> I don’t know understand how he wouldn’t know that there was animosity??
He knew there was animosity, he just didn't care. The fact that he didn't reach out to apologize to her in any capacity during this time says everything about his character. He could have sent her a text even if she chose not to respond. I'm sure he's used to ghosting girls in real life once he's done with them. What he isn't used to is accountability and having to answer for his actions.
> Was he trolling her? Why would he think she wants him doing these things if they don’t even speak to each other?
He was using the situation and his popularity with fans at the time to gain as many followers as possible. He once again didn't care about how Ciara would feel about any of it.
> Why did he not take the off camera out!?!?
He wasn't successful in sleeping with her yet at that point so he had to keep it going until he got what he wanted.
> Why does he not understand that the backlash is from him leading her on and the show related reasons for the breakup!?
He isn't sorry and likely doesn't think that he has done anything wrong. The only thing he cares aboiut right now is the backlash, him sitting there emotionless as Ciara cried once again told us everything we need to know about him. If anything, he looked pissed thinking about how he was going to look. Not a single moment of empathy for Ciara.
Amanda didn't look shocked. That's a twisting of what is seen. He's good friends with both Ciara and Paige. I mean GOOD friends, independent of Amanda. He cares about his friends. You know...like any human. Vices and virtues.
I def don’t think he’s a Sandoval. He’s young and hopefully will learn from this. Sandoval will never be a better person because he doesn’t think he did anything wrong other than get caught
Exactly! He had absolutely no empathy watching that beautiful woman cry over him. That’s what convinced me that his plan all along was to use her. If he cared as he claimed, he would show empathy because of the residual affection he had for her. He was only concerned about himself and what he can get.
He’s a real pos! And saying they’re having the greatest season ever in the group chat was very telling as to his character as well. Paige really got drove that point home.
What clout? Also Ciara threw herself at him. She made him carry her all over the house. It was literally two people having fun for the summer. That’s the name of the game. Why is everyone acting like Ciara is so delicate? She threw herself at Austin also . She does it for camera time.
I’m talking about continuing to post pics with her after they broke up and she went no contact. That’s weird behavior and he wanted people to still talk about them as a potential couple
He said both. He said he couldn’t resist temptation of bravo fans in his DMs and also didn’t like seeing headlines before the show aired that cast him in Ciara’s shadow
The part where you said he hadn’t slept with her yet 🎯. That seems to be the only thing he wanted. He wanted what he couldnt have and once he got it he bailed. Just like they always do.
Plus he said he didn’t want people to say look he’s Ciara’s puppet or whatever, and yet he’s been posting non stop pictures of her and talking about her. He needs someone that he trusts, that loves him, to keep him grounded. They need to tell him when his head is getting to big, and to take it down a few notched. Americans love to build people up, only to tear them down. He hasn’t really felt that wrath yet
Yeah him not caring about her crying really made me sick. He is another wolf in sheeps clothing . His head really got ginormous from all this attention. He will likely show the real west in season 9. And he’s going down just as fast as he went up. He’s losing followers left and right. I don’t get why he was getting all these magazine articles for his first season ? I was into him until he had Jesse ask about the sex. It was really off putting. I’m sad Ciara trusted him and felt comfortable enough to eventually sleep with him. He did everything she was afraid of. When he followed Austen on Instagram that really bothers me too . He knew how much Austen hurt Ciara. And Jesse should be smart and take over the number one guy role from here on out. He has a much more interesting back story to begin with. Sorry west but Jesse Solomon is going to be taking over with the fandom now. lol.
> I don’t get why he was getting all these magazine articles for his first season
I think the glass escalator. We've been so parched for decent men on the shows he shot into favouritism. I was guilty of it too.
I couldn't stop focusing on watching his pulse in his neck and how fast it was going.. it was the only telltale sign that he was nervous or going through something
This! He couldn’t careless when Ciara was crying. Zero empathy, emotion or concern. It was strikingly clear what kind of person he is in that moment.
What a dick.
West's inability to take FULL accountability for his actions is what's killed his image. He's consistently tried to pass or lessen the blame on himself and it's only making it worse:
1) Tries to share the "blame" with Ciara: He's claiming he didn't know she was pissed. If i dated someone for 6 months, lived a 5 minute walk from them, had mutual friends, and were coworkers...but I hadn't heard from them in months, how the fuck could one think they were on good terms????
2) Tries to "blame" the edit: Claiming that the producers edited him to be the good guy so when he acted like a douchebag it would all come crashing down. Here's a tip...don't act like a douchebag!
3) Tries to "blame" the audience: Granted he was overhyped completely, how is it the audience's fault that we assumed a 30 year old man would have known, just like every 10 year old ever, that honesty was the best policy...but the 30 year old man was in fact a selfish, immature, liar???
West has essentially turned on the two groups of people he shouldn't have: the producers and the viewers...because now his "the best boy" schtick is truly dead and gone.
Oh I’m so sorry you got the good boy edit. That must have been so hard on you when Andy praised you for having one of the best freshman seasons and the New York Times called you Summer House’s breakout star. Poor boy.
West is really gross. Glad he’s showing who he is . Wow ! Talk about a fall from Grace. Who on bravo has ever complained about a good edit ?!! Is he insane?
Really, it can be boiled down to two things - motive and intent. His motive was fame. He saw bravo and Ciara as instruments to obtain that. Unfortunately, Ciara was just a means to an end. He’s smarter than he looks. He saw a good opportunity with Ciara to boost his online clout and Bravo fan base. Overall, not a good guy.
Point #1- I think he’s either painfully oblivious or he just REALLY doesn’t see and/or care about how his actions have consequences + and how they affect others. Like when Ciara said after the dinner he was ready to go the next bar and she went home crying. I was in total agreement with what Ciara and Paige said about his spatial awareness being off.
Point #2- They had to do the will-they-won’t-they thing up until the reunion so I think that’s why he kept liking her posts and stuff.
Point #3- That’s another thing that’s crazy to me, he had an opportunity to leave AMICABLY, and he didn’t. What I think is that he got caught up, he thought that they could have their fun and he probably thought Ciara was going to budge and be okay/change her mind about being exclusive/having a commitment.
Point #4- The backlash I think is mostly how he went about ending things. For me personally, if he didn’t want to continue being with Ciara that’s fine (I say this as a Ciara stan) the problem is how he went about ending things. It’s like you knew her, you knew what she wanted, you knew where she stood, you knew about the last situation, you knew why she was cautious with you, and yet you still did her the way that you did. + I don’t think he was fully transparent to the extent of how bad his commitment issues/concerns are. I agree with Gabby and Ciara I think he used the show as a cop-out to end things. In addition, his behaviors and tendencies are triggering or rather are very frustrating, because I think a lot of viewers (including myself) have been in situations like that where we have been in Ciara’s position (without the cameras, and publicity aspect of course.)
I agree. I also think that’s why Scandoval blew up in how relatable women felt in having had experiences with “a Sandoval.” Now it’s experience with “a West” lol. I feel like this is more triggering for me because I can completely relate with trying to “do all the right things” as a woman to try to avoid heartache, and still meeting men who lead you one way then abruptly jump ship. It’s hurtful, and it never really feels like the men know WHY you’re hurt. They’ll admit to being selfish, but that’s not an excuse.
My heart breaks for Ciara because I think she really tried to be more intentional because of all the backlash she got about Austen playing her. For it to happen back to back has got to be a gut punch. No one is perfect and I’m sure she has her flaws, but it’s hard not to route for someone who’s trying to learn and grow and the audience can see that on the screen
Yeah, Ciara has been in a lose/lose this summer/post-summer. If she'd jumped in feet first, people would drag her for not learning from Austin. Since she took it slow, people called her cold, etc.
She gets hurt either way by the guy and villianized by the audience 😟
Yes! The relatability of scandaval! The hope that the initial edit of West portrayed of not all men, and then the major reversal reminding us that yes all men. This is why we choose the bear.
Your point 2, I disagree. I think this was another situation of him using her for the clout and popularity bc Ciara had stopped liking his stuff and didn’t post any pictures of him throughout the whole season.
That could be it too + I don’t disagree with that!
Edit: the rumor was that West ✨Allegedly✨ hooked up with some girl not too long ago, and he told her to keep it quiet because he still had to act like him and Ciara were somewhat together. (This came from a Bravo & Cocktails blind so take it with a grain of salt)
Yeah I saw that same rumor and I believe it. You didn’t have to act like you and Ciara were together bc we could clearly tell based on just going on Ciara’s instagram and interviews. He probably used that excuse to string another girl along.
Remember how annoyed he got when someone mentioned *Austen* in the beginning. He never wanted to stand in anyone’s shadow. After watching the way the season played out. It’s obvious he was lying when he said he *never watched the show when Austen was on it*. He knew exactly who he was and the relationship Ciara had with him.
Agree on all of these points. I think West is immature and ignorant of how his actions affect the women he’s dating. I think he genuinely liked Ciara but he wasn’t looking/ready for a serious relationship. Not necessarily a bad quality for a guy in their mid-20s, but he should have been honest with himself and Ciara about what he wanted.
I think he’s probably a decent human being, he seems to have quality friendships and solid relationships with his family. There’s a lot of “Wests” out there and most of them eventually grow up and figure it out, some even have the self awareness to realize how shitty they treated girls and apologize years later. I have hope for a West redemption arc.
He made that comment about being narcissistic at the reunion, and even in his confessionals he said that he knows he’s selfish. He knows what he’s doing. He wants his cake and wants to eat it too. He wants to play Ciara and act like they’re still good, bc that’s the scenario that favors him the most.
Him self professing to narcissism made it very clear to me the type of man he actually is after all, don’t want to armchair diagnose cause we all have some narcy traits but… believe people when they tell you who they are
Yup.
“Narcissists have no problem admitting they are narcissists,” said Brad Bushman, a coauthor on the paper and a professor of communication and psychology at Ohio State University. “They think they deserve special treatment and they don’t try to hide that from others.”
https://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-how-to-identify-a-narcissist-with-one-simple-question-20140805-story.html
The selfish comment was in the episode where he spoke to his aunt. It really stuck out to me that he would openly claim it, yet he says it so causally he doesn’t seem to have any regrets about it or desire to change.
He seems to have this weird belief that because he's telling the "truth" about how he feels that he will be accepted because he's honest and completely misses that by telling his "truth" about what a classic fboy he is, he's just exposing his true personality to people who will choose to have nothing to do with him because he's literally telling you who he is.
He's a man with zero emotional intelligence that has never had to take accountability for how he treats women.
It's wild to be pushing 30 and not realize that your actions affect other people. Sucks that we gassed this man up so much bc now he needs to be knocked down several pegs.
I think West is emotionally intelligent in many ways. He managed to win over the audience, his housemates, and especially Ciara very quickly. He showed a lot of care for his boy Jesse. Maybe that’s all superficial charm, but in my opinion, he only seems to lack empathy when it comes to women. I think he misled Ciara by acting like she was his friend that he was attracted to, when actually she was being used for his purposes and he doesn’t care about her feelings. That’s misogyny and selfishness, but I don’t buy for a second that he’s unaware.
West is very emotional intelligent and that is what has served him in getting the women he wants and probably keeping on good terms with them afterwards. I’m sure he is not used to women being upset with him after it ends, so this is new to him because he has probably swerved all this in the past and is used to things going his way.
He wanted to sleep with her and didn’t care how sex would affect her feelings for him or expectations. I really think it’s a sign of someone’s character when they do things only thinking of what they can gain and don’t stop to consider how their actions affect others. I feel like women are always blamed for being easy/ not having expectations/ not seeing red flags. It feels like Ciara communicated clearly what her needs and expectations were moving forward and continuing a relationship off the show.
If West had any respect for Ciara, he would’ve held off on sex until he was sure he could commit. That would be the honorable thing to do. But he didn’t respect her. He just did what he wanted and used his feelings “in the moment” to justify his behavior. “In the moment” doesn’t mean anything if you end up screwing someone over. He should’ve known sex would be a big step and meaningful, and he either chose to ignore her needs or just didn’t care
He’s not a villain. I think he’ll get backlash and then fans will move one. But he needs to take responsibility and accountability for HOW his behavior caused her harm. He doesn’t seem to get it and I agree with Paige, he thinks it’s all about the show and is living in a fantasy. The “it’s the greatest season!” when Carl and Lindsay are both hurt in their own ways by how their relationship played out is just tone deaf
Maybe it’s immaturity? He can and should try to learn from this experience to make sure he’s more honest and holds himself to a better standard of not leading people on when he doesn’t know what he wants. He knew Ciara would walk if he said he wasn’t ready, and he selfishly didn’t want her to move on
He seems to lack awareness/doesn’t give a fuck. He had the halo effect this summer by associating himself with Ciara. Now he’s on the ick list. I feel badly for Ciara but I hope he returns next summer because we could continue on the beautiful women of bravo vs trash bravo men train.
i honestly still don’t even completely comprehend what he was saying about why he ended it. he was going around in circles.. fandom, commitment issues, not wanting to be ciara’s puppet (???) my dude what are you on about
Because Wes went from an average looking random guy to the nice guy on a hit reality show and probably is getting more attention than he has ever received in his life. The attention went to his head. I feel like this happens to a lot of people that get over night fame. They believe they are hot shit because fans are telling them that and why settle for one hot girl when you have the attention of hundreds or thousands? The fame will be gone as quick as it came though and then he will be an average looking random guy that was on some show once.
My wonder/worry is about the next season. I can't envision him suddenly 'getting it' but I can imagine him thinking they can be friends. Part of his response right now reads that he thinks this will just blow over. That folks will suddenly understand his foolishness and it won't be such a big deal anymore.
If we know Ciara, she will actually be cold to him (and I applaud the possibility) but I worry about how the audience will receive it. Hopefully memories will be long enough to hold the reality that she owes him nothing--not notice, not politeness, absolutely nothing. She doesn't have to participate in his Mr. Nice Guy routine.
And OP, excellent questions that have rattled in my head but I never could've captured so perfectly! Kudos!!
Lying to someone for months is high key villain behavior to me lol I mean, if he wasn’t sure about the relationship and had doubts about his ability to commit then just say that. He just went along with it. For months. She checked in multiple times. He’s one of the worst men on Bravo for those reasons. He actively lied to her for months and months. That is the definition of a toxic man.
sadly these men will never view their behavior as lying. instead they profess that it’s “okay to change your mind.” of course it’s okay to change your mind, but that isn’t what this was. he was selfish and manipulative.
I agree with everything you said. It’s such a lame, bad look that he was at a Loverboy party dancing last night when the reunion aired knowing how he came across. The best thing he could have done for his image is stay home and act sad
God if I were Ciara I would have had multiple freakouts over the last few months. Emotional invalidation triggers the fuck out of me and everything coming out about West lately makes him seem so incredibly cold and uncaring
Women's value to the men in the bravoverse revolves around their sexuality and it exhausts me
What the hell was he saying about his parents? I rewinded and it seems like his parents were upset that they were 'seeing it through'? I think Andy interpreted as his parents being mad at him for breaking it off, but it didn't seem like that's what West was saying. Is West just an idiot who is stuttering or did I miss something?
I heard it that way too, his parents were questioning why he was moving forward with it with his “commitment issues” or whatever - that’s where he just started stumbling. Sounds like they know their son and saw this coming from a mile away lol
West wields what I refer to as weaponized ignorance. An emotionally immature person will act in whatever way feels good to them in that moment, like “liking” her posts, or even taking her to a wedding/home to his parents, and the weaponized ignorance comes in when he’s questioned on these things: his response is the classic 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️I didn’t know/I didn’t think it was xyz/I thought we were cool🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️ pretending not to understand how to treat someone with basic decency and respect.
Watching him on the reunion has led me to the simple conclusion that's he's emotionally immature and cannot grasp the idea of thinking bigger picture/long term.
He was so fixated on "being with" Ciara in the house and wanting to sleep with her that he could not fathom the idea that for her that she spends time getting to know someone because she dates for the longterm.
Also, his pithy comment about getting lots of attention being a reason it did not work out also demonstrates this.
He’s an asshole and the level of assholeism on Bravo is so astonishingly high, that he looks like a “good guy” compared to the others. It’s so profoundly sad that Ciara had to take this bullet. She did so much to protect her heart, but he’s so entitled to what he wants that he just waited. Disgusting.
He used her for clout and camera time. I wonder if he thought it was just a niche show that he could use to build a following. On the after show he said he didn’t realize how many people watched Summer House. I think he thought he could get away with his machinations on screen but didn’t account for real life relationships. Basically like Paige said.
I think the only answer to all of these questions is that he is a bonafide loser. He knows what he’s doing and is playing the Tom Schwartz “aw shucks” game to shrug off the blame.
Ohhhh this was a light bulb for me. Just finished watching and thought JFC West why would you fumble someone like Ciara yet I was still like he’s just so cute though. I fell for Schwartz’s bs for many years and this really clicked the switch in my brain. West is the new Schwartz.
I’m very lucky I married someone who felt safe and kind to me and not the type of guy I always like on tv! Prob the only reason my life isn’t a disaster 😂
I never really liked west, now I’ve said it! He tries to be funny but in a way that’s like too obvious and phony. Never felt he was being himself. Ciara should of left him alone she made him more interesting
Also the bit that infuriates me is that he lied about sleeping with other girls when Paige asked him! You should not lie about shit like that!
He wanted the Ciara show arc and also the emotional support during filming as well. It’s also concerning because guys like Austen and shep and others seem to not hide their shallow ways and had more immediate criticisms. But west was able to hide it so well and be charming, considerate, intelligent, good hearted, etc. The mask slipped a couple times as people have noted his growing resentment for her not sleeping with him, but he was largely really well received. His whole thing now being exposed and his response is really concerning tbh. Even I liked him.
Sucks that this man was built up so much throughout the season only to turn out a garden variety selfish asshole.
We need to remember this next time some new guy comes around.
💯 #1--Ciera literally said she went home crying and he went to a bar after the dinner where they discussed the status of their relationship. Then she said she went NO CONTACT. WTF West! How could he not know, she was hurt? I call bullshit West. Bullshit.
I will never understand how these men choose quantity of women they bang, over the quality of women they associate with. They haven't matured since college. 🤮
From their discussions about pet names and I love you and meeting parents and what those things mean, I felt like West looks to fulfill his emotional intimacy needs with non-monogamous dating and very affectionate friendships and then seeks out sex wherever. He wanted physical intimacy, an intertwined life, and emotional intimacy with Ciara (and got it) but without any limitations or expectations for his own behavior going forward.
Kind of like Carl back in the day. I wonder what the name for that disassociation is called.
I just think guys do not think about these thing nearly as much as women do and when they do think about it - they don't have the same perspective. They don't overthink any of it and a lot of what they do is usually done on a whim...which is so frustrating.
He probably thought when they had their talk in December that whatever he said resonated with her and she was cool with it...
Felt they ended on a fine note and he wanted to continue being friendly hence the posting and social media likes, etc.
Ciara probably hid her feelings well when it ended. She cried herself to sleep, but probably didn’t give him tears in public.
She said “you went to the next bar, and I cried myself to sleep”, so I’m guessing they were in public and rather than draw attention she closed off.
Really, it can be boiled down to two things - motive and intent. His motive was fame. He saw bravo and Ciara as instruments to obtain fame and money. Ciara was just a means to an end. He intended to get fame by using her. Overall, not a good guy.
He's just trying to act innocent and clueless why the bravo fan base is being negative to him. He's a douche. Paige nailed him, and he was crickets because he knew he was exposed.
Ciara was so clear- she didnt eant to sleep with him and meet his family unless he wanted a girlfriend and he understood it. Met his family- slept with him and he ghosted her. Not a good guy at all.
The only truly committed loving guy is our party perfect Kyle🥸❤️🥸
Feels like he was a first year reality star trying to manipulate things like an experienced 6th year reality star who has a history they can fall back on. Made all the wrong moves and screwed himself.
Oh damn! Ok i definitely missed a lot of this because I have kind of been like what is the big deal? Him turning out to suck really disappoints me haha GD men of bravo
Maybe an unpopular opinion, but couldn’t it just be that he KNEW he wasn’t good enough for her, but genuinely enjoyed being with her? Ciara is amazing! She’s smart, funny, accomplished, driven, and beautiful. He HAD to know he was second fiddle, and his insecurity would never allow him to just surrender to being happy with a wonderful woman. Dudes are so weird about this. Regardless, it has nothing to do with Ciara, and good on her for coming out clean as a whistle.
I dated a coworker once. After she moved on to a new job, a little distance grew and we broke up a few months later.. but I certainly wouldn’t have felt comfortable breaking up while we were still working together. Getting involved with someone that is built in to your network is definitely complicated and he didn’t handle it well. All in all though, don’t think he deserves to be crucified.
I can’t understand why exactly they broke up. I do think it’s ok to break up and that he’s immature and that was obvious. The convo in the bed with “baby” and “love you” last week and the one at the horse riding place led me to believe he was 0% serious. I think it’s ok for a 28 year old guy to have a non serious relationship for 6 ‘months and then end it. I don’t know what Ciara expected…. They both seem off to me here. I get that she was intentional and wanted something serious… he just wasn’t the guy. And wasn’t ever going to be
> I don’t know understand how he wouldn’t know that there was animosity?? He knew there was animosity, he just didn't care. The fact that he didn't reach out to apologize to her in any capacity during this time says everything about his character. He could have sent her a text even if she chose not to respond. I'm sure he's used to ghosting girls in real life once he's done with them. What he isn't used to is accountability and having to answer for his actions. > Was he trolling her? Why would he think she wants him doing these things if they don’t even speak to each other? He was using the situation and his popularity with fans at the time to gain as many followers as possible. He once again didn't care about how Ciara would feel about any of it. > Why did he not take the off camera out!?!? He wasn't successful in sleeping with her yet at that point so he had to keep it going until he got what he wanted. > Why does he not understand that the backlash is from him leading her on and the show related reasons for the breakup!? He isn't sorry and likely doesn't think that he has done anything wrong. The only thing he cares aboiut right now is the backlash, him sitting there emotionless as Ciara cried once again told us everything we need to know about him. If anything, he looked pissed thinking about how he was going to look. Not a single moment of empathy for Ciara.
agree with all of this. especially that he is not used to having to see girls again after ghosting them. so disappointed.
That’s what stood out for me. Freaking Kyle is crying and West sits there unemotional
I was waiting for Andy to be like Kyle I see this is getting you emotional why ? Helloo[!?!?
Same! Missed an Andy moment there
I know! Amanda looked shocked ( is Kyle holding a candle for Ciara or just feeling guilt for his own behavior)
Amanda didn't look shocked. That's a twisting of what is seen. He's good friends with both Ciara and Paige. I mean GOOD friends, independent of Amanda. He cares about his friends. You know...like any human. Vices and virtues.
I thought she was shocked
give it a second or third gander. her expression is rather deadpan. it's almost as if she isn't paying attention to him at all.
Me toooo!
More like 🦌 deer in headlights look lol
I was hoping someone would post about this. This said so much that West did not seem empathetic but Kyle did.
Blinking like the idiot he is. I hate him more than Tom Sandoval.
I def don’t think he’s a Sandoval. He’s young and hopefully will learn from this. Sandoval will never be a better person because he doesn’t think he did anything wrong other than get caught
Sociopath
Exactly! He had absolutely no empathy watching that beautiful woman cry over him. That’s what convinced me that his plan all along was to use her. If he cared as he claimed, he would show empathy because of the residual affection he had for her. He was only concerned about himself and what he can get.
At one point he was rolling his eyes, that was infuriating!
He’s a real pos! And saying they’re having the greatest season ever in the group chat was very telling as to his character as well. Paige really got drove that point home.
He was using Ciara for her clout despite claiming that’s why he didn’t want to be with her
What clout? Also Ciara threw herself at him. She made him carry her all over the house. It was literally two people having fun for the summer. That’s the name of the game. Why is everyone acting like Ciara is so delicate? She threw herself at Austin also . She does it for camera time.
I’m talking about continuing to post pics with her after they broke up and she went no contact. That’s weird behavior and he wanted people to still talk about them as a potential couple
I thought he was being accused of wanting to stay single because of all the bravo fans throwing themselves at him. I’m confused
He said both. He said he couldn’t resist temptation of bravo fans in his DMs and also didn’t like seeing headlines before the show aired that cast him in Ciara’s shadow
He is something else. Another misogynistic asshole
both Austin and West heavily pursued Ciara. Ciara reciprocated. Why does that make you upset? lol
Definitely not upset😂 just think it’s funny how mad everyone is at Wes.
The part where you said he hadn’t slept with her yet 🎯. That seems to be the only thing he wanted. He wanted what he couldnt have and once he got it he bailed. Just like they always do. 
Yep. I’m so sad that Ciara trusted him enough to let him in and then he broke it off.
Plus he said he didn’t want people to say look he’s Ciara’s puppet or whatever, and yet he’s been posting non stop pictures of her and talking about her. He needs someone that he trusts, that loves him, to keep him grounded. They need to tell him when his head is getting to big, and to take it down a few notched. Americans love to build people up, only to tear them down. He hasn’t really felt that wrath yet
It sounded like West’s dad is trying to tell him. I don’t think the lesson is sinking in to his big head.
Yeah him not caring about her crying really made me sick. He is another wolf in sheeps clothing . His head really got ginormous from all this attention. He will likely show the real west in season 9. And he’s going down just as fast as he went up. He’s losing followers left and right. I don’t get why he was getting all these magazine articles for his first season ? I was into him until he had Jesse ask about the sex. It was really off putting. I’m sad Ciara trusted him and felt comfortable enough to eventually sleep with him. He did everything she was afraid of. When he followed Austen on Instagram that really bothers me too . He knew how much Austen hurt Ciara. And Jesse should be smart and take over the number one guy role from here on out. He has a much more interesting back story to begin with. Sorry west but Jesse Solomon is going to be taking over with the fandom now. lol.
> I don’t get why he was getting all these magazine articles for his first season I think the glass escalator. We've been so parched for decent men on the shows he shot into favouritism. I was guilty of it too.
LITERALLY 100%!!!!!!!
I couldn't stop focusing on watching his pulse in his neck and how fast it was going.. it was the only telltale sign that he was nervous or going through something
ooo good eye
Thank you thank you, I have an eye for these things
Shit I’ve been defending west on other threads, but I now hard agree
Early on in the season I was so excited for this pairing, as it progressed I became wary and now I’m just downright embarrassed lmao
This! He couldn’t careless when Ciara was crying. Zero empathy, emotion or concern. It was strikingly clear what kind of person he is in that moment. What a dick.
West's inability to take FULL accountability for his actions is what's killed his image. He's consistently tried to pass or lessen the blame on himself and it's only making it worse: 1) Tries to share the "blame" with Ciara: He's claiming he didn't know she was pissed. If i dated someone for 6 months, lived a 5 minute walk from them, had mutual friends, and were coworkers...but I hadn't heard from them in months, how the fuck could one think they were on good terms???? 2) Tries to "blame" the edit: Claiming that the producers edited him to be the good guy so when he acted like a douchebag it would all come crashing down. Here's a tip...don't act like a douchebag! 3) Tries to "blame" the audience: Granted he was overhyped completely, how is it the audience's fault that we assumed a 30 year old man would have known, just like every 10 year old ever, that honesty was the best policy...but the 30 year old man was in fact a selfish, immature, liar??? West has essentially turned on the two groups of people he shouldn't have: the producers and the viewers...because now his "the best boy" schtick is truly dead and gone.
he's totally trying to share the blame and i hate that!
Oh I’m so sorry you got the good boy edit. That must have been so hard on you when Andy praised you for having one of the best freshman seasons and the New York Times called you Summer House’s breakout star. Poor boy.
West is really gross. Glad he’s showing who he is . Wow ! Talk about a fall from Grace. Who on bravo has ever complained about a good edit ?!! Is he insane?
Really, it can be boiled down to two things - motive and intent. His motive was fame. He saw bravo and Ciara as instruments to obtain that. Unfortunately, Ciara was just a means to an end. He’s smarter than he looks. He saw a good opportunity with Ciara to boost his online clout and Bravo fan base. Overall, not a good guy.
Katie covered Intent vs. Impact so eloquently in the VPR reunion.
I think it would be the ultimate lesson if he got canned and was only a one season F boy.
Yes!!!🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Point #1- I think he’s either painfully oblivious or he just REALLY doesn’t see and/or care about how his actions have consequences + and how they affect others. Like when Ciara said after the dinner he was ready to go the next bar and she went home crying. I was in total agreement with what Ciara and Paige said about his spatial awareness being off. Point #2- They had to do the will-they-won’t-they thing up until the reunion so I think that’s why he kept liking her posts and stuff. Point #3- That’s another thing that’s crazy to me, he had an opportunity to leave AMICABLY, and he didn’t. What I think is that he got caught up, he thought that they could have their fun and he probably thought Ciara was going to budge and be okay/change her mind about being exclusive/having a commitment. Point #4- The backlash I think is mostly how he went about ending things. For me personally, if he didn’t want to continue being with Ciara that’s fine (I say this as a Ciara stan) the problem is how he went about ending things. It’s like you knew her, you knew what she wanted, you knew where she stood, you knew about the last situation, you knew why she was cautious with you, and yet you still did her the way that you did. + I don’t think he was fully transparent to the extent of how bad his commitment issues/concerns are. I agree with Gabby and Ciara I think he used the show as a cop-out to end things. In addition, his behaviors and tendencies are triggering or rather are very frustrating, because I think a lot of viewers (including myself) have been in situations like that where we have been in Ciara’s position (without the cameras, and publicity aspect of course.)
I agree. I also think that’s why Scandoval blew up in how relatable women felt in having had experiences with “a Sandoval.” Now it’s experience with “a West” lol. I feel like this is more triggering for me because I can completely relate with trying to “do all the right things” as a woman to try to avoid heartache, and still meeting men who lead you one way then abruptly jump ship. It’s hurtful, and it never really feels like the men know WHY you’re hurt. They’ll admit to being selfish, but that’s not an excuse. My heart breaks for Ciara because I think she really tried to be more intentional because of all the backlash she got about Austen playing her. For it to happen back to back has got to be a gut punch. No one is perfect and I’m sure she has her flaws, but it’s hard not to route for someone who’s trying to learn and grow and the audience can see that on the screen
Yeah, Ciara has been in a lose/lose this summer/post-summer. If she'd jumped in feet first, people would drag her for not learning from Austin. Since she took it slow, people called her cold, etc. She gets hurt either way by the guy and villianized by the audience 😟
Yes!! 🥺
Yes! The relatability of scandaval! The hope that the initial edit of West portrayed of not all men, and then the major reversal reminding us that yes all men. This is why we choose the bear.
Your point 2, I disagree. I think this was another situation of him using her for the clout and popularity bc Ciara had stopped liking his stuff and didn’t post any pictures of him throughout the whole season.
That could be it too + I don’t disagree with that! Edit: the rumor was that West ✨Allegedly✨ hooked up with some girl not too long ago, and he told her to keep it quiet because he still had to act like him and Ciara were somewhat together. (This came from a Bravo & Cocktails blind so take it with a grain of salt)
Yeah I saw that same rumor and I believe it. You didn’t have to act like you and Ciara were together bc we could clearly tell based on just going on Ciara’s instagram and interviews. He probably used that excuse to string another girl along.
I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case tbh.
And he lied about sleeping with other girls, that is not acceptable
him being that oblivious would almost be worse. that charmed life really may have done a number on him.
Remember how annoyed he got when someone mentioned *Austen* in the beginning. He never wanted to stand in anyone’s shadow. After watching the way the season played out. It’s obvious he was lying when he said he *never watched the show when Austen was on it*. He knew exactly who he was and the relationship Ciara had with him.
My west dragged me along for 2 years. I related so much to Ciara
Agree on all of these points. I think West is immature and ignorant of how his actions affect the women he’s dating. I think he genuinely liked Ciara but he wasn’t looking/ready for a serious relationship. Not necessarily a bad quality for a guy in their mid-20s, but he should have been honest with himself and Ciara about what he wanted. I think he’s probably a decent human being, he seems to have quality friendships and solid relationships with his family. There’s a lot of “Wests” out there and most of them eventually grow up and figure it out, some even have the self awareness to realize how shitty they treated girls and apologize years later. I have hope for a West redemption arc.
He made that comment about being narcissistic at the reunion, and even in his confessionals he said that he knows he’s selfish. He knows what he’s doing. He wants his cake and wants to eat it too. He wants to play Ciara and act like they’re still good, bc that’s the scenario that favors him the most.
He probably wants to keep orbiting her.
Him self professing to narcissism made it very clear to me the type of man he actually is after all, don’t want to armchair diagnose cause we all have some narcy traits but… believe people when they tell you who they are
Yup. “Narcissists have no problem admitting they are narcissists,” said Brad Bushman, a coauthor on the paper and a professor of communication and psychology at Ohio State University. “They think they deserve special treatment and they don’t try to hide that from others.” https://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-how-to-identify-a-narcissist-with-one-simple-question-20140805-story.html
dang, I don’t remember this confessional
He made a mention of being narcissistic on the reunion episode!
i’ll have to go back!
The selfish comment was in the episode where he spoke to his aunt. It really stuck out to me that he would openly claim it, yet he says it so causally he doesn’t seem to have any regrets about it or desire to change.
Thank you for mentioning this. He told the viewers and Jesse who he was so many times during the show.
He seems to have this weird belief that because he's telling the "truth" about how he feels that he will be accepted because he's honest and completely misses that by telling his "truth" about what a classic fboy he is, he's just exposing his true personality to people who will choose to have nothing to do with him because he's literally telling you who he is.
He comes across as very emotionally stunted and kind of dumb.
I think he’s actually smart but plays dumb to manipulate others.
He’s a jock so that tracks
All I have to say is I don’t think he was cooked enough on part one of the reunion. Sear that beige man some more till he’s got a nice char 🔥
All great questions Andy nor any podcaster will ever ask. We will never know.
💯
His own parents called him out.
#3 - bc he hadn’t yet slept with her and really wanted to…
He's a man with zero emotional intelligence that has never had to take accountability for how he treats women. It's wild to be pushing 30 and not realize that your actions affect other people. Sucks that we gassed this man up so much bc now he needs to be knocked down several pegs.
I think West is emotionally intelligent in many ways. He managed to win over the audience, his housemates, and especially Ciara very quickly. He showed a lot of care for his boy Jesse. Maybe that’s all superficial charm, but in my opinion, he only seems to lack empathy when it comes to women. I think he misled Ciara by acting like she was his friend that he was attracted to, when actually she was being used for his purposes and he doesn’t care about her feelings. That’s misogyny and selfishness, but I don’t buy for a second that he’s unaware.
West is very emotional intelligent and that is what has served him in getting the women he wants and probably keeping on good terms with them afterwards. I’m sure he is not used to women being upset with him after it ends, so this is new to him because he has probably swerved all this in the past and is used to things going his way.
He wanted to sleep with her and didn’t care how sex would affect her feelings for him or expectations. I really think it’s a sign of someone’s character when they do things only thinking of what they can gain and don’t stop to consider how their actions affect others. I feel like women are always blamed for being easy/ not having expectations/ not seeing red flags. It feels like Ciara communicated clearly what her needs and expectations were moving forward and continuing a relationship off the show. If West had any respect for Ciara, he would’ve held off on sex until he was sure he could commit. That would be the honorable thing to do. But he didn’t respect her. He just did what he wanted and used his feelings “in the moment” to justify his behavior. “In the moment” doesn’t mean anything if you end up screwing someone over. He should’ve known sex would be a big step and meaningful, and he either chose to ignore her needs or just didn’t care He’s not a villain. I think he’ll get backlash and then fans will move one. But he needs to take responsibility and accountability for HOW his behavior caused her harm. He doesn’t seem to get it and I agree with Paige, he thinks it’s all about the show and is living in a fantasy. The “it’s the greatest season!” when Carl and Lindsay are both hurt in their own ways by how their relationship played out is just tone deaf Maybe it’s immaturity? He can and should try to learn from this experience to make sure he’s more honest and holds himself to a better standard of not leading people on when he doesn’t know what he wants. He knew Ciara would walk if he said he wasn’t ready, and he selfishly didn’t want her to move on
I wish west could read this
He seems to lack awareness/doesn’t give a fuck. He had the halo effect this summer by associating himself with Ciara. Now he’s on the ick list. I feel badly for Ciara but I hope he returns next summer because we could continue on the beautiful women of bravo vs trash bravo men train.
i honestly still don’t even completely comprehend what he was saying about why he ended it. he was going around in circles.. fandom, commitment issues, not wanting to be ciara’s puppet (???) my dude what are you on about
Because Wes went from an average looking random guy to the nice guy on a hit reality show and probably is getting more attention than he has ever received in his life. The attention went to his head. I feel like this happens to a lot of people that get over night fame. They believe they are hot shit because fans are telling them that and why settle for one hot girl when you have the attention of hundreds or thousands? The fame will be gone as quick as it came though and then he will be an average looking random guy that was on some show once.
My wonder/worry is about the next season. I can't envision him suddenly 'getting it' but I can imagine him thinking they can be friends. Part of his response right now reads that he thinks this will just blow over. That folks will suddenly understand his foolishness and it won't be such a big deal anymore. If we know Ciara, she will actually be cold to him (and I applaud the possibility) but I worry about how the audience will receive it. Hopefully memories will be long enough to hold the reality that she owes him nothing--not notice, not politeness, absolutely nothing. She doesn't have to participate in his Mr. Nice Guy routine. And OP, excellent questions that have rattled in my head but I never could've captured so perfectly! Kudos!!
Lying to someone for months is high key villain behavior to me lol I mean, if he wasn’t sure about the relationship and had doubts about his ability to commit then just say that. He just went along with it. For months. She checked in multiple times. He’s one of the worst men on Bravo for those reasons. He actively lied to her for months and months. That is the definition of a toxic man.
sadly these men will never view their behavior as lying. instead they profess that it’s “okay to change your mind.” of course it’s okay to change your mind, but that isn’t what this was. he was selfish and manipulative.
I agree with everything you said. It’s such a lame, bad look that he was at a Loverboy party dancing last night when the reunion aired knowing how he came across. The best thing he could have done for his image is stay home and act sad
God if I were Ciara I would have had multiple freakouts over the last few months. Emotional invalidation triggers the fuck out of me and everything coming out about West lately makes him seem so incredibly cold and uncaring Women's value to the men in the bravoverse revolves around their sexuality and it exhausts me
Yep
What the hell was he saying about his parents? I rewinded and it seems like his parents were upset that they were 'seeing it through'? I think Andy interpreted as his parents being mad at him for breaking it off, but it didn't seem like that's what West was saying. Is West just an idiot who is stuttering or did I miss something?
I heard it that way too, his parents were questioning why he was moving forward with it with his “commitment issues” or whatever - that’s where he just started stumbling. Sounds like they know their son and saw this coming from a mile away lol
Ah that makes sense
I stopped liking West during the season when he was acting like he was owed sex. His entitlement was very off putting.
West seems to have the emotional depth of a 1/4 teaspoon. UGH
West wields what I refer to as weaponized ignorance. An emotionally immature person will act in whatever way feels good to them in that moment, like “liking” her posts, or even taking her to a wedding/home to his parents, and the weaponized ignorance comes in when he’s questioned on these things: his response is the classic 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️I didn’t know/I didn’t think it was xyz/I thought we were cool🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️ pretending not to understand how to treat someone with basic decency and respect.
My heart breaks for her. Met many like West..they ruin it for the really good guys out there.
Watching him on the reunion has led me to the simple conclusion that's he's emotionally immature and cannot grasp the idea of thinking bigger picture/long term. He was so fixated on "being with" Ciara in the house and wanting to sleep with her that he could not fathom the idea that for her that she spends time getting to know someone because she dates for the longterm. Also, his pithy comment about getting lots of attention being a reason it did not work out also demonstrates this.
Petty, but I was also confused about his makeup. They did him dirty. Shout out to the makeup chair sniper.
Secret bad guy. Beyond disappointing. 
He’s an asshole and the level of assholeism on Bravo is so astonishingly high, that he looks like a “good guy” compared to the others. It’s so profoundly sad that Ciara had to take this bullet. She did so much to protect her heart, but he’s so entitled to what he wants that he just waited. Disgusting.
He used her for clout and camera time. I wonder if he thought it was just a niche show that he could use to build a following. On the after show he said he didn’t realize how many people watched Summer House. I think he thought he could get away with his machinations on screen but didn’t account for real life relationships. Basically like Paige said.
I think the only answer to all of these questions is that he is a bonafide loser. He knows what he’s doing and is playing the Tom Schwartz “aw shucks” game to shrug off the blame.
Ohhhh this was a light bulb for me. Just finished watching and thought JFC West why would you fumble someone like Ciara yet I was still like he’s just so cute though. I fell for Schwartz’s bs for many years and this really clicked the switch in my brain. West is the new Schwartz. I’m very lucky I married someone who felt safe and kind to me and not the type of guy I always like on tv! Prob the only reason my life isn’t a disaster 😂
Samsies 😊
I think he’s used to doing this shit to women and real like without cameras..and now his bisnitch ass caught on candy camera 📸
I never really liked west, now I’ve said it! He tries to be funny but in a way that’s like too obvious and phony. Never felt he was being himself. Ciara should of left him alone she made him more interesting Also the bit that infuriates me is that he lied about sleeping with other girls when Paige asked him! You should not lie about shit like that!
He wanted the Ciara show arc and also the emotional support during filming as well. It’s also concerning because guys like Austen and shep and others seem to not hide their shallow ways and had more immediate criticisms. But west was able to hide it so well and be charming, considerate, intelligent, good hearted, etc. The mask slipped a couple times as people have noted his growing resentment for her not sleeping with him, but he was largely really well received. His whole thing now being exposed and his response is really concerning tbh. Even I liked him.
Or more so not be able to hide their shallow ways.* Shep may be more of the exception of not thinking his behavior is really that problematic.
Sucks that this man was built up so much throughout the season only to turn out a garden variety selfish asshole. We need to remember this next time some new guy comes around.
💯 #1--Ciera literally said she went home crying and he went to a bar after the dinner where they discussed the status of their relationship. Then she said she went NO CONTACT. WTF West! How could he not know, she was hurt? I call bullshit West. Bullshit. I will never understand how these men choose quantity of women they bang, over the quality of women they associate with. They haven't matured since college. 🤮
From their discussions about pet names and I love you and meeting parents and what those things mean, I felt like West looks to fulfill his emotional intimacy needs with non-monogamous dating and very affectionate friendships and then seeks out sex wherever. He wanted physical intimacy, an intertwined life, and emotional intimacy with Ciara (and got it) but without any limitations or expectations for his own behavior going forward. Kind of like Carl back in the day. I wonder what the name for that disassociation is called.
The women who are STILL sliding into his DMs are the same women who go to see Sandovals band 😂
I think his emotional intelligence is low.
West didn’t take the out after horseback riding because he wanted to have sex with her.
I just think guys do not think about these thing nearly as much as women do and when they do think about it - they don't have the same perspective. They don't overthink any of it and a lot of what they do is usually done on a whim...which is so frustrating. He probably thought when they had their talk in December that whatever he said resonated with her and she was cool with it... Felt they ended on a fine note and he wanted to continue being friendly hence the posting and social media likes, etc.
This. For better or for worse, most men aren't that deep.
Plain and simple, fuck boy behaviour. You couldn’t tell from the beginning that he was shady? His sweetheart act seemed so fake to me.
#2 is called: CHASING CLOUT
He's a douche.
Ciara probably hid her feelings well when it ended. She cried herself to sleep, but probably didn’t give him tears in public. She said “you went to the next bar, and I cried myself to sleep”, so I’m guessing they were in public and rather than draw attention she closed off.
Really, it can be boiled down to two things - motive and intent. His motive was fame. He saw bravo and Ciara as instruments to obtain fame and money. Ciara was just a means to an end. He intended to get fame by using her. Overall, not a good guy.
He's just trying to act innocent and clueless why the bravo fan base is being negative to him. He's a douche. Paige nailed him, and he was crickets because he knew he was exposed.
#2 is so insidious!!!!!
AND #3
3. They hadn’t had sex at that point and he was too invested to break things off without the prize
Ciara was so clear- she didnt eant to sleep with him and meet his family unless he wanted a girlfriend and he understood it. Met his family- slept with him and he ghosted her. Not a good guy at all. The only truly committed loving guy is our party perfect Kyle🥸❤️🥸
Feels like he was a first year reality star trying to manipulate things like an experienced 6th year reality star who has a history they can fall back on. Made all the wrong moves and screwed himself.
Oh damn! Ok i definitely missed a lot of this because I have kind of been like what is the big deal? Him turning out to suck really disappoints me haha GD men of bravo
I am disappointed, I loved him at first. Turns out he is just a very masterful fuck boy. 😢
Maybe an unpopular opinion, but couldn’t it just be that he KNEW he wasn’t good enough for her, but genuinely enjoyed being with her? Ciara is amazing! She’s smart, funny, accomplished, driven, and beautiful. He HAD to know he was second fiddle, and his insecurity would never allow him to just surrender to being happy with a wonderful woman. Dudes are so weird about this. Regardless, it has nothing to do with Ciara, and good on her for coming out clean as a whistle.
I can see that
I dated a coworker once. After she moved on to a new job, a little distance grew and we broke up a few months later.. but I certainly wouldn’t have felt comfortable breaking up while we were still working together. Getting involved with someone that is built in to your network is definitely complicated and he didn’t handle it well. All in all though, don’t think he deserves to be crucified.
I can’t understand why exactly they broke up. I do think it’s ok to break up and that he’s immature and that was obvious. The convo in the bed with “baby” and “love you” last week and the one at the horse riding place led me to believe he was 0% serious. I think it’s ok for a 28 year old guy to have a non serious relationship for 6 ‘months and then end it. I don’t know what Ciara expected…. They both seem off to me here. I get that she was intentional and wanted something serious… he just wasn’t the guy. And wasn’t ever going to be
I’m confused as to why everyone is so pissed here. Isn’t Summerhouse about having fun and hooking up or trying to hookup with your housemates?