I am a fan of 90 Day Fiancé and I find it quite entertaining, however it's very easy to spot that, especially the last 2 or 3 seasons, most scenes are completely scripted. The events leading to the budding relationships might well be true, but it does look like TLC likes to ride on that and create completely artificial situations designed to create tension, drama and hook up the viewer with the typical "reality show" feel.
For what I saw about "Big Ed", first and foremost I hate that half of his detractors mention his physical appearance as if it was of his choosing. In a different situation, publicly mocking a disabled man would be so un-PC you would find a deluge of social media posts, Reddits and blog articles defending him. Unfortunately he also is, or the producers typecast him as, a total asshole, the opposite of the kind, polite, slightly clumsy foreign man Filipinas usually love. This made mocking him on his physical appearance totally PC.
As usually happens with these shows, it's hard to know who these "characters" really are and what really went on during the filming, for the simple reasons that:
- every one of them, especially the US ones, clearly enjoy the opportunity to become C-list celebs for a couple of years and will naturally act differently from who they are, and
- TLC makes them sign NDAs where they cannot disclose what was real and what was scripted in much detail.
Now, about Rose, the Filipina. She might look attractive to a Western eye but she is a 4/5 for Filipinos: she is un- or under-educated, she lives in extremely poor conditions, she is a single mom with no support from the father of her child, she is too morena (dark skinned) and her mannerism show no class or femininity. In other words, she is the typical girls who knows her status and uses the online platform to scout for a foreign boyfriend. You can summarise what she thinks by a sentence uttered by her dad, probably unscripted. "As long as she's rich I don't mind how old he is, or how he looks like", he says.
Of course it's easy to hate on Big Ed and he himself seems to enjoy all the publicity around his character, whether it's good or bad. My guess is that whatever comes from him, even the stupid or clumsy things he says and does, is just a way for him to be in the spotlight a little longer. He is a professional photographer, he used to work as some sort of architect/designer, he is definitely one of the least dumb men on the show.
Reality is, what he did is pretty standard behaviour on the part of a foreigner coming from a rich country: being overly inquisitive, jealous, intolerant towards the living conditions of the locals and unappreciative of what their limited means can do. At least he shows that is truly committed to that one girl, Rose and plans to marry her. Most foreigners who go to the Philippines only want to spend their 2 or 3 weeks vacation playing with one girl after the other.
About how easy it is for a man, any man, to find love in the Philippines, I totally agree. Filipinas are known to be very tolerant of their partner's appearance, grooming and domestic behaviour, so long they show love and respect towards them and their families. I have seen countless men in their 60s or completely out of shape being showered with love and attention by their Pinay gfs and wives.
Of course a Filipina with a higher social status - never married and no kids from previous relationships, good looking, well educated, a decent job or career, middle or upper-class upbringing etc. - will know her options and know she can choose her partner more carefully. Yet, once committed or married to that partner, physical appearance will definitely become secondary behind his ability to love and take care of her.
Women in the Philippines basically act by the practical "what can he do for me" attitude of most Asian societies (China and Thailand) but they mix it with the compassion and patience typical of a Catholic culture of yesteryear.
