Featured Image Credit: CJI2
Topics: Sport, Mental Health, Viral
Emily Brown
Warning: This article contains brief discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.
A clip of an interview between MMA fighter Tom DeBlass and a host dubbed Renato Laranja has sparked backlash from viewers due to Laranja's 'wild' response to DeBlass opening up about being sexually abused.
A short snippet of the interview has gone viral after it took place at The Craig Jones Invitational, a grappling tournament held in Nevada on September 1 this year.
DeBlass had previously taken to Instagram to announce his excitement for the conversation, describing Laranja as a 'legend' and writing: "I'm looking forward to the most epic interview I've ever had!"
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While Laranja is well known in the Jiu-Jitsu world, that's actually not his real name. The interviewer is actually a character played by Rhasaan Orange - but he's clearly still capable of causing a stir.
In the clip, DeBlass tells Laranja he was 'sexually abused as a child', adding: "That's not an easy thing."
In response, Laranja appears to brush off the seriousness of DeBlass's revelation by responding: "You must have been an attractive young gentleman."
The short segment quickly racked up millions of views after being shared online, prompting viewers to express their shock at the exchange and all agreeing that it was an inappropriate response.
"That’s gotta be the craziest pivot ever - why on EARTH would bro say that," one person questioned, as another described the whole scene as 'completely unhinged'.
"There's no amount of damage control that could save him after saying that. My gosh..." added a third.
While the clip has left people shocked, DeBlass made clear that Orange was 'simply playing the role of an ignorant interviewer'.
Orange is an actor and comedian, and he developed the Laranja persona to be an arrogant Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion - despite Orange never having grappled professionally.
According to IMDb, Orange has also starred in Days of Our Lives as Thomas Kramer, as well as having a cameo in Modern Family, among other credits.
DeBlass was quick to speak out after the interview went viral, sharing a post on Instagram in which he said he recognized 'why many [fans] felt upset on [his] behalf'.
However, he added: "I also want to be clear, the person I was speaking with is someone I respect and trust. He is one of the most compassionate, intelligent people I know. That joke wasn’t meant to hurt me. He was simply playing the role of an ignorant interviewer.
"That being said, I completely understand that for those who don’t know our relationship, it may have felt wrong or inappropriate. Trauma is no joke, and I would never minimize it. I also believe in giving people grace when context gets lost in context.
"So please know, I’m good, and I hold no anger. I hope this clears things up and that we can move forward with understanding and compassion."
DeBlass added that Orange meant 'no harm' by what he said, stressing again that he is a 'comedian'.
"He just does it as an act," he added. "This set was all a skit."
Though the response Laranja gave to DeBlass's discussion of abuse is what has caught people's attention, a wider clip from the interview shows the host discussing men's mental health, prompting DeBlass to express the importance of men expressing their feelings.
"I think men need somebody to talk to," he said.
UNILAD has reached out to Rhasaan Orange for comment.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues or want to speak to someone in confidence regarding the welfare of a child, the Childhelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, US Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.