"I kind of developed an eating disorder": Love Is Blind's Madison on internalizing Joe's comments on her body

Love Is Blind season 9 star Madison Maidenberg recently opened up about the impact her fiancé Joe Ferrucci’s comments on her body had on her. 

In the October 9, 2025, episode of The Viall Files podcast, Madison said that she had internalized some of the things Joe said about her appearance, which made matters worse for her. 

“I don’t know what his intention was. I think it was kind of an inside thought that was said out loud, but his words did really carry weight. Honestly, from that comment, I kind of developed an eating disorder moving forward,” she said. 

Joe raised concerns when he passed snide digs about Madison’s physical appearance, saying he was into “thinner women.”

His opinions took a toll on Madison, as she struggled with accepting herself and the way she looked. 

Her insecurities took center stage and made her feel overwhelmed. However, over time, she let go of her inhibitions and slowly leaned to regain her confidence.

Looking back on the show, Madison mostly felt disheartened seeing how everything unfolded on the series. 

Love Is Blind star Madison says it was hurtful to hear some of the things said on the show

While speaking on the podcast, Madison revealed that she and Joe had a conversation off-camera where they discussed their “types.”

It was there that Joe mentioned that he usually dated “more petite women.” 

It did not sit well with Madison, who confessed that she “internalized” many of his remarks.

As a result, she developed an eating disorder moving forward.

However, nearly two years after the season was filmed, Madison had gained confidence, as she shared that she was “healthy now.”

But even then, it was difficult for the Love Is Blind star to shake off the trauma.

“I’ve always been very self-assured, very confident in my body. I think there’s insecurities like everybody, but with this experiment already being so emotionally heightened, [hearing his comments] really threw me into an insecure space,” she said. 

Even rewatching the show was challenging for her.

In one segment of the podcast, she stated that “it was really hurtful,” hearing “inside thoughts” being said out loud that did not need to be said.

Madison was disappointed to see how her journey on the show became more about her appearance than her connection. 

She believed it “opened the door for the rest of the world to comment further,” in addition to the scrutiny that followed in general. 

Looking back on the show, Madison was surprised to hear Joe’s unfiltered comments because, according to her, she had not fallen in love with a “monster” before getting engaged.  

“In the pods, he was so adamant about choosing me. He was so gung-ho and so committed,” she recalled.

The Love Is Blind star added that it was she who encouraged him to explore his other connections, but he remained adamant about choosing her. 

Madison further revealed that she and Joe had a “really deep connection” in the pods and that she felt a “grounding energy” at times. 

To her, Joe seemed “very assuring” during their time in the pods. It was a quality she sought in her partner, saying she could be “an emotional person.”

However, things took a turn when they stepped into the real world. 

Madison has since learned to “lean” into herself and not allow other people’s words to influence her or “debit” her character. 

She concluded, stating that she found love in more than one way in the pods, and one of them was being able to fall in love with herself. 

Stay tuned for more updates.