"He knew the mic was still on. He just didn’t care anymore."
In a moment that stunned Bravo production and left cast and crew visibly shaken, Jax Taylor was allegedly caught on a hot mic referring to his former mother-in-law, Sherri Cartwright, as a “manipulative hillbilly” during an unplanned on-set meltdown. The outburst, which reportedly occurred during a tense break in filming The Valley, is now at the center of a firestorm within the Bravo universe — and has further fractured what little remains of his relationship with Brittany Cartwright.
According to multiple insiders on set that day, the moment came after producers attempted to film a confessional-style scene with Jax, touching on his strained co-parenting with Brittany. When asked about Brittany’s family’s growing presence in Cruz’s life, Jax reportedly became agitated, pacing off set while still wearing his microphone pack. That’s when it happened.
“He turned to one of the producers and said, ‘You know what, f*ck Sherri. That manipulative hillbilly has been in Brittany’s ear since day one. She’s the reason everything fell apart,’” a source who overheard the exchange told DailyMail+. “He said it loud. Everyone heard it. It wasn’t an offhand whisper — it was a full-volume meltdown.”
Unbeknownst to Jax — or perhaps fully known and just not cared about — his mic was still live, and the crew in the control tent caught every word. One camera operator reportedly removed their headset in disgust. Another crew member was said to have walked off set temporarily.
“Everyone was just... frozen,” another insider revealed. “We’ve heard Jax lose it before, but there was something especially venomous about this. You don’t talk about the mother of your child’s mother like that. And especially not on a show that’s still filming.”
Sherri Cartwright, known for her Southern charm and protective instincts, has been a quiet but steady presence throughout Brittany’s time in the Bravo world. Though often portrayed as the supportive mom with a sweet smile, sources close to the Cartwright family say Sherri has long been concerned about Jax’s “escalating behavior” and has privately urged Brittany to cut ties fully.
“She knew who he was before the wedding,” one family friend told us. “But Brittany was in love. Sherri tried to play nice for years. But what Jax said? That just sealed it.”
It’s believed that Sherri was notified about the remark by someone in production shortly after the incident occurred. Though she has not spoken publicly, insiders say she was “deeply hurt” and “disgusted” — not just by Jax’s words, but by the fact Bravo may have been willing to cover for him again.
Complicating matters further, the footage has reportedly become a point of contention within Bravo’s post-production team, who are now debating whether to air the audio or cut it altogether. Some argue that the moment shows Jax’s true colors and needs to be seen. Others worry that it may trigger backlash from viewers already on edge after recent allegations of verbal and emotional abuse.
Meanwhile, Brittany — who was not on set at the time of the incident — was reportedly informed afterward by a producer who “felt she deserved to know.” A source close to Brittany says she was devastated but not surprised, adding, “He’s disrespected her, now he’s disrespecting her mother. She feels foolish for ever defending him on national television.”
As for Jax? He has yet to comment publicly on the remark, though a Bravo insider claims he later told producers it was “just frustration” and “not meant to be recorded.” But many on set weren’t buying it. “He’s been in reality TV for over a decade,” one crew member said. “He knows how mics work. He knew exactly what he was doing.”
At time of publishing, Bravo has made no official statement on the incident. However, sources inside the network say this may be the final straw as executives weigh whether Jax’s presence on The Valley is worth the mounting damage to the brand.
If there’s one thing clear in the fallout: the mask has slipped — and the mic caught everything.
