Alannah Keyser, removed from “Love Island USA” on June 25, spoke on the “One Night with Steiny” podcast about the backlash she’s faced after old posts resurfaced— including a clip where she appears to use a racist slur. Keyser said she receives “a lot of hate”
Alannah Keyser didn’t wait long to return to the conversation after “Love Island USA” ousted her.
On a June 30 appearance on the “One Night with Steiny” podcast. the Casa Amor cast member who was removed in the June 25 episode broke down as she described the backlash that followed after older social media activity resurfaced. She told host Aaron “Steiny” Steinberg and guest Ray J., “There’s a lot of hate. Death threats.” Then. as she tried to steady herself. she added. “Out of the millions of hate comments. I find the good ones. That does that for me. It keeps me going.”.
Keyser, a 21-year-old college student from Miami, said she hopes to move on with her life but doesn’t yet know what that looks like. She also clarified that she is not aware of any other videos of her saying the racial slur.
The CBS-style spotlight on Keyser began after she entered the show on June 21. The Casa Amor cast member removed from the dating series apologized for offensive social media posts that resurfaced afterward. In a Snapchat video recording described in the coverage. she appeared to use a racist slur while singing along to Roddy Ricch’s 2019 song “The Box.”.
After posting a video apology on her TikTok on June 28, Keyser returned to the backlash head-on on the podcast the next day. During that discussion, she said she received criticism at a volume that felt relentless, while also insisting that the clip doesn’t reflect who she is.
“I do want to say directly that I do not support racism or discrimination of any kind, and I never have,” Keyser said. “When I first found out that these things were going around online, it really broke my heart, and I couldn’t do anything about it.”
She said the video she was being criticized for is from six years ago, and she added, “That word is just not in my vocabulary.”
Keyser described the experience as a “learning lesson. ” saying. “It sucks that I didn’t get a chance to really show my personality and who I am.” She also said screenshots purportedly showing her using a racist slur have been falsified. adding. “What has been shared does not reflect the truth. and it’s never been in my character to discriminate against anyone’s skin color.”.
Ray J., appearing alongside Steinberg, defended her moments after the clip was discussed. He told Keyser, “I watched the clip and I don’t believe she ‘meant it like that.’”
“I know that you’ll be successful and that you’ll be great,” Ray J. said to Keyser, who immediately started crying. “Just talking to you right now, I think you’re a great person and I think you were raised right, and it’s not like that. I really do.”
Keyser responded, “I didn’t want to cry.”
Her exit from the show came quickly after her on-screen entry. Keyser said she was on “Love Island USA” for four episodes before she was removed from the Peacock dating show. The only on-air acknowledgment of her departure came when the franchise narrator. Iain Stirling. said. “Alannah has left Casa Amor” 20 minutes into Episode 20.
On screen, her arc was tied to her romance with Zach Georgiou. Their story centered around a budding connection that possibly threatened Georgiou’s three-week link with Kayda Bosse. Georgiou and Keyser started “hot and heavy” in the raunchy “hearts on fire” challenge. and they had a heated kiss in a later Casa Amor challenge. But before Georgiou could decide whether to pursue things further with Keyser or return to Bosse. Keyser’s journey was cut short.
The controversy around Keyser’s resurfaced language landed on top of an already tense season for the franchise. “Love Island USA” has weathered multiple racism-related controversies in recent years.
In the period just before Season 7 premiered. Vasana Montgomery. a 25-year-old business owner from Oregon. was removed from the starting cast days ahead of the June 2 premiere after a video appeared showing Montgomery appearing to use a racial slur while singing along to a song. The clip became public over the weekend. and the coverage described that the same type of timing—after cast reveal on May 28—followed Montgomery’s situation. Days later, Montgomery apologized on social media, acknowledging that the videos “hurt and upset people.”.
The franchise’s Season 7 timeline also included two other removals tied to past online activity involving racial slurs. In Season 7. which aired from June 2025 to July 2025. starting cast member Yulissa Escobar and Episode 2 bombshell Cierra Ortega were removed during production for past online activity involving racial slurs. Both issued apologies for language they called “offensive” after their exits.
In Keyser’s case. she insisted her actions don’t match the worst allegations and said she has no additional videos to answer for. But on the podcast. with the reality of the hate she said she’s been receiving sitting close in her voice. she made clear that being removed from the show wasn’t the end of the story.
Love Island USA Alannah Keyser backlash death threats Ray J Aaron Steiny Steinberg Peacock Casa Amor Roddy Ricch The Box TikTok apology Snapchat video