Michael Rapaport addresses viral eating moment on The Traitors: ‘I cannot defend the shoveling technique’

"I never, ever, ever, in a million years, would've thought people would've been so fascinated by the way that I eat my food," Rapaport tells EW.

By Sydney Bucksbaum

Sydney Bucksbaum

Sydney Bucksbaum is a staff writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2019 and is a published author. Her work has previously appeared in *TV Guide Magazine*, E! News/E! Online, *The Hollywood Reporter*, Mashable, Bustle, IGN, DCComics.com, Inverse, *The Daily Northwestern*, and more.

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January 20, 2026 5:59 p.m. ET

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Michael Rapaport on 'The Traitors'. Credit:

You are what you eat. But for Michael Rapaport, it's less about what he was eating on *The Traitors, *and more about the *way* he was eating.

The polarizing actor has gone viral for multiple reasons after episode 5 of Peacock's reality competition series began streaming on Thursday. In addition to his controversial comment to Colton Underwood, his eyebrow-raising method of eating while in the castle has shocked — and disgusted — many viewers.

When the cast was served lunch after a strenuous challenge, Michael was caught on camera lifting his plate directly to his face and scraping the food into his mouth. The quick shot of him with the plate between his lips has been screenshotted, recorded, and shared across all social media platforms, with many understandably stunned at the shameless display.

When ** asked Michael to explain his unconventional way of eating, he admitted that he has "no excuse."

Michael Rapaport on 'The Traitors'.

Euan Cherry/PEACOCK

"I cannot defend the shoveling technique," Michael tells EW. "I do the shoveling technique when I am alone. I do the shoveling technique at times when my wife is not looking, but when I am in public, I do not do the shoveling technique. But I will not defend, explain, or make excuses for my now iconic shoveling technique, which I never, ever, ever, in a million years, would've thought people would've been so fascinated by the way that I eat my food."

That said, Michael still goes on to do just that and explain why he was caught "shoveling" his food into his mouth on camera.

"I was in that room alone," he says. "There's plenty of other times when I was eating, and I was not doing my shoveling technique. But because I was in that room alone, I was shoveling the food into my mouth at a rapid pace because I wanted to go out there and catch Traitors."

Michael Rapaport says he 'felt gaslit' during 'The Traitors' fight with Colton Underwood

Colton Underwood reacts to Michael Rapaport's dig on 'The Traitors': 'It got personal'

While Michael's eating was documented multiple times in the past few episodes — more than he ever imagined it would be — he does reveal a moment that wasn't shown on TV that he wishes had been included in the episodes before his exit.

"I told production I was going to share this," Michael says. "After the tiff with Yam Yam, on camera in front of multiple cast members I went over to him and I apologized. I said, 'Whatever I said, however I got us off on the wrong foot, I apologize. I don't want to have tension with you, and I certainly don't want the other cast members to feel tension.' And he received that very well."

Michael Rapaport on 'The Traitors'.

Euan Cherry/Peacock

According to Michael, he "hugged it out" with the *Survivor* winner, and loved that they had a positive moment together after being at each other's throats during the roundtables.

"I complimented him on his beautiful outfit — I believe he had a blazer on with no shirt, and I remember complimenting him on his chest hair," Michael says. "We laughed, and I really wish they would've used that, because I think that it would've wrapped up that storyline."

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Michael also thinks "it would've been fair" to show him apologizing since he truly meant it.

"I don't mind being the bad guy, but if you're going to show me being the bad guy, I think it's fair, when it's on camera, when it's something genuine like that," he adds. "And also, there was a shot of me and him walking away from the castle together that I know had to look funny, just because of how different in height and dress we are."

If only that happened during a meal.

*The Traitors* releases new episodes every Thursday on Peacock.

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW TV”