Jax and Brittany Deny He’s Having a Midlife Crisis: “Just Trying to Keep Marriage Intact”
Meanwhile, Lala Kent wonders if another cast member from The Valley is suffering from "little man syndrome."
The Valley’s Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright have joined the conversation about the men of Vanderpump Rules and their progression into middle age.
The now-estranged couple joined their former co-stars for the Vanderpump Rules After Show, where they all discussed Tom Schwartz’s purported midlife crisis. New cars, young women, and “drastic” new hairstyles are red flags for Scheana Shay and the others, raising questions about the men of Vanderpump Rules and The Vally.
“This is not a midlife crisis,” 41-year-old Tom insisted in the episode. “This is a midlife revival.”
Is Jax having a midlife crisis?
When asked by After Show producers if he personally was having a midlife crisis, Jax said, “Not yet" — but according to Kristen Doute, the jury’s still out.
“Maybe Jax has been doing it for a minute,” said Kristen, adding that he “pops in and pops out” of the common life’s transition.
Brittany, however, said the 44-year-old father of her child, Cruz Michael Cauchi, has always been the way he is.
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“Jax does have his muscle cars and stuff, but he’s always kinda had that stuff,” said Brittany.
“That’s just called Michigan,” Lala Kent jumped in.
“It’s coming,” Jax admitted. “I’m just trying to keep my marriage intact right now.”
Of course, in February 2024, the couple announced on their shared podcast, When Reality Hits with Jax and Brittany, that they were separated and living in separate homes.
Is Jesse Lally having a midlife crisis?
When asked who from The Valley could be suffering a midlife crisis, Brittany and Lala considered Jesse Lally the top contender. Even Jesse wondered if he might have been “easing into” middle age when recently bidding on a 1960s Jaguar convertible.
But, according to Lala, Jesse could be suffering from something else altogether: “I can’t tell if he has a midlife crisis or he’s upset that he’s kind of short,” Lala said. “He might just have little man syndrome.”
The purported condition, often referred to as having a Napoleon complex, refers to men of more diminutive stature overcompensating for their inadequacies with over-the-top personality traits, often in the form of aggression or narcissism.
The men of Vanderpump Rules on maturing, middle age
While Tom Schwartz handles what Tom Sandoval jokingly described as a “trashy” midlife crisis, James Kennedy and Brock Davies discussed what they thought that phase of life might look like for them. For 32-year-old James, he still has a little way to go, but that didn’t stop him from imagining his future.
“Let’s put an age on my midlife crisis, right? It would be, like, 53, 55,” said James. “Like, it’s a late bloomer; it’s not Schwartz at 40, OK?”
James said that instead of resorting to Schwartz’s recent actions — which included getting a new tattoo — he hoped that era of life involved going somewhere like Bali to find himself.
Brock said he would hope for something similar.
“I think if I went through a midlife crisis, I’d be out on a ranch, just figuring that out, you know?” Brock answered.
In the meantime, Brock still commands the full respect of “the heel game,” thanks to his pointed leather footwear.
“This is not my midlife crisis,” he insisted to producers. “This is too good to be a midlife crisis.”
Catch up on Tuesday nights with all-new episodes of Vanderpump Rules at 8/7c, followed by The Valley on Bravo. Both are available to stream the next day on Peacock.
