TV
A new ID docuseries looks at the controversial Nevada community known as Pearadise.
ID’s latest docuseries takes a closer look at a controversial community that claims to do just that four plus size women. But some former residents say the social media-driven space known as “Pearadise” is more like a cult.
Big Girls Wanted: Escape Pearadise premieres June 10 on ID. The three-part series takes the viewer inside Las Vegas house by Stefan Wilhemy, a German-born entrepreneur and unapologetic lover of larger women.
In candid interviews, Wilhelmy emphasizes that he only wants to put women with a larger size in the spotlight. 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, stimulating space. But there is a dark side to Pearadise, insiders claim.
“They don’t tell you what price you have to pay,” says one woman.
Women who have spent time in Pearadise (which is still an active community) say the fat-positive vibe seen in viral TikTok videos only told part of the story. Several former residents describe being sexually abused by Stefan or other people in the house. (Stefan denies assaulting anyone.) Others say sexual intercourse with Stefan was an unspoken requirement for living in Pearadise. There are also accusations of grooming and coercive control.
“Stefan wants a harem of fat women from which he can choose every day,” says one woman.
Pearadise was not a safe space, critics say
Eventually, critics began 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 felt truly attractive to other people. But in the end, many could no longer disrupt the community.
For some, Pearadise was a real nightmare. One resident, an influencer named Kass, had started sharing “feeder” content on fetish websites. After a series of mental and physical health problems, she eventually died at the age of 29. Another woman named Xiomara also became involved in feederism and ended up in rehab because of her weight and other health problems.
Ultimately, many women who lived in Pearadise look back on their experiences with regret for what could have been. They said they longed for a place where they didn’t feel judged because of their bodies, and they thought they found that at 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 big girls.”
IDs Big Girls Wanted: Escape Pearadise premieres Wednesday, June 10 from 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM ET/PT on ID and will be available to stream on HBO Max.
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