Janet Caperna, a polarizing figure on the hit show "The Valley," has taken refuge in Switzerland and fortified her social media profiles following a deluge of death threats and relentless cyberbullying orchestrated by its viewers. The 35-year-old reality TV star, who portrays the primary antagonist in the Bravo series, departed for Swiss soil this week alongside her spouse, Jason, and their 18-month-old toddler, Cameron, seeking solace far from the digital storm.
Caperna's decision to fortify her Instagram fortress came after she was besieged by a tide of vitriolic abuse, which not only targeted her but also ensnared her innocent child in its venomous web. The trolls' messages were a disturbing tapestry of malice; one read, “May you wither away as you deserve,” while another viciously declared, “I hope your offspring grows up to despise you utterly.” Even more chilling were the threats that crossed into the realm of stalking, with messages like, “I'm privy to your address. I've scoped out your son's haunts when you're absent.”
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, Janet decried the epidemic of online harassment, lambasting its normalization within the realm of reality TV. “I'm fed up with threats and insults being brushed off as par for the course because ‘we signed up for this when we embarked on reality TV,’” she fumed. “It's perverse and unhealthy, and I refuse to countenance it as anything but reprehensible.”
Caperna further unveiled the profound impact this ordeal has had on her mental well-being. “The depths to which people stoop saddens me deeply; it's undeniably the darkest aspect of this ‘profession,’” she lamented. She clarified that while she acknowledges reality TV invites scrutiny, there exists an uncrossable line. “This isn't constructive feedback. I know I've laid my life bare, but this transcends that boundary,” she elaborated.
On a recent episode of her podcast, "This Side of the Hill," Janet bared her soul further, reciting some of the most harrowing messages she had received. One particularly disturbing note read, “I yearn for your demise to be slow and agonizing; you're hideous. Are you actually male? You're evil, and I curse you with death, you filth.” Another message, replete with racial slur, stated, “It's a disgrace your son still draws breath, you [slur] lover.”
To Janet and her podcast co-host, Jared Lipscomb's astonishment, many of these hate-filled missives emanated from seemingly “unassuming and amiable” women. One such sender was a family photographer, while another, who made crude comments about Janet’s son, posted pictures of herself with her own toddler on social media, starkly contrasting her gentle exterior with her venomous online persona.
Janet's frustration and sadness over the situation have ignited a reflective spark within her, prompting her to contemplate the striking dichotomy between individuals' conduct in real life and their online personas. "It incites curiosity," she mused, "how many of the people I encounter daily harbor such dual faces behind closed doors? For instance, when I'm standing in line at the grocery store, could the person behind the counter be sending hate-filled messages to someone they dislike, just like that?"
Adding another layer of intrigue to her narrative, Janet delved into an anecdote about a former friend who had unleashed negative commentary about her on social media. She subtly alluded to Kristen Doute, another cast member, who had responded to a query about Janet's child's safety with a mocking emoji. "I'm deeply disheartened by that," Janet confessed.
As "The Valley" hurtles towards the climactic conclusion of its fiery second season and prepares for the onslaught of season three, fans have taken to social media with vociferous demands for the dismissal of both Janet and the long-standing antagonist, Jax Taylor. Janet's ongoing disputes with co-stars Kristen Doute, Nia Sanchez, and Danny Booko have polarized viewers, while Jax has stirred a storm of controversy through his actions towards his estranged wife, Brittany Cartwright, including spying on her via security cameras and sending a barrage of "rage texts" during his stint in rehab for mental health and addiction issues.
Despite the wave of backlash, no decisions regarding the cast have been finalized. A source privy to the production's inner workings revealed to Daily Mail that the network is mulling over the idea of expanding the cast rather than pruning it. "Fans often clamor for controversial figures to be axed, but this often spells doom for the show," the insider elucidated. "The network fears that decimating the rogue elements might hinder the show's appeal, hence their inclination towards casting expansion over reduction."
With production for the upcoming season already in full swing, potential new cast members and their circles are being meticulously considered to enrich the show's dynamics, ensuring that no one is compelled to share screen time with those they prefer to avoid.
