Bravo is desperately trying to turn Jax Taylor’s scandal with Lori Krebs into the next Scandoval, and it’s a big mistake. Ever since Jax was spotted getting close with the publicist he once shared with ex-wife Brittany Cartwright, fans have been dreading that producers will use it as an excuse to rehire him for The Valley.
Scandoval, the reveal that Tom Sandoval cheated on Ariana Madix with Rachel Leviss, was a once-in-a-generation reality TV moment. And the network has been chasing that high ever since. Just look at the Summer House scandal, which earned the long-running series high ratings, an Emmy nomination, and the Ariana-esque career boost for Ciara Miller.
However, the attention given to Jax’s latest stunt is a wrongheaded move. Fans can see through the desperation. And it highlights a troubling pattern for the network that previously destroyed the post-Scandoval goodwill.
Jax Taylor’s new Lori Krebs scandal is the latest desperate attempt to recreate Scandoval
For longtime viewers, Jax’s relationship with Lori isn’t that shocking. It’s extremely in character for him. And it was already a longtime rumor. This isn’t like Scandoval, which came out of nowhere. Nothing compares to Sandoval cheating on Ariana with Rachel while Rachel carried on a months-long showmance with Tom Schwartz as a cover-up.
Bravo’s attempt to hype this up as the next Scandoval is glaringly obvious. It’s great that Brittany gets to say her piece after all Jax put her through. But why is her People interview shot like that “me sitting for my Netflix documentary” meme?
When it was announced The Valley would resume filming, fans rolled their eyes. In 2023, when cameras went back up on VPR, it felt unprecedented, and the resulting episode was raw and compelling. However, Bravo spent the last three years picking cameras back up for practically every show for any reason.
For instance, viewers dismissed the Summer House post-season bonus episode as a waste of time. With Summer House and In The City airing back-to-back, Bravo fans are already exhausted by that attempt to recreate Scandoval. The betrayal of Ciara was terrible. But “Scamanda” couldn’t match the entangled dating history or mind-blowing details (like Tom dressing as Rachel for Halloween!) that made Scandoval so juicy.
And, frankly, West Wilson and Amanda Batula aren’t that interesting. The lack of buzz for In The City proves fans lost interest. That’s why the jump to Jax feels extra desperate.
Bravo hasn’t learned from the biggest mistake of Scandoval – protecting problematic men
As the scandal gets more press coverage, it seems more likely that Jax could return to Bravo. It wouldn’t be the first time he came back after getting fired. And it is an unfortunate pattern for production. As Jax’s ex-girlfriend Stassi Schroeder called out, VPR producers protected problematic men. Jax got countless chances and redemption arcs on that show.
Viewers of The Valley Season 2 were horrified by his treatment of Brittany. And yet he got a sympathetic podcast interview with producers. At the reunion, Jax was surrounded by pictures of him and his son Cruz, which seemed like an attempt to soften his image.
The threat of Jax returning to Bravo again brings to mind the failed Sandoval redemption arc that destroyed the OG Vanderpump Rules. That disastrous production choice villainized women for having boundaries and ruined the goodwill of Scandoval.
Even still, Sandoval gets constant chances on other NBC shows, including The Traitors, House of Villains, and America’s Got Talent. Event the recent domestic violence allegations might not pause his reality TV career.
Rewarding and protecting these problematic men is a dangerous and misogynistic pattern, and it needs to stop.
Why Jax Taylor needs to stay off The Valley and leave Brittany Cartwright alone
Lots of viewers would call The Valley Season 3 a bust. But a major criticism of the show is that it’s “too dark.” For the life of me, I can’t understand how adding Jax back to the cast would make it more watchable. Let’s not forget, Jax was fired from the series for a good reason. In The Valley Season 2, viewers were genuinely afraid for Brittany.
Brittany has every right to push back on his return to reality TV. As if the romance with Lori wasn’t humiliating enough, he continues to attack her on social media. He repeatedly blames her for his problems. If Jax returns to The Valley, producers would likely try to force them to film together. We saw how poorly they worked out when they tried to force Ariana to film with Sandoval.
Jax should not be rewarded for his cruel treatment of her. Brittany’s boundaries should be respected. She deserves better after everything he put her through. Hopefully, Bravo producers will come to their senses instead of desperately chasing ratings.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK JAX TAYLOR AND LORI KREBS’ ROMANCE IS THE NEXT SCANDOVAL? DO YOU WANT JAX BACK ON THE VALLEY?
