Bunnie Xo reveals why Jelly Roll's behavior gave her 'whiplash' and what hurt most about 'betrayal'
Bunnie Xo has come out to rehash the difficult time in her marriage to ex-husband, Jelly Roll, after the pair's divorce.
Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo ended their marriage after nearly a decade together, after the 41-year-old singer - real name Jason DeFord - filed for divorce from Bunnie Xo - real name Alisa DeFord on May 18.
The pair tied the knot in 2016 after just one month together, and have both been open in speaking out about their ups and downs.
One of those downs, however, was a year-long affair the musician had, which Bunnie ultimately said made their relationship stronger in the end.
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But in the aftermath of their divorce, she has since revisited the time of her life in an episode of her podcast, Dumb Blonde, with actress Denise Richards.
Her Monday episode (August 3) saw the influencer reveal how 'slimy' it feels to be the person being cheated on.
“When I had gone through a situation with an affair, it’s not the act that hurts you,” the 46-year-old explained. “It’s the lies. It’s just, like, whiplash.”
She didn't mention her ex's name when she added: “There’s no way to feel good about it. Betrayal trauma literally rewires your brain to not trust people, to just feel disgusting because you’re the last to know. Nobody ever wants to be the f–king last to know.”
Bunnie went on to say it's 'a different kind of hurt.'
Previously, Jelly opened up about it as being 'one of the worst moments of [his] adulthood was when [he] had an affair on [his] wife'.
On the Human School podcast last year, the singer explained: "It was the first time that I was like, ‘I really can’t get this right at all. I know I’m in love with this woman.’ It just really, really, really blew me back.”
Jelly said that it took 'a lot of work to repair' the relationship, but it made them 'stronger than [they] could have ever been'.
He also claimed he 'wish[ed]' he 'never had an affair', but 'in a way' he was 'glad it happened' because of how 'proud' he was of the people they were 'today' after the pain and rebuilding.
As for Bunnie, she appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show in February this year, where she said 'instead of looking at him', she 'looked within' herself and after leaving him, he 'he came and got me'.
This is what ultimately led her to decide to give him a second chance, but said there wouldn't be a next time.
"Our castle in the sand had to crumble so we could rebuild on solid ground," she had explained of the time.
However, she told Kelly Clarkson her choice to give him that second chance was 'the best decision' she 'ever made'.
She added: "Will he get a third? Absolutely f**king not."
The pair, however, called it quits and have since unfollowed each other on Instagram, and just 11 days after the pair officially separated, on July 28, the singer took to the Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he performed the last date on his Big Ass Stadium Tour ahead of his Weidner Field show in Colorado Springs.
"This has truly been a lifetime experience for me,” he said to the audience, as per Hello! Magazine.
He then announced his plans to take some time away from work.
“I go to Colorado Springs and do my last show for a year or two," he said. “I'm fixing to take some time off and heal. I love you all so much. Thank you for the opportunity.”
Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo relationship timeline
August 2015
Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo meet at one of the former’s shows at the Las Vegas Country Saloon. This was before Jelly Roll enjoyed mainstream success. He’s living in a van and only around 20 people are at the gig. They talk backstage. At the time, Bunnie is dating someone else.
Later, Bunnie splits from her ex and asks a friend to give her Jelly Roll’s number. Bunnie says Jelly Roll would call and text her for advice about his daughter Bailee, from a previous relationship.
July 2016
The pair’s relationship turns romantic when Jelly Roll travels to Vegas to film a music video and Bunnie offers to put him up at her place.
August 2016
Jelly Roll proposes to Bunnie onstage at a Yelawolf and Deftones concert in Las Vegas. He tells her: “[I wanna know] will your fine a** marry my white trash a** tonight in Las Vegas?” That night, they tie the knot at The Little White Chapel.
August 23, 2016
Jelly Roll welcomes a son, Noah Buddy, with an ex. In 2016, Jelly Roll and Bunnie are also granted primary custody of Bailee due to her mother’s substance abuse issues.
2018
Jelly Roll cheats on Bunnie, and the pair temporarily separate. Jelly Roll later calls the affair ‘one of the worst moments of his adulthood’.
He says he ‘did a lot of work to repair that relationship’ on the Human School podcast. They rekindle their relationship later that year.
2019
Bunnie launches the Dumb Blonde podcast, which goes on to be a massive success, with Dolly Parton and MGK appearing as guests.
2022
Jelly Roll’s music takes off in a big way. His single ‘Son of a Sinner’ hits No. 1 on Billboard's US Country Airplay chart.
March 2023
Bunnie deletes her OnlyFans and leaves the sex industry behind.
August 31 2023
Bunnie and Jelly Roll return to The Little White Chapel in Vegas to renew their vows.
June 2024
Bunnie reveals on Instagram that the couple have decided to undergo IVF. She writes: “W/all odds stacked against us, it’s always been hard & we have only just begun.”
February 2026
Bunnie says that following Jelly Roll’s 275 pound weight loss, his penis has gotten ‘severely bigger’.
May 9 2026
The date of separation in Jelly Roll and Bunnie's divorce filing. Bunnie later reveals the couple have an argument, and she says in anger: “Well, then file the f**king divorce papers.”
Jelly Roll packs a bag and the couple don’t speak for weeks.
May 18 2026
Jelly Roll files for divorce, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’.
Lawyer Holly Davis - who doesn’t represent either party - tells People: “It's a very neutral and agreement-oriented filing. It doesn't look like a contested divorce filing.”
June 18 2026
Bunnie opens up on her podcast Dumb Blonde about the end of her marriage.
She says there was no cheating, and she and Jelly Roll are still planning to have a baby via IVF and co-parent it together.
Her IVF journey took a heartbreaking strain on her mental health, and she says it ‘wrecked me emotionally, spiritually, physically’.
She adds: “It was not mutual. Even though I told him to file the divorce papers, I was speaking out of anger and frustration. But was it necessary for us to have a wakeup call and to actually start having these real conversations? Absolutely.”
She adds that Jelly Roll is already dating other people, and she is ‘excited to discover myself single’.
The same night, Jelly Roll addresses speculation around the divorce onstage at Saratoga Springs, New York, saying the internet ‘is a liar’.
He adds: “Me and my wife are best friends, we will always be best friends. I will love her. She will probably be the only woman I'll ever love the way I loved her.”
July 4 2026
Bunnie kisses 24-year-old reality star Dylan Wolf at Jelly Roll’s Tennessee bar, Goodnight Nashville, while celebrating the Fourth of July. TMZ later shares footage of the intimate moment.
July 10 2026
Bunnie shares Jelly Roll's reaction to the kiss on her podcast, telling listeners that he totally 'gets it' and the venue was 'no issue at all'.
“I’m not dating anybody. I do not want to be with anybody. There’s an ice box where my heart used to be. That s**t is chained up,” she adds
July 17 2026
Bunnie and Jelly Roll finalize their divorvce. Jelly Roll is reportedly set to make a one-off lump-sum payment to Bunnie in lieu of alimony.
Topics: Jelly Roll, Music, Celebrity
Britt Jones