The latest episode of The Traitors US has erupted in controversy, with Love Island star Maura Higgins publicly condemning co-star Michael Rapaport for what she branded a "very low blow" aimed at fellow contestant Colton Underwood.
A Roundtable Accusation Sparks Outrage
During a tense roundtable discussion, actor Michael Rapaport, best known for playing Gary on Friends, directly accused former Bachelorette contestant Colton Underwood of being a Traitor. Rapaport stated, "Nobody in this room would be better at holding a secret than you."
This remark was immediately interpreted by Underwood and others as a pointed reference to the reality star's decision to come out as gay in 2021, after years living in the closet. "There it is," Underwood responded. "You think it was fun for 29 years of my life."
Defence and Immediate Backlash
Rapaport attempted to defend his comment, insisting it was solely about the game. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. That has nothing to do with it. I think you can come into this game loving the idea of being a Traitor," he argued.
However, his justification fell flat. Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir stepped in, stating, "You can't blame somebody for being forced into a closet for the majority of their life." Despite Rapaport's protests that he was "not talking about closets," Weir made the cast's perception clear: "That's what we took it as."
It was at this moment that Maura Higgins intervened, telling Rapaport bluntly, "Very low blow." When he argued it wasn't intended as such, she fired back, "Well, you're wrong... Well, it was." Rapaport eventually offered a conditional apology, saying he was sorry if Underwood "took it that way."
Not the First Castle Clash
This heated exchange is not an isolated incident for the controversial actor. In a previous episode, Higgins also challenged Rapaport after he used the phrase "we got rid of" when discussing murdered contestants, leading her to question if he was inadvertently revealing himself as a Traitor.
Viewers of the show, which aired its latest episode on 16 January 2026, have widely criticised Rapaport's behaviour. On forums like Reddit, fans labelled the roundtable "ugly and mean spirited," with one calling his insinuation about Underwood "wild" and "out of touch."
The series continues to be dominated by drama, much of it stemming from Rapaport's brash approach, proving that in the castle of The Traitors, the biggest battles are often fought with words at the roundtable.
