The Valley star recently appeared on Bravo’s Sizzling Mic Podcast, where he candidly discussed the difficulties surrounding his divorce from Cartwright, with whom he shares their three-year-old son, Cruz. Taylor’s reflections reveal not just the emotional turmoil of divorce, but also the impact it has on their parenting journey.

During this revealing interview, Taylor opened up about his struggles with mental health, detailing his journey towards recovery after entering a treatment facility in September. He also acknowledged that Cartwright is justifiably upset about some of his past actions and the public nature of their breakup, highlighting the emotional complexities involved in their relationship.

“She’s upset, she’s upset. She’s gonna hit beneath the belt, she’s gonna say things like, ‘I am not gonna change,’ she’s gonna say this and that ‘cause she’s hurt,” Taylor confessed to host Alex Baskin. “And she has every right to be.” This statement emphasizes the raw emotions often involved in divorce proceedings, where hurt feelings can lead to damaging words.

Reflecting on the disintegration of their marriage, which was prominently featured in the Vanderpump Rules spinoff, Taylor admitted to exhibiting “verbal abuse” not only towards his wife but also towards those around him. His acknowledgment of these behaviors sheds light on the challenges of personal accountability during relationship struggles.

“I’d find something to set me off, and take it out on her,” Taylor shared, recognizing the toxic cycle of blame and emotional distress. “Which was so wrong.” His candid admission highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing unhealthy patterns in relationships to foster healing.

After hearing some unfavorable remarks Cartwright has made about him, Taylor expressed that he too feels “hurt” and wished for more kindness from his ex-wife, hoping she would publicly acknowledge the positive aspects of their co-parenting relationship.

“It hurts me that she says that. I’d hope that she’d be like, ‘I’ll always love him and I want him to change.’ I’d hope she would say that, just for my own sake,” the owner of Jax’s Studio City lamented. “I have been married to her for a long time, and I’d just hope that after all these years, she wouldn’t be so negative. I don’t understand.” His emotional plea resonates with many navigating post-divorce interactions.

He continued, “I believe she really wants to see me fail. I truly, truly do. I think she wants to prove everyone right.” This statement highlights the intense emotions and perceived animosity that can exist between ex-partners during and after a divorce.

While Taylor is candid about his shortcomings as a husband during their marriage, he conveyed to Baskin that since leaving the therapy center, he has made a conscious effort to be “nicer” to Cartwright than he was during their time together. This change in demeanor indicates a commitment to personal growth and improving their co-parenting relationship.

“I’ve been kinder to her now than I was when I was married,” Taylor stated. “I go out of my way for her.” His words suggest a newfound focus on fostering a positive environment for their son, Cruz, despite their personal differences.

Taylor also remarked that Cartwright has been relatively amicable since their split, humorously noting her recent negative comments about him as “funny,” given that she—according to Jax—still invites him over for drinks and to “hook up.” This illustrates the complicated dynamics often present in post-divorce relationships.

“Which is strange that she says all these negative things about me, yet she’ll call me, two days ago, ‘Come over, you wanna have some drinks? Come over, you wanna hook up?’” Taylor stated. “She’ll go out and publicly humiliate me and call me every name in the book, but three days ago she’s like, ‘Hey, you wanna come over and have dinner, you wanna come over and have drinks. Don’t tell anyone that I’m doing this.’” His comments underscore the contradictions that often arise in relationships marked by emotional turmoil.

He continued, “People don’t know that. She talks all this trash and then says, ‘Come over. Come and hang out, come and this.’ I don’t mean to blow her cover, but I’m not all that bad. She wouldn’t be calling me over; she wouldn’t be saying, ‘Hey, let’s go to the pumpkin patch with Cruz. Let’s go to Disney with Cruz. Let’s take Cruz together to school.’ If I was that bad of a person, do you think she would do all this?” This reveals the complex and often conflicting emotions that can characterize post-relationship interactions.

As for Cartwright, while she has yet to publicly respond to Taylor’s remarks on the podcast, his openness comes after she also sat down with Baskin, expressing her skepticism regarding Taylor’s claims of a “changed” demeanor post-rehab.

“I don’t feel like he changed at all in those 30 days. I’m sure it will be on the show as well, but a lot of rage texting was going on the whole time he was in rehab,” Cartwright claimed. “So, for me, I was just noticing, ‘This is just going to be constant.’” Her perspective highlights the challenges of trust and perception in relationships after emotional trauma.

“If you’re in therapy seven hours a day and you’re still finding time to call me names and cuss me out and send me rage texts, then you’re clearly not ever gonna change,” she continued, labeling it an “eye-opening” moment in their marriage that ultimately led her to file for divorce. Her reflections reveal the difficulties of navigating personal growth within a troubled relationship.

Cartwright officially filed for divorce from Taylor in August, just six months after the couple announced their separation in February 2024. This timeline reflects the often tumultuous and painful journey of ending a significant relationship.