It seems Jordan has been quite vocal coming into Season 40, and he addressed a fan question about Ashley M. while he was on Instagram Live. When asked if he wanted her on his team, he responded by saying, “What has she done?”
Jordan continued to state that her two wins can be credited to her partners (even though she didn’t have a consistent partner on Invasion). He also confesses that he’s “not on the Ashley M. train.”
He further claimed that Ashley brings a “toxic” energy to the show, and discusses her decision to steal the money from Hunter on Final Reckoning. While Johnny also stole money, Jordan stated that there was a “showmanship” about it, before breezing past the claim.
He also cited War of the Worlds 2 as toxic behavior, when Ashley immediately spread gossip to Turbo that led to his altercation with Jordan.
Clearly, Jordan knew this had potential to be an unpopular decision, and there’s no denying that Ashley has (debatably) achieved more than any other girl on the Era 3 team. But it’s also no secret that Jordan and Ashley haven’t really gotten along in the past.
I can understand why Jordan would hold resentment toward Ashley regarding the Turbo incident. While Ashley wasn’t aligned with Jordan on War of the Worlds 2, her gossip did play a role in escalating the situation.
Though if we look at Jordan and Turbo’s argument, we’ll see a prime example of why Jordan is in no place to call someone toxic. He made that argument infinitely worse, and he antagonized Turbo in a way that’s very characteristic of his tenure on the show.
We also need to look at what Jordan gains by having Ashley off the cast. Based on prior seasons (specifically USA 2), it’s highly likely that Amanda, Jonna, and Tori were shoo-ins for the Era 3 team. So, Ashley likely would have replaced Nia or Averey. Both of those girls did Real World: Portland with Jordan, and they’ll likely be on his side this season. Ashley would not have been.
Challenge wins don’t come easy, and Ashley’s two victories are not a fluke. She may not have the most muscle, but she’s a very well-rounded player, and that’s why she performs well in final challenges. However, Jordan isn’t going to say he’s happy that he was given an ally instead of a strong teammate who opposes him — even if his rationale doesn’t quite make sense. Because let’s be honest, it’d be surprising if he didn’t bring his own toxic energy to his team being paired with his ex-fiancé.
Stop Being Polite 