Reasons Jax Taylor And Brittany Cartwright's Separation Is Totally Fake
If walls could talk, one West Hollywood establishment may require an exorcism. Of course, we're referring to SUR Restaurant and Lounge, which served as the backdrop for the hit Bravo television show "Vanderpump Rules." The show launched in 2013 and followed a group of twenty-somethings as they set out to be somebody in Hollywood, but settled for over-priced rent and positions as waiters or bartenders at the restaurants of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" alum Lisa Vanderpump.
Somebody had to be the antagonist of the show, and no one was more happy to be the villain than Jax Taylor himself. Fans watched the former bartender terrorize his cast mates for nearly a decade as he single-handedly cheated his way through a friend group, somehow managing to redeem himself enough to last eight seasons before he was ousted from the series. Part of his saving grace was his love for Brittany Cartwright, the small-town Kentucky girl who managed to tame Taylor enough to make his personality bearable. The two weathered numerous scandals, but eventually tied the knot in 2019 and welcomed their son, Cruz, in 2021.
However, the couple announced their shocking separation in 2024, and fans can't help but scream publicity stunt. After years of being reality television pros, it wouldn't be the first time a couple cried divorce with ulterior motives. We're breaking down all the reasons why Taylor and Cartwright's separation could be totally fake.
Fans believe Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright want ratings
Brittany Cartwright confirmed her and Jax Taylor's separation in February 2024 during an episode of their joint podcast, "When Reality Hits with Jax and Brittany." Cartwright revealed that the pair is "taking time apart" and added that she had moved out of their shared Los Angeles home. Immediately, chatter online accused the stars of participating in some sort of publicity stunt, especially for their upcoming reality show, "The Valley," set to premiere on Bravo in March 2024. The show revolves around Cartwright and Taylor's family, alongside other couples, as they attempt to navigate the responsibility of adulthood in the Los Angeles neighborhood.
Fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their reactions to the separation, with one user writing, "Seems a bit coincidental with the timing of their new show ... some fake drama? IDK ... maybe I'm being too cynical." Another seconded that notion, adding, "I know I'm being mean but sorry this Jax Brittany separated seems so fake to promote the Valley and listen to the podcast."
Taylor downplayed the rumors when he caught up with paparazzi, insisting to Page Six that divorce wasn't in the cards and Cartwright had moved back into their Valley Village home. "We're together. We're living in our home right now," he clarified, adding, "She was in a house for a while, but yeah, she's back now." However, after that paparazzi interaction, Page Six's cameras caught Cartwright moving into a "rental," so it seems the couple isn't exactly on the same page.
Taylor has proven to be a liar
The truth and Jax Taylor are two things that don't exactly fit together in the same sentence. Unless, of course, we're talking about the star avoiding any semblance of the truth, which has proven time and time again to be his downfall as a reality television star. During his time on "Vanderpump Rules," Taylor was a notorious cheater and single-handedly destroyed his relationships and those of his castmates, consistently maintaining his innocence before others proved him guilty.
Fans may remember the notorious Las Vegas scandal during Season 1, which involved Taylor cheating on his former long-time girlfriend Stassi Schroeder. The former bartender kept up his tirade of lies until he ultimately fessed up to the ordeal, admitting that the woman had gotten pregnant with his child. He took things a step further in Season 2 when he confessed to sleeping with Schroeder's best friend Kristen Doute, who was dating Taylor's best friend Tom Sandoval at the time.
After falling for Brittany Cartwright, Taylor wasn't out of the dog house just yet. After initially denying the rumors, he later admitted to cheating on his girlfriend with coworker Faith Stowers. "This isn't my first time being caught cheating," Jax said in a Season 6 confessional (per E! News). "In the past, I've gone through months and months of deny, deny, deny, and that didn't work for me." With a tattered reputation of shady behavior, it's no wonder why fans are taking the news of his and Cartwright's separation with a grain of salt.
They have a history of breaking up and reuniting
Some fans believe Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright's separation is fabricated simply based on their less-than-perfect track record. The Kentucky native has previously forgiven the former SUR bartender for his transgressions in the past, including his wandering eye.
In 2017, Taylor confessed to hooking up with Faith Stowers, and Cartwright even got wind of a damning audio tape in which Taylor complains about their relationship. "Jax is talking to this girl telling her that he doesn't want kids, he doesn't want marriage, he hasn't had sex with me in months, and it just makes me sick," Cartwright said in a Season 6 episode (via People). While Cartwright initially told her then-boyfriend to "rot in h***," he won his way back into her good graces on good behavior. "He was very persistent and just did not give up," Brittany told E! News in 2018. "I knew that I loved him still. I was trying to act like I didn't."
Viewers have seen the couple weather various scandals on "Vanderpump Rules," and their separation just adds to the list. Moreover, Cartwright has consistently relied on her faith throughout her ups and downs with Taylor. "I was raised to be a good Christian woman, and that is all about forgiveness, and I believe everybody deserves it. Even Jax," she said in Season 6 (via People).
Taylor doesn't believe in divorce
Fans are doubting whether Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright's separation will stick, given what the two have previously said about their beliefs on divorce. Not only does Cartwright hail from a religious Christian family, but Taylor himself has spoken about his family's aversion to calling it quits on marital vows. On an episode of their joint podcast "When Reality Hits with Jax and Brittany," he opened up about how exactly his roots shaped how he looks at commitment.
"I don't believe in divorce. My parents didn't get divorced," Taylor explained. "I don't believe in that. Marriage is work. I'm not saying every day is amazing." The "Vanderpump Rules" star mentioned that the bad days have helped make his and Cartwright's bond even stronger. "We love hard," he noted. "We fight hard. It's amazing." Taylor also emphasized how Cartwright is the only woman who can deal with his difficult personality, one that became the ultimate downfall in many of his relationships while filming reality television. "I'm a tough guy to be around, so it takes a certain person to deal with my crap," he shared. "Even through all this, and even though my life is a lot better now, I'm still tough to handle. I think she's the only one that can put up with me really."
It's also important to note that their son, Cruz, helped fortify their relationship in the past. "I think becoming parents made us stronger too because I love seeing him as a dad," Cartwright mentioned.
Taylor says Cartwright is the reason he's still alive
It's hard to believe Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright would throw in the towel — especially since Taylor has admitted that the Southern belle is his saving grace. In an interview with Vulture, the reality star detailed the difficult aftermath of his father's passing in 2017, one that left him in a fragile state and leaning on Cartwright more than ever before. "After my dad died, I was very close to doing something really bad to myself, extremely close," Taylor shared. "And Brittany single-handedly saved me and our relationship."
While his father died just a few months after Cartwright and Taylor weathered their split over his cheating scandal, the Kentucky native dropped everything to help her partner. "Brittany took over," Taylor admitted, adding that she moved across the United States to help him take care of affairs in Florida. Since then, Taylor has vowed to be a better man for himself and his partner, which meant cutting down on drinking and partying to step into his new role as a husband and a father.
"It was almost immediate, this incredible change and shift," his ex-girlfriend Stassi Schroeder said. "I don't even know how to explain it; he isn't the same person he was before. He got the sense smacked into him." With some of their toughest battles behind them, some fans believe this separation will be as short-lived as the many breakups they've already overcome.