Jillian Michaels is known by many as the no-nonsense, tough-love trainer from The Biggest Loser. Michaels was the “bad cop” trainer to Bob Harper’s “good cop” and wasn't afraid to kick contestants out of the gym if they complained. This intensity has reared its head outside of the gym as well, as her straight talk about obesity, the keto diet and even the Real Housewives franchise has rubbed people the wrong way. However, Michaels is drawing the line at allegations that she used to spit on people in restaurants.
Jackie Warner, who dated Jillian Michaels for six years, told the Hot Takes & Deep Dives with Jess Rothschild podcast that the couple used to get kicked out of restaurants because of Michaels' behavior, which included spitting on people. Page Six ran the story about Warner’s interview with a comment that “a rep for Michaels did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.” Michaels took to Instagram to clap back at the publication, claiming that if anyone had reached out for a comment, she would have had one:
Then you lied, though, and you claimed that you reached out to my people for comment. Which is completely untrue, because the comment would have been that your article is untrue. And I’m pretty sure that if I had spit on many people in restaurants, or even one person for that matter, it would have already made your paper.
Jillian Michaels makes an interesting point. As a public figure, if she had spit on people in restaurants, that seems like the kind of behavior that would have been made public knowledge at the time, because even before COVID made us more aware of our hygiene, spitting is just nasty, and one can be charged for it. (Though it can be received differently if it happens during a celebrated Broadway play like Hamilton.)
One would think, though, that the trainer’s beef would moreso be with Jackie Warner for making the claims than with the news outlet for reporting them. However, from the Instagram post alone, we don't know if or how she did address the situation with Warner personally. It’s always possible that part of it was handled privately.
Jackie Warner had some pretty strong words about her ex on the podcast. He said the relationship ended because she became exhausted with her behavior:
We’d get thrown out of nice restaurants because she was screaming loud, cursing, and I couldn’t take it. I just was not the same. I mean, she used to spit on people.
In Jillian Michaels’ social media response, she said the accusations have affected her family. Michaels shares two children, Lukensia and Phoenix, with ex-fiancée Heidi Rhoades, who she was engaged to for three years. Michaels said her kids being questioned at school about their mother’s behavior is the reason she spoke out:
The reason I’m upset is because I have kids. A 9-year-old and an 11-year-old, and yes, my kids know that I don’t spit on people in restaurants, but it certainly isn’t fun for them if they have to go to school, and one of their friends says, ‘I heard your mom spits on people in restaurants.’
Obviously, Jillian Michaels wouldn’t want her children to be affected by any rumors going around about her, and similarly she seemingly doesn’t take too kindly to the rumors themselves. Suffice it to say, Michaels certainly appears to have no problem setting the record straight if she finds information about her to be false.
