reportedly won awards for “taking a lady out of a building on fire and talking someone off a roof that was mentally ill.”
“So it’s like … to give me those and then do something like this? I just don’t understand. I don’t want to say anything bad about them. I know things can be taken out of context. Everyone in the department knew I was going.”
Regardless, he hopes his colleagues appreciate him.
Hosts of Aftersun also expressed their shock at the mayor’s comments.
“I can’t even imagine what it’s like having the mayor of the town you live in come out and say that was trifling as f—,” Pessoa said.
“You’re going to punish him publicly for making a decision on his life?” Miller said.
“How much crime is there in Bethlehem?” Pessoa said.
“Mary—” Miller added.
“And Joseph. And the manger,” Pessoa replied.