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Brittany Cartwright revealed how she discovered that her estranged husband Jax Taylor is dating her former publicist Lori Krebs.
“[Lori] sent me a text message, morning of [the release of photos of her and Jax vacationing in Mexico], two hours before the TMZ photos came out and let me know that things had changed and that she knows I will feel betrayed,” Brittany, 37, told a visibly stunned Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen on Wednesday, August 5. “[Lori said] she loves me and [Brittany and Jax’s son, Cruz] and she’s never told Jax anything. Come on.”
Us obtained photographs of Jax, 47, and Lori on vacation at Hotel Mousai in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for the Vanderpump Rules alum’s birthday in July. A source speaking exclusively to Us described an intimate scene as Jax and Lori allegedly cuddled in a resort pool.
“They had their arms wrapped around each other and looked very close,” an eyewitness told Us. “It seemed obvious that they were very much together.”
However, a separate source exclusively told Us on Wednesday that the public perception of Lori’s personal and professional ties to both Jax and Brittany is not accurate.
“Lori understands why Brittany feels betrayed. But the narrative that they were still ‘like family’ when this all happened isn’t accurate,” the source told Us. “Brittany and Lori haven’t been close in a very long time. Their relationship had changed significantly. They saw each other only a couple of times in the past year, never spoke outside of work, and Lori’s role had been reduced primarily to coordinating media interviews. She had already been trying to transition away from representing Brittany because she increasingly felt caught in the middle of an extremely difficult situation.”
The source pointed out, “Throughout Jax’s addiction and recovery, Lori supported both of them in different ways. As Jax made progress and focused on rebuilding his life, the professional and personal dynamics shifted. None of that changes the fact that Lori understands Brittany’s hurt, but the picture being painted of their relationship at the time isn’t an accurate one.”
Jax responded to Brittany’s WWHL appearance in the Instagram comment section for the show, accusing his estranged wife of telling “blatant lies.”
During her sitdown with Andy, 58, Brittany opened up about the betrayal she felt over a formerly close confidant dating Jax. (Jax and Brittany separated in February 2024 and initiated divorce proceedings that August. They have yet to reach a settlement.)
Lori’s attorney, Michael Kernan, told People this week that it “is inaccurate to suggest that my client engaged in an unethical dual representation” and that she has not represented Jax “for well over a year.”
Brittany shared her own timeline during her interview with Andy on Watch What Happens Live on Wednesday.
“She was still my publicist,” Brittany said. “She was still getting a retainer from me. She was still making 10% of things for me. She was still my friend — family, basically. I had just invited her to a 4th of July cookout at my house.”
She went on, “Now, she’s trying to say we haven’t been friends for a year and a half? … [Lori] was here [at WWHL] the last time I was here, Andy. That was in April. The lies are insane, to try to flip the image and make them look better. It’s never going to look better.”
“I expect it from Jax. I don’t care if Jax dates someone. Move on. Leave me alone,” Brittany added. “It’s what she did! She was my family member, the person I went to whenever I was being abused in that relationship.”
Jax’s attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, has denied Cartwright’s claims of abuse.
Later in the segment, Brittany claimed that her only communication with Jax since the scandal erupted is when he “harasses [her] on our parenting app constantly.”
“He just kinda fights with himself on there,” she joked. “It’s really bad.”
Asked by Andy whether Lori and Jax are still “seeing each other,” Brittany replied, “I guess! He just recently missed his time with his son because he was in Canada [with her].”
Us has reached out to representatives for Lori and Jax for comment.
Earlier on Wednesday, Brittany spoke to People about the “complete, complete betrayal” she felt from someone who was “like a sister to me for 10 years.”
“She knows every in and out of everything in my life and still chose to sleep with the enemy, basically,” Brittany alleged.
Meanwhile, Jax seemingly confirmed his relationship with Lori last week, after a fan suggested that he should be the next Bachelor.
“No thanks I am taken,” he replied to the Instagram commenter.
In light of the controversy, Brittany has publicly received support from former Vanderpump Rules costars Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute in recent days.
“I feel so bad for Brittany,” Stassi, 38, shared on the Friday, July 31, episode of the “It Girl” podcast. “I am eating this all up the same way I’m eating up the Summer House drama. It’s so believable because he’s a horrible person, but like, that publicist? I always knew she was bad news. I always knew it. I felt it. … I have really good instincts, I feel like, when it comes to shady people.”
Stassi then joked, “Honestly, I guess [Jax and Lori are] right for each other. I hope they get married and I hope it lasts.”
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