TV
A new ID docuseries looks at the controversial Nevada community known as Pearadise.
ID’s newest docu-series takes a closer look at a controversial community that claims it celebrate great women. But some former residents say the social media-driven space known as “Pearadise” is more like a cult.
Big Girls Wanted: Escaping Pea Paradise premieres June 10 on ID. The three-part series takes viewers inside Las Vegas home by Stefan Wilhemy, a German-born entrepreneur and unabashed lover of larger women.
In candid interviews, Wilhelmy insists he just wants to celebrate plus-size women. And many of the people who came to his Nevada mansion — which he describes as a “place of acceptance and love” — initially found it a welcoming, empowering space. But there is a dark side to Pearadise, insiders claim.
“They don’t tell you the price you have to pay,” says one woman.
Women who spent time in Pearadise (which is still an active community) say the fat-positive vibes seen in viral TikTok videos only told part of the story. Several former residents describe that they have been sexually assaulted by Stefan or other people in the house. (Stefan denies assaulting anyone.) Others say that being sexually involved with Stefan was an unspoken requirement for living in Pearadise. There are also allegations of grooming and coercive control.
“Stefan wants a harem of fat women that he can pick and choose from on a daily basis,” says one woman.
Pearadise was not a safe place, say critics
Eventually, critics started attacking Stefan and Pearadise on TikTok and other social media. Meanwhile, some residents’ stories took a dark turn. Several women describe Pearadise as the first place where they really felt attractive to other people. But in the end, many could not society more disruptive elements.
For some, Pearadise was a true nightmare. One resident, an influencer named Kass, had started sharing “feeder” content on fetish websites. After a series of mental and physical health struggles, she eventually died at the age of 29. Another woman named Xiomara also became involved in foodism and ended up in rehab due to her weight and other health issues.
In the end, many women who lived in Pearadise look back on their experience with regret for what could have been. They said they longed for a place where they didn’t feel judged for their bodies, and they thought they had found that in Stefan’s home. But they were bitterly disappointed.
“If Pearadise is a safe place for big girls,” says former Pearadise resident Ivy Colligan“the world has failed great girls.”
IDs Big Girls Wanted: Escaping Pea Paradise premieres on Wednesday 10 June at 8-11pm ET/PT on ID and will be available to stream on HBO Max.
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