WHEN it comes to reality TV squabbles, we really thought we’d seen and heard it all.
But in a world of bar fights, hair pulling and catty comebacks, it’s safe to say that two stars of the Disney+ reality series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives have really gone, ahem, potty.
Earlier this week, former BFFs-turned-enemies Jessi Ngatikaura, 33, and Demi Engemann, 30, broke the internet as they took their telly feud to social media, exposing a graphic sex claim in the process.
For context, the pair have been feuding online ever since the third season of their hit show was released earlier this week – which focuses largely on Jessi’s marital problems with her husband, Jordan, and sees her admitting to having a kiss off-camera with fellow reality star Marciano Brunette, 32.
Since then, Jessi’s been doing the interview rounds, but Demi – who’s previously bragged about being the fan favourite on the show – wasn’t liking all the attention her frenemy was getting.
Taking to her Instagram, she insinuated that their TV series was heavily scripted – supposedly undermining Jessi’s drama and heartache in the process.
So, not one to be minimised or labelled fake, Jessi fought back…in jaw-dropping fashion.
Addressing her own Instagram fans, she began: “Honey, just because you script yourself doesn’t mean our show is scripted.
“This behaviour, level of delusion and downward spiral should be studied.”
Then – brace yourselves – she took it upon herself to finally contextualise an in-joke from season one that’s left fans scratching their heads ever since. This time, she really took the proverbial.
As viewers might remember, Demi’s cast-members famously bought her a box of the US cereal Fruity Pebbles back in season one in 2024 – cheekily implying it had something to do with her and her husband, Bret Engemann.
Demi seemed embarrassed, but nothing more was said…until now.
Carrying on her tirade against Demi, Jessi raged on Instagram: “Since she wants to be petty and be an a**hole, I think I am just going to go ahead and say that grandpa Bret likes to [redacted] like it is dirty soda and he gulps it down like water, and that’s what Fruity Pebbles is.”
The stomach-churning implication she made was that Demi and Bret had engaged in a sex act with urine, and that Fruity Pebbles was the nickname.
Cue fans storming social media in their droves to comment on the insanity of the escalating spectacle – and wonder if maybe, just maybe, reality TV’s gone a bit too far.
Urine trouble
As one fan wrote on X: “Jessi from SLOMW just told us what Fruity Pebbles is and i’ll never be the same. I wish I could unlearn this information.”
Another weighed in: “I was not prepared to learn the full lore behind the Fruity Pebbles.”
A third simply said, quite sensibly, “I will never eat Fruity Pebbles again.”
But while many stars might take this as a mortal blow, and keep quiet, Demi did the opposite. Not only did she respond immediately, she actually confirmed it.
Taking to her social media yet again, the TikTok star said in a statement: “What my husband and I did one-time behind closed doors, was a consensual and private experience in our marriage.”
I shared this information with Jessi in confidence nearly two years ago
Demi Engemann
She added: “I shared this information with Jessi in confidence nearly two years ago. It’s very telling that she’s choosing to break storyline and bring it up now, only after her own affair has come to light.”
As for Jessi, she took it upon herself to take a break from the never-ending mud-slinging, cheekily telling fans: “OK now that I’ve spilled the pee…I’m hopping off socials again.”
But with the cast currently filming season four of the hit series, it’s only a matter of time before we get a reprise of the Fruity Pebbles fracas.
Still, the question remains…how did things go so low? To answer that, we have to go back to where it started.
Rewinding to last September, Jessi, Demi and their fellow Mormon wives were introduced to the world as TikTok stars who’d found fandom online thanks to their shared social media page, MomTok.
On the platform, the young Mormon wives – who are all in their twenties and early thirties, married with kids – make group dance videos. So far, so harmless.
But fans were instantly hooked by the drama and scandal that simmered below the surface of their seemingly wholesome existence.
Saints and sinners
After all, though all women live in Utah, and many are devout, practising Mormons, their lifestyles don’t always reflect the strict tenets of the religious lifestyle they uphold.
For example, while coffee and alcohol are banned in their faith, a large majority of the cast are seen indulging in laughing gas while getting their regular Botox fix.
They also slurp down massive sugary drinks that give them the boost missing from their caffeine-free lifestyles.
And some are even seen on camera exploring medically supervised ketamine sessions.
With some being more dogmatic than others, their group is split into two self-anointed categories: the Saints and the Sinners.
What’s more, a large part of the first series is centred around fellow MomToker Taylor Frankie Paul, who found her own fame shortly before the series premiered after taking to TikTok (where else?) to reveal that she and her husband had been part of a “soft-swinging” group of fellow Mormons.
As the show gained traction last year, fans couldn’t get enough of the reality drama – which ranged from petty squabbles between the girls to high-stakes discussion of serious issues like domestic abuse.
With all the cast being TikTokers, the drama easily moved from our TV screens to our social media feeds, as the mummy influencers simply couldn’t stop lashing out at each other online.
As for Demi and Jessi – in the beginning, at least – they were always a united front. In fact, they packaged themselves as best friends…and the fact that they looked so alike only made them more inseparable.
Yet sadly, as is often the case in the flaky world of reality TV friendships, their bonds quickly hit the skids in season two.
Cutting comments
As fans might remember, their drama first began after it was claimed that Demi had allegedly tried to get Jessi fired to secure herself a higher salary.
She’d also committed the cardinal sin – telling other friends that hairdresser Jessi “isn’t good at hair”.
In response, Jessi declared their friendship was over – and both found castmates to take their respective sides.
In the meantime, the drama transcended their own show, as the cast made a cameo on another Disney+ series, Vanderpump Villa.
While appearing on that, they met reality star Marciano Brunette, who could be seen on screen flirting with Demi.
Subsequently, rumours and gossip abounded.
Some people suggested Demi had engaged in a full-on affair with Marciano, but things then came to a head when Marciano himself dropped the surprising truth-bomb: that he’d actually kissed Jessi, not Demi.
Since then, Jessi’s owned up to their kiss – which took place while the cast weren’t filming – claiming she’d been feeling unhappy and coerced in a toxic marriage (she and husband Jordan have since said they’re working on things).
Meanwhile, the drama gets even more convoluted, as Demi’s now come forward and said that Marciano had subjected her to an “unwanted touch” while they were filming Vanderpump Villa.
He vehemently denies her claims, telling his own followers on Instagram: “After I get done with this whole situation legally, I promise you guys you will never have to see this girl on TV ever again. I will be sure she does not get away with this behaviour and never does this to anyone ever again.”
I’m done backing down to someone who’s made my life hell
Jessi Ngatikaura
And so, as things stand, the internet is still ablaze with the “he saids”, “she saids” and “pee saids”.
Jessi and Demi are still at war on social media, Marciano is still blasting both girls online, and fans are bracing themselves for the cast reunion, which airs on December 4 on Disney+.
As far as Jessi is concerned, her former friend is manipulative and ruthlessly hellbent on securing herself bigger fame and fortune.
As for Demi, she claims that Jessi is fake, attention-seeking and insensitive when it comes to weaponising private information.
Whoever’s in the right – and it seems they’re both slinging mud with no moral high ground at this point – it’s safe to say their friendship has been flushed down the toilet.
Jessi said as much this week, claiming: “I’m done backing down to someone who’s made my life hell.”
Meanwhile, their TV show continues to be one of the most talked about series, proving that we live in an age of reality TV where secrets can easily spill into social media, and real-time drama can massively eclipse expertly edited television.
We might not be able to look at our breakfast cereal the same way again, but we’re hooked on the drama.
