Jeff Lewis is speaking out after reading through Jenni Pulos‘ latest interview and he is very “angry.”
In his most vicious response yet, Jeff unleashed a verbal attack against Jenni, accusing her of being a liar when it comes to her alleged claims of abuse against him. He called her an actress who is playing the role of a victim and also set the record straight about long-running rumors that Jenni was the one who created Flipping Out.
Days after Jenni told PEOPLE magazine she was fired from Jeff’s design company midway through production on the 11th season of Flipping Out, Jeff weighed in on her denial regarding the alleged abuse claims she made against him.
“I have to try to separate the emotions from the facts because it’s fresh, it’s hurtful. The bottom line is we’ve been friends for 16 years,” Jeff began during an episode of his Sirius XM series, Jeff Lewis Live, on Thursday. “I’m hurt. I’m upset. I’m angry. I’m everything. I’m going through every bit of emotion.”
“She had mentioned in the article that she never made a formal complaint,” continued Jeff. “It’s semantics at this point. Maybe you didn’t walk into HR with your attorney but you made accusations. And those accusations had to have been investigated.”
According to Jeff, a Bravo executive had separate dinners with him and Jenni after learning of the alleged abuse Jenni had experienced.
“I did not make up the fact that my show-runner was on the phone for four hours talking to multiple executives going frame by frame to make sure there was no abuse that was being alleged,” he revealed. “I would never make something like this up because it is damaging to my reputation and my career. So that is not something I would ever lie about or would ever make up.”
During her interview, Jenni said she did not make claims of wrongful termination, abuse, or victimization against her former employer and added that she and Jeff “see things very differently.”
Jeff and Jenni have also given contradicting statements about their working relationship and whether or not it was staged for Flipping Out. According to Jeff, Jenni wasn’t working for him for several seasons and their storyline on the show was just that, for the show. However, according to Jenni, their relationship on the show was “very real.”
On Thursday, Jeff elaborated on his claims. “Flipping Out is not fake… Jenni did work for me, she was my assistant when the show started,” he said. “She was my assistant for 10 years until maybe the last 3 or 4 years”
He added that Jenni now receives the paycheck of a “veteran [Bravo] housewife” (they are rumored to make about $1 million per season) from Bravo and that she doesn’t get a paycheck from him.
Jeff then unleashed a verbal lashing on Jenni, referring to her as a professional victim and asking why she continued returning to the show season after season if he was indeed abusive to her.
“So if you were abused Jenni, maybe you shouldn’t have come back and signed up year after year after year after year and cashed your big checks,” he stated.
“Let me tell you about Jenni, I’ve known her for a long time. She’s one of the smartest people I know. She’s extremely confident. She’s extremely communicative… Another thing too I’m going to tell you in the 16 years that I’ve known her, she’s never cried off camera but she certainly turns on the waterworks when we’re on camera,” said Jeff. “I hope she does well and I know she wants to be an actress. And if I were a producer or a casting director, I would cast her as a victim cause she’s f**king nailed it! She’s nailed it! She’s going to get an Emmy. She’s going to get an Oscar. Please cast her as a victim because that’s what she’s playing. She’s playing a role right now.”
Jeff wasn’t done however as he also shut down long running rumors that Jenni created Flipping Out and that the show was originally centered around her life.
“Jenni did not create Flipping Out. Jenni is not an acting producer on the show. I’ve got an executive producer credit too. Can I tell you what it’s worth? F**king nothing. It’s a bullsh*t name only credit. I have nothing to do with producing the show and I have nothing to do with the edit,” explained Jeff. “And the same thing with her. She has nothing to do with producing the show but she walks around Hollywood saying she that she’s created Flipping Out and that she’s produced Flipping Out which is a mistruth.”
Jeff did admit that Jenni was trying to pitch a show about her life and he was in the background, which led to a producer noticing him and calling him directly to say “we would like to do a show about your life” according to Jeff.
As for the future of Flipping Out, Jeff revealed weeks ago that Bravo had not renewed his contract for season 12 but noted the show “hasn’t officially been canceled.” Meanwhile, during her interview, Jenni said that while Jeff requested a part-time role on the series, on which she acts as executive producer, she turned him down.
“I was not going to fake a friendship,” she explained.
Flipping Out season 11 airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on Bravo TV.
Photos Credit: Bravo TV