In between breaking bad news and bringing bombshells into the Love Island villa, Ariana Madix sometimes finds time to hit back at the haters.
"It requires a level of stupidity on their part, and a level of just knowing exactly what I would say back to that," the Vanderpump Rules star explains to ET of her headline-grabbing comment section clapbacks. The latest, a simple "Disrespectfully, have you seen yourself," thrown back at a user who wrote, "You should exercise those legs" under an Instagram reel of the newly minted Love Island USA hostess taking one of the show's infamous slo-mo walks into the villa.
"If it's something I would sit and think about, then I'm not gonna respond at all," she continues over video chat from Fiji, where the Peacock series is filming. "But if it's something that comes right to mind, and that person is just that dumb, then it makes me feel like, you know, why not put them in their place? They’re asking for it. They're probably very excited to have gotten that attention, honestly."
Ariana's getting plenty of attention of her own as season 6's master of ceremonies, taking over hosting duties from Sarah Hyland. It seems no coincidence that Ariana's arrival to the show comes at the same time that Love Island USA is having its breakthrough season, becoming a water-cooler (or, really, X/formerly Twitter-cooler?) show that many viewers say is running circles around fan-favorite Love Island UK, which is concurrently airing its 11th season.
"I would love to feel that way, but I think that it's this cast," Ariana says, not willing to take credit for the show's success. "The cast is absolutely insane. ... From the OGs to the bombshells, everybody's just filling a space that needs to be filled, and make it just the perfect combination of what makes Love Island, Love Island."
Ariana Madix hosts 'Love Island USA,' now streaming on Peacock. - Ben Symons / Peacock
A super-fan of the franchise herself, Ariana says stepping inside the TV hasn't ruined the experience for her. If anything, her fandom has deepened.
"I'm even more obsessed," she admits. "When I go into the villa, I'm in hair and makeup beforehand, and I'm usually getting ready around the same time that the islanders are getting ready, and so I'm able to, during that time, watch the camera feed, and then I go in the villa and whatever happens, whatever crazy stuff happens, and then I come out and I'm getting unready, and I still have the feed on and we have to actually tell ourselves, 'It's time to go to bed. We have to go home.'"
"If I had the opportunity to watch these islanders 24 hours a day in my hotel room, I probably would never leave my room," she confesses.
Vanderpump Rules fans will recall, Love Island caught a stray on the Bravo series when Ariana's ex told her he didn't have time to "watch 50 g*ddamn episodes" of the show. Her new man, Daniel Wai, however, does have (or rather, makes) the time, especially after spending some time with Ariana in Fiji at the start of filming.
"He is hooked, although he's not-- no one is on as the same level as I am with my obsession," Ariana laughs, "but he is watching in order to keep up with what's going on. He initially asked me, 'Well, which episodes are you in?' And I said, 'Well, if you don't watch the ones in between, you'll have no idea what's going on. So, you have to watch them all!'"
Only watching Ariana's appearances would also mean only getting to see the show's tougher moments; as host, she mainly pops up to introduce twists or mediate re-couplings and dumpings.
"I hate that because, I hate to show up and they'll all be like, 'Oh my gosh! Ariana!' and I'm like..." she makes a sour face. "You know, I have to be serious, and I feel so bad!"
Ariana Madix plays master of ceremonies at an underwear-themed party on 'Love Island USA.' - Ben Symons / Peacock
Ariana's favorite moment (so far) is when she just got to have fun with the islanders at the "underwear party," featured in episode 6. After instructing the couples to pick one partner to blindfold and one to handcuff, she welcomed in two bombshells -- Andrea Carmona and Nicole Jacky -- who then got the chance to kiss the men of their choosing.
"It has not been the same since," Ariana notes. "I think that was my favorite moment, 'cause it was fun. No one was going home, and it just it set everything off."
Andrea saddled up on Rob Rausch, sparking season 6's spiciest drama yet, as Rob then chose to dump Leah Kateb and pursue a relationship with Andrea. That relationship came to an end just days later, though, when the women of the villa voted to remove Andrea from the game. Rob was left in tears, ready to quit the show and pursue Andrea outside of reality TV. He ultimately chose to stay though, with the encouragement of pal Aaron Evans.
"Rob and Aaron, I think they, literally, are the strongest couple of the season right now," Ariana jokes. As host, she's remaining impartial on the official couplings and rooting for everyone to find their match, all while serving looks/lewks, curated by stylist Emily Men.
"We've pre-determined all of our looks back in L.A. before coming out here, so at least I know what I'm wearing, which is usually what takes me the longest if you leave it up to me," Ariana says of the two-hour process it takes to get her glammed for the show's signature entrances.
"The slo-mo walks, with that team, doesn't take as long as you would think," she shares. "We just we do it a handful of different times, from different angles and, at this point, I feel like they know exactly how to get what they need, you know? They've done it so many times, and we kind of got our formula down."
Ariana Madix calls these two 'Love Island USA' looks her favorites of season 6 so far. - Ben Symons / Peacock
Ariana shouts out her premiere episode looks -- a golden goddess gown that looked like liquid metal and a color-blocked chainmail mini-dress reminiscent of Jennifer Garner's party outfit in 13 Going on 30 -- as her favorites so far, but there are plenty more to come as she lives out her "dream job."
"I want to pinch myself every day," she says. "I think the first couple of times that I went into the villa, or we were doing things here in Fiji, especially shooting the opening -- my Britney Spears 'Sometimes' moment on the dock at the island -- I feel like, it doesn't feel like work. ... I'm truly living my dream."
After Love Island wraps, Ariana will get to return to another dream, with a second run on Broadway as Roxie Hart in Chicago.
"The fact that I get to go back to Broadway, like, those words are leaving my mouth is very surreal and I am so excited," she beams. "I am so curious how, if it's gonna feel different, or if I'm gonna be playing the part differently. I have so many questions in my mind and, yeah, I am very, very excited."
After her August dates on the Great White Way, Ariana plans to take a vacation -- her first in years -- then, it'll be back to work back home at her sandwich shop with Vanderpump co-star Katie Maloney, Something About Her. The restaurant opened just before Ariana left for Fiji, meaning she missed Diane Keaton -- who has a sandwich named after her on the menu -- popping in for a visit.
Diane Keaton made a surprise visit to Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney's West Hollywood sandwich shop, Something About Her. - Instagram/Somethingabouther
"That is a moment that I will never get over!" she exclaims. "I am on a very different time zone; I am 19 hours ahead of Los Angeles, which means that I am five hours earlier, but on the next day. ... So basically, I woke up to seeing that and I just, I'll never get over it! The gasp that I gusped. Screaming, crying, throwing up -- all of the things! I mean, Diane Keaton is an absolute legend, someone who I have loved and loved since, you know, days gone by and yeah, the FOMO that I experienced that day was real, I can't. I still can't get over the fact that that happened."
As for the other famous ladies with sandwiches of their own (Reese Witherspoon, Meg Ryan and Viola Davis, to name a few), the invite is open to drop in anytime, though it might be worth waiting until Ariana's back in town.
"Oh yes, please!" she beams.
Love Island USA streams six nights a week on Peacock, with episodes debuting at 9 p.m. ET/6 pm. PT.
