Jack’s comments on MAFS deserve backlash. But what happened next was even worse.

MAFS viewers have had to endure a lot from this show. In the fourth season, a groom spent boys' night bragging about the size of his bride's boobs. In season six, a groom body-shamed a bride on their wedding day. And in season seven, a groom used his bride's toothbrush to clean the toilet.

It's not always easy being a fan of this show. In fact, it can make you lose faith in humanity. And on the current season of MAFS, Jack has reached a new low by telling Lauren she needs to be 'muzzled' on Wednesday's dinner party. 

The comment followed Jonathan telling his wife Lauren about something Jack had said in a private chat with 'da boys'. Jack apparently 'joked' that he hoped the experiment would bring back the couples swap challenge so another groom could sleep with his wife so that, ummm... he doesn't have to. Huge yikes.

Lauren arrived at the dinner party with all guns blazing, armed with this information which she quickly spread around the dinner table. "I don't see any humour in any of that," Lucinda remarked. "It wasn't funny, it's disrespectful."

Watch Mamamia's MAFS recapper Chelsea McLaughlin unload on the biggest red and green flags last week. Post continues after video.

@mamamiaaus Lucinda, once again, topping the green flags list ✅ #mafs #mafsaustralia #mafsau #redflags #greenflags ♬ original sound - Mamamia

Sara also spoke up about how the comment wasn't a joke she would ever consider funny. Jack maintained that the comment was 'a joke' made just for the other boys to hear. Boys will be boys, and all that (utter bulls**t).

Jack's partner Tori, who was learning this for the first time, did not seem concerned her partner wanted to trade her like a Pokemon card. "If Jack says it was a joke, I'm going to take it as a joke. I trust him," Tori said over dinner.

Lauren and Jack got into a war of words, as they argued back and forth over exactly what was said and whether it was a joke, as the groom claimed. Then Jack snapped. As the experts rightly assessed, the groom showed his true colours.

"I'm not talking to you Lauren. Can you shut your mouth," Jack yelled before turning to Jonathan and saying "Can you muzzle your woman?".

Absolutely disgraceful.

Lauren's reaction to Jack's insult. Image: Nine.

It doesn't take a gender studies specialist to recognise the inference here: women are dogs that can be muzzled or silenced by another man. The experts were left with their jaws on the floor as they watched on.

"We've heard some stuff [on this show] but that is outrageously disrespectful," John Aiken said.

At this point, I expected the entire table to turn on Jack. For them to condemn his sexist rhetoric and defend Lauren. At first, it looked like this was the direction the episode was leading.

In Timothy's confessional, he told the camera, "There are things you just can't say, and that's one of them."

"If anyone said that to Jade, I would have lost it," new intruder Ridge shared privately.

In another separate piece to camera, Tristan said that his mother "would beat me if I ever said that to a woman."

But back at the actual table, Tristan only offered a underwhelming "Guys, come on," which was seemingly directed at both Jack and Lauren, you know, the woman that was just compared to an animal. 

Lauren's husband did quickly bite back. "Don't f**king talk to her like that," Jono said several times, but he didn't add anything about the misogynistic implication of Jack's words.

The only other person who spoke up at the table was Lucinda, who could be heard telling Lauren "I didn't like that — at all."

That was it. Not a single other man at the table felt the urge to condemn the way Jack had spoken to a woman.

For me, this was even worse than what Jack said to Lauren. Each season, there's always nasty brides and (more likely) grooms, but their behaviour is typically reprimanded by the other contestants. The show basically becomes a trial by jury and the jury thankfully makes the right calls.

On the 2020 season, Bryce found himself isolated from the group because of his gaslighting of wife, Melissa. In 2023, Harrison was mocked and laughed at by his fellow contestants at the final dinner party when he tried to humiliate his partner, Bronte.

Jack has since appeared on B105's show Stav, Abby & Matt where he said he regretted what he had said to Lauren. "If someone said that to my wife, I probably would have been arrested that night. I would have jumped over the table," he said, adding that he "absolutely regretted saying that."

But this isn't the point. The issue lies in how quickly the other contestants moved on, as if one groom didn't just compare a living, breathing woman with thoughts, dreams and agency to a rabid animal that needs to be controlled, disarmed and rendered powerless.

No one spoke up to defend Lauren, who was left having to advocate for herself, despite still processing the emotions of hearing Jack's derogatory sentiments.

This is when men, in particular, need to speak up against the disrespectful behavior of other men — especially those they consider friends. And sadly, this is indicative of what it's like for women every day where the onus is on either us or other women to call out a man's unacceptable behaviour.

Back on MAFS, the person at blame ended up being... well, Lauren. It baffles the mind. At the end of the night, Tori turned to Lauren to say "I expect more from you."

The irony is not lost that Tori 'expected more' from Lauren, as she had just sat there silently as her partner Jack directed sexist insults at her apparent bestie.

If the teasers are anything to go by, at least the very least, it looks like the experts will hold Jack — and the group — accountable at Sunday's Commitment Ceremony for what transpired at the dinner party. But for the over two million people tuning in this season, it's too little too late.

What did you think of last night's episode? Tell us in the comments section below.

Feature image: Nine.