Russ & Paola Mayfield respond to Anfisa suggesting they are the ‘show’s little b*tches’

The feud between 90 Day Fiance: Happily Ever After co-stars Paola Mayfield and Anfisa Nava is heating up again! Anfisa sparked the latest flames when she revealed earlier this week that show producers were not willing to meet her and Jorge’s salary demands for a new season, so they decided to walk away a couple months ago. Anfisa says producers threatened them with all sorts of legal actions and demanded that they stop posting on social media, among other things. “We had to make a choice: either we go into something on our own, like our YouTube channel and other things, or we had to become the show’s little b*tches and do whatever they tell us to do, like some people,” Anfisa said — a not-so-subtle reference to other cast members, especially Russ and Pao because they have appeared on more seasons than any other couple.

Anfisa’s comment inspired Russ and Pao to make an almost 15-minute video addressing the comment titled “Our Almost 15 Minutes Of Fame” (included at the bottom of this post). Pao mentions that things were said on Instagram before Russ offers his take. “It was very undermining, the way it was stated, and it generalized the cast — and we just didn’t appreciate that,” he says. “If you’re going to make jabs, and you’re going to call someone out, then do it. But don’t generalize it, because, in the end, we’re all a part of this. And we all want to be a part of this.”

“And thanks to the show, all of you know about us,” Pao adds. “To be honest, we are grateful to have been on the show for so many seasons.”

Russ and Pao then express their gratitude to Danielle and Mohamed Jbali, who they say “really put the show on the map.” Unfortunately, Pao praises Danielle for how smart she has been with her money, when Danielle just revealed that she and her family are in a very bad financial situation right now — thanks in large part to not getting paid very much (relatively speaking) for her multiple seasons on 90 Day Fiance and Happily Ever After.

Speaking of not getting paid very much to be on the show, Russ and Pao next address Jorge and Anfisa’s salary demands. Pao expresses frustration over a certain cast member undermining other cast members “just because that specific person is not getting the ridiculous amount of money that she’s asking.”

“Yeah,” Russ concurs.” I mean, they’re asking something along the lines of Kim Kardashian.”

“Even more than what Kim Kardashian can get,” Pao says, “and let’s be honest — this is not MTV, this is not E! Entertainment television, and at the end, yeah, the money is good, but the idea of doing this show is not just about the money. You have fun. You enjoy it. You want to share your story.”

I’m going to interject here just to say that I 100% disagree with Pao on this point. TLC is no different than MTV or E! — advertisers will pay the same amount to reach the same amount of viewers on either of those networks. And, as I have pointed out numerous times before, all three shows in the 90 Day Fiance franchise outperform shows like Teen Mom OG and Keeping Up With The Kardashians by a wide margin. The 90 Day Fiance shows are generating more ad revenue than those other shows, so why shouldn’t the cast get paid similarly? I won’t get into that too much here — if you want to know more about my opinion, check out our previous post about how Danielle can’t afford to pay rent on her mobile home lot and Paul Staehle is struggling to afford a flight back to Brazil to be with his pregnant wife Karine, despite both of them appearing in numerous seasons of one of cable television’s most popular reality series.

After talking some more about how Anfisa’s comments undermine the rest of the cast, Pao emphasizes that you will never hear her complain about how the show is scripted and fake, etc. as she points out that she has made a lot of mistakes on the show, and she owns them all.

She also addresses the infamous Tell All scenes in which she and Loren teamed up on Anfisa, with Pao asking Jorge at one point if Anfisa was a mail-order bride before adding that she’s “not that pretty.” Pao would later apologize on social media, and she iterates her regret in the video.

Russ says that they do not know if they will be back for another season, despite Jorge and Anfisa receiving letters letting them know they were renewed.

The couple also expresses their frustration over the negativity they receive versus some of the other cast members, and they suggest there is a double standard when it comes to fans criticizing the show because it is fake. Pao says that if you think the show is scripted, then fine, but why single them out for criticism versus the other cast members?

As a fan of the show, I feel I can answer that one easily enough. I am FULLY aware that a lot of the story lines are, um, heavily edited to say the least. But, most of the time, it’s easy to get past that because the on-screen drama is so entertaining and believable. In contrast, when I’m watching Pao at yet another modeling shoot where Russ is upset about her posing pretty much nude, I just don’t believe it — and as a fan of the show, I’m disappointed. Do I go out of my way to “hate” on Pao and Russ, or even say bad things about them as people? Nope. I would actually rank them very high on my list of 90 Day Fiance cast members that I would probably enjoy having a drink with when the cameras aren’t rolling.

After announcing the video on Instagram, Pao got into it with some followers in the comments when someone suggested that she is jealous of Anfisa. Things only escalated from there! Here is a fairly complete recap:

COMMENT: Who makes a video about @anfisanava_ I smell jealousy.. you Paola are the biggest sh*t talker in the show!!!!!!! You and Russ are begging for attention…

PAO: Let me ask you this, jealous about what? We have been on the show in almost every seasons, we get invited to all the important events, we get along with almost all couples, we get pay really good and nobody knows how much because is our business, we get a lot of publicity, you can see it by googling our names, we never trash the show or the network just because we don’t get what we want but the fact that she is trying to stay irrelevant by trashing the show and the cast calling us “little bitches of the network” just because she didn’t get what she wants it’s ridiculous! If she hates the show so much maybe she needs to move on and stop tagging 90DF and talking sh*t about the cast! Maybe it is none of my business what she says but I’m part of the franchise and that video wasn’t just about her. I wish her nothing by the best as I know she is alone in this country with her husband in jail. Have a great day!

COMMENT: Paola is so fake

PAO: well if you think that why are you here? ? Bye bye you won’t be missed?

COMMENT: I feel sorry for your and your child. I really hope they don’t grow up to be a bully like you are. That’s all you’re good at is kicking other people down when it’s none of your business…. you are a slave to the network lol and if it happened to you you’d be making the same videos. You and Loren were just mean girl bullies and fortunately for you you guys got lucky cashing out your “love story” because I promise you you wouldn’t make it in this country if you didn’t have the show lol

PAO: don’t feel sorry for us we are doing wonderful ? my husband has always been a hard worker, working legal and honest. We didn’t take fast routes. I’m not the one putting anyone down and to be honest I didn’t bully anyone and whatever you feel about Loren is your problem, don’t generalize because we are different. You don’t like it? Move on because at the end this this situation it is none of your business? I don’t remember mentioned your name. And preach what you say because you are here trying to put me down!

COMMENT: if you are not jealous why would you waste your time making a video about Anfisa? Why is it you and Russ’ business if she wants to be in the show again for more money? And she never mentioned any of your names so you are simply assuming that she is referring to you. She doesn’t talk about the show all the time, stop exaggerating sh*t. She only posted that video as a means to say to all her fans and viewers that she is done with the show. Let her live her life as she has moved on. You, on the other hand cannot let her go and you are jealous that she is more popular than you. She gets more attention, more subscribers and with a fresh instagram account she’s almost at your level of followers and to think she was the fresher meat of the show.

PAO: i will read this when I want to sleep and I’ve seeing posting sh*t about me so I know you are just a hater ? #snoozebutton

COMMENT: You are the worst person In the show!!! You like to talk sh*t and can’t take the heat!!! You are nothing but a hater!!! Who makes a fucking video over some one opinion that’s ridiculous!!! Gosh you are making yourself look stupid… I guess your modeling career is a failure that’s why you need to stay relevant…. #failedcareer #hateralert #attentionseeker ?????

COMMENT: amen! Paola is such a bully and attention seeker.. it’s all about her and her failing career of “modeling”

PAO: talk about bullying someone? aren’t you bully me right now? I see a picture of a baby on your profile and you are attacking a pregnant woman! Good for you?????? thanks for teaching us how not to bully anyone ?

COMMENT: no offense Paola but you’re the one that continued to bully her. Don’t be the victim now just cause you’re pregnant ?

PAO: I’m sorry it wasn’t just about her and if you don’t like it don’t watch it? nobody is making you watch.

Anfisa has yet to respond to Russ and Pao’s video or Pao’s comments, but at the time of this post she is taking questions from fans on Instagram while getting her nails done. We will update if she addresses it in any way.

UPDATE – Anfisa was asked “Any response to the 90 Day Fiance cast that was offendedabout your video the other day?” Anfisa responded by simply stating: “If the shoe fits, wear it.”

So whose side are you on in the great Pao vs. Anfisa debate? I don’t know how much Jorge and Anfisa were asking for, but I really do believe that these cast members are severely underpaid for the amount of revenue that the shows generate. I can agree that maybe Anfisa shouldn’t have gone so far as to call the returning cast members the “show’s little b*tches,” but if any of the other cast members approach me for advice, I am definitely telling them that they should try to get paid what they are worth and not just be happy doing the show for a small paycheck simply because its fun and they want to share their story.

Here is Russ and Pao’s full video:

Asa Hawks is a writer and editor for Starcasm. You can contact Asa via Twitter, Facebook, or email at starcasmtips(at)yahoo.com