Relationships between ex-spouses can certainly vary. Some former partners (like Bruce Willis and Demi Moore) can remain friendly following a divorce, while others may have a bond that’s somewhat more contentious. The former seemed to be true for Tori Spelling’s husband, Dean McDermott, and his ex-wife, Mary Jo Eustace. The two recently teamed up to create a podcast though, after only three episodes, the collaboration took a dramatic turn. The former couple’s son, Jack, weighed in afterwards, and he had some honest thoughts.
In November, Dean McDermott and Mary Jo Eustace marked the debut of their Ex's & Uh-Oh's podcast, which centers on relationships and the ups and downs that come with them. McDermott and Eustace, who were married from 1993 to 2006, seemed to have solid rapport, but Jack McDermott now claims that his mother ultimately caused a rift. In a since-deleted Instagram post (captured by People), Jack declared that he could no longer “stay silent” when it comes to his parents’ relationship and discussed how his mom purported put a “strain on our family dynamic”:
Since my parents divorce in 2006, I have rarely spoken out as I preferred to stay out of it. Unfortunately, due to my mothers recent decision to spread information about my Dad, Step mom and my siblings I am no longer able to stay silent. About a week ago, my Dad made the decision to step away from his podcast with my mother ‘Ex's & Uh-Ohs’. He chose to leave due to negative comments about our family and consistent attempts to malign his character. He also chose to leave due to the producer of the show betraying his trust and divulging private information.
It’s unclear as to what specific “information” was allegedly being shared about the older McDermott and Tori Spelling, who have five children together. It’s possible that it has something to do with their cheating scandal, which reportedly occurred before they divorced their former spouses. The info could also connect to McDermott’s 2013 infidelity controversy or even Spelling’s mental breakdown, which occurred in 2018. Over the years, there have also been reports of Spelling and McDemott not being able to afford certain luxuries.
Jack went on to reference his famous father’s past later in his social media post. Not only that, but he also made an appeal to those who might tune into the podcast moving forward:
For 17 years my father has atoned for mistakes He's made in the past. He has grown so much as a person. Up until a week ago, our two families where [sic] living in harmony. With this podcast, it has driven a wedge between our two families and created a divide I am not capable of mending. Sadly, I'm not sure it can be. I ask that the information shared on 'Ex's & Uh-Ohs' be taken with a grain of salt. From my mother, I ask that you please respect me, and my blended family. Please avoid creating any additional strain on our family dynamic. These past few years have been nothing but peace and happiness, and I ask that we continue to try and keep it that way.
Mary Jo Eustace has yet to publicly respond to her son’s critiques, though a source close to her did share some thoughts on the matter with People. Said person theorized that “it's very hurtful for MaryJo to hear that her son is talking negatively about her.” They also made note of her ex-husband’s reported adultery and claimed that “it was Mary Jo that did 90 percent of the parenting.” In spite of all of this, the unnamed person claims that Eustace “respects Jack's right to express himself.”
As for Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott, they’ve had their share of ups and downs this past year. Reports indicated that they were heading for divorce, but McDermott shot down the claim. The role-play-loving couple seem to be on good terms now, and one would assume that McDermott won’t be returning to his ex’s podcast in order to help keep things harmonious.
