Dean Unglert found himself in hot water after calling his girlfriend, Caelynn Miller-Keyes, “suffocating.”
The Bachelor in Paradise couple has had an unconventional relationship from the moment they fell in love on reality television. So while most would find being called “suffocating” offensive, Dean claims to have used the word positively and is attempting to clear the air about his upsetting comment.
Dean Unglert provides context to his statement
On the podcast Help! I Suck at Dating, cohosted by Jared Haibon and Dean Unglert himself, Dean made a questionable statement regarding his current girlfriend, Caelynn Miller-Keyes, when he called her the most suffocating person he’s ever dated.
His “suffocating” comment came under fire, which has led Dean to now attempt to offer up some context as to why he’d use such an off-putting word to describe the woman he loves.
Dean explained that it’s common for his podcast listeners to email in dating questions. In this particular episode, a fan had asked specifically about “suffocating” relationships, which is why Dean claims to have used the word.
Dean shared, “One of the questions was emailed into our podcast about being suffocating. So that was the word that Jared and I were then using to, you know, kind of like find a common ground with that person that was talking about the suffocating relationship.”
While Dean stands by the fact that he had no ill-intent behind the use of the word, he acknowledges that it’s still a pretty harsh word in any context regarding love. Dean shared with Us Weekly, “It’s a horrible word, don’t get me wrong. It’s the wrong adjective to describe anyone in a relationship.”
Dean continued to explain, stating, “I was simply saying that in past experiences, I would hate to be suffocated, but with Caelynn, although my instinct is to say, ‘Don’t suffocate me’ in reality I’m like, ‘You can suffocate me because I enjoy spending time with you’ sort of thing.”
Dean Unglert enjoys being smothered by Caelynn Miller-Keyes
Even on Bachelor in Paradise, Dean and Caelynn clashed on their level of attachment. Dean preferred to be a free-spirit who traveled and lived in a van, whereas Caelynn appeared to desire more traditional commitments in a relationship.
However, after a breakup and reunion in paradise, Dean and Caelynn have managed to make their relationship work, even despite their contrasting stances on love and marriage. The pair feel they defied the odds, especially after making it to their second anniversary and moving in together.
After two years of dating, Dean appears to have warmed up to Caelynn’s so-called “smothering.” While on an episode of The Viall Files, Dean shared that Caelynn latches onto him like velcro and how she’s nicknamed herself Dean’s “little velcro.”
Dean admitted that his brain is still sometimes wired not to like the attachment from Caelynn, but once it’s happening, he starts to find it really nice.
From Dean’s eccentric perspective, it seems Caelynn’s suffocating love is a breath of fresh air for him.
Bachelor in Paradise airs Mondays at 8/7c on ABC.