Jax Taylor Opens Up About His ‘Late Bloomer’ Journey and Surprising Virginity Revelation from a Strict Upbringing

Jax Taylor is revealing details about his more “traditional” upbringing.

At 45, Taylor discussed his sexual education with sex therapist Dr. Emily Morse during the March 20 episode of his In the Mind of a Man podcast and disclosed the age he lost his virginity. He initiated the discussion by informing Morse that he “was raised in a very traditional community.”

Drawing parallels between his hometown of Shelby Township, Michigan and the neighborhood depicted in the 1950s sitcom, Leave It to Beaver, Taylor remarked: “I don’t even believe I had the sex conversation with my father… I also was a very late developer.”

The Vanderpump Rules alum then elaborated that his high school experience mirrored that of the 1999 comedy film American Pie. “That was my neighborhood. Very [much like] my peers,” he stated. “People left their doors unlocked. Everything just felt safe.”

“Sex wasn’t really a significant matter then,” he confided to Morse. “I didn’t lose my virginity until I was 19.”

“That’s good. It sounds like you waited until you felt prepared,” Morse responded playfully, “And then you never stopped.”

As their dialogue progressed, Taylor, who recently discussed his battles with substance use, mentioned that his romantic life is closely connected to his consumption of alcohol and drugs.

“Because I felt invincible when I went on dates, I had plenty to discuss. I was the life of the gathering. Now I’m taking a back seat to all that. I’m anxious because I fear I won’t be as entertaining or fascinating,” he shared.

This isn’t the first occasion this week that Taylor has been open about his difficulties. On March 19, he candidly spoke on PodcastOne’s The Adam and Dr. Drew Show, where he acknowledged that he also previously viewed himself as somewhat of a sex addict alongside his substance-related challenges.

“I believe I dabbled in it a little bit,” he remarked. “I’m not in recovery from that, no. I’m merely focusing on the substance abuse at the moment and attempting to resolve that. Perhaps we’ll address that later. I’m
working to tackle one issue before I confront the other complications. I’m trying to rectify it.”

“And honestly, I think I have some other deeply ingrained issues. Personally, I don’t believe alcohol and drugs were the problem,” he elaborated. “I was just concealing my issues with substances. I don’t think I have an alcohol issue, but I do have a substance problem, yet they are intertwined, hence, I needed to quit both.”

Taylor mentioned that his difficulties were “a trigger for me,” detailing, “I’d have two drinks, and I’d start searching for who’s got the bag, where is it located? And as I said, I was masking all the problems I’ve encountered over the years. I’ve faced a lot of trauma in my life.”

“Instead of addressing it directly, going to therapy, I masked it with drugs, and it only compounded into a worse situation because within the next 72 hours, I’m coming down from that, you know, and I feel completely terrible. So I was questioning, why am I doing this?” he added.

Ultimately, Taylor’s challenges affected his marriage to Brittany Cartwright, who submitted a divorce petition in August 2024 after four years of matrimony. The couple has a 3-year-old son, Cruz Michael Cauchi.

Following the reality star’s admission about his substance use issues on Bravo’s Hot Mic Podcast episode on March 4, Cartwright provided an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, expressing her relief that he finally acknowledged the underlying issues.

“For the first time, I’m able to discuss candidly the extent of trauma he’s caused our family over the years,” she wrote. “I’ve desperately attempted to assist him without success. I hope that one day he completely overcomes this addiction, but I remain doubtful. His behavior remains alarming, and his treatment plan appears to be minimal.”

She added, “I’m striving to manage this as best as possible for myself and my son, but each day remains a challenge and quite difficult. Jax has inflicted a significant amount of damage, and my trust in him is minimal at this moment. My only wish is that one day, he becomes a better individual for the sake of his son.”

If you or someone you know is battling substance addiction, please reach out to the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.