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Teen Mom 2 Reunion Recap: Jenelle Evans Storms Off the Set Twice!

If you thought Teen Mom 2 was dramatic, or as Nathan Griffith would say “dramastic,” now it’s time for the reunion, and your favorite MTV mothers haven’t toned down their antics one bit. Part 1 of the special aired on Wednesday, Sept. 30 (though it was taped back in July), and highlighted the stories of both Kailyn Lowry and Jenelle Evans

Naturally, things got intense. So intense, in fact, that Jenelle stormed off the set not once, but twice while taping her segment. 

Here’s what happened:

Kailyn Lowry

Fans had watched Kailyn’s marriage to Javi Marroquin slowly dissolve at the beginning of this season, but most had no idea how bad it truly got. 

“We came up with an agreement with Lincoln,” Javi revealed, after admitting that the couple had drawn up divorce papers. “We were going to go our separate ways.”

Thankfully, the pair were able to work something out, and Javi took some of the blame for their constant fighting. 

“I was at such a low point in my life where it was hard for me to see anything clearly,” he told host Dr. Drew Pinsky. “There were times when me and Kail didn’t see each other throughout the day. I think not seeing her and everything else that was going on, our fighting, it really got to me.”

Now that they were on the same page, the duo teamed up on a different villain — Kailyn’s ex and Isaac’s dad, Jo Rivera, who moved to Delaware this season to be closer to his son. 

Though Kailyn revealed that she never took Jo to court to sort out a new custody arrangement, the young dad was “up to date” on his child support payments. But Javi wasn’t buying Jo’s excuses, especially when it was revealed that he didn’t have a job. 

“We just needed a little more help from him,” Javi said. “What he’s paying now wasn’t even putting a dent in the bills. I’m paying for [Isaac’s] health insurance, I’m paying his life insurance, I’m paying his dental and school.”

But Kailyn, who is a full-time college student, was a bit more understanding of Jo’s situation. 

“He doesn’t think that he should have to work right now,” she explained. “I don’t [work], so I can’t say anything. I go to school full time and my husband’s working five days a week.” 

She also attempted to excuse Jo’s absences at Isaac’s soccer games and ceremonies, saying, “He missed a couple things, but I think it was just him moving to Delaware, getting adjusted, doing things that he needed to do. So that kind of stuff fell second at the time.”

Javi shot back: “There’s no excuses. If I can go to work, if I’m getting four hours of sleep, to make sure I make Isaac’s soccer games on time, there’s no excuses.”

The ever-reasonable Dr. Drew then brought out the “Nerd in a Cool Kid’s Body” himself, who continued to defend his decision not to get a job. 

“I don’t think I need a job either!” Dr. Drew quipped. Then who will ask our Teen Moms the hard questions, Dr. Drew?! WHO?!

Jo also addressed Javi’s unwillingness to let him come to the house he shares with Kailyn when he’s not around. 

“F—k that because we’re in a situation,” Jo said of his parenting relationship with Kailyn. “There’s going to come a point where he’s going to have to get comfortable with me being around her, because I’m going to be around the rest of our lives. That’s why I say f—k that. You have to build that comfort.”

Javi insisted that his anger was more of a “cultural” thing. Apparently, no other men can come over when the man of the house isn’t around. Also, apparently we no longer live in 2015. 

The final topic they tackled was a non-issue in Kailyn’s book. Dr. Drew kept asking whether she was threatened or indifferent toward Jo’s girlfriend Vee’s pregnancy. After the subject was brought up several times, Kailyn declared, “I have no hard feelings toward her or her unborn child!”

“And I know that,” Vee calmly replied. “People were making it seem like she was like, ‘I don’t want to f—king deal with her baby!’” Vee said. And when asked how she would react if Kailyn had another child, she responded, “I would be so happy because I want her to have a girl!”

Kailyn also noted, “I am happy for them. I’m excited that they’re starting a family! Jo wanted Isaac to be a girl, so I’m excited he is getting a girl.”

Jenelle Evans

So these days Jenelle and Nathan are dunzo, but back in July when the reunion was taped, these two lovesick jailbirds were still trying to patch things up. The time period was very raw for the mother of two, who burst into tears while watching her recap footage from what proved to be an incredibly painful season. 

Gem that he is, Dr. Drew handed her a tissue and asked what had upset Jenelle so much. 

“I just never thought he would just leave me and move on,” the North Carolina native said through tears. “And it hurts. When he completely cut me off and all I was trying to do was get him back for so long. And nothing I did was working so I just gave up, and, finally, when I gave up, he came back to me and he wanted to be back with me.”

Dr. Drew pointed out what viewers saw all season long, which was that Jenelle and Nathan were involved in an extremely abusive relationship. But that didn’t seem to phase the MTV star, who insisted, “We’re working things out.” 

Jenelle went on to talk about life after the couple’s split, when Nathan started seeing another girl. 

“It made me feel horrible,” she said. “I was having panic attacks at my externship. I just want my family together. I’m sick of starting new relationships. I want to settle down. I want to get along with the Nathan I used to be best friends with.”

But clearly that wasn’t possible. When Nathan joined Jenelle on stage, he lashed out, telling her she was “playing the victim,” which prompted Jenelle to jump up and storm out. After 10 awkward minutes of Dr. Drew silently wondering why Nathan can never seem to take off his baseball hat, the team was able to coax Jenelle back onto the stage. 

“I just have really bad anxiety right now, and I feel like I’m going to throw up,” Jenelle said when Dr. Drew noted how quiet she was being. “This other girl always gets brought up some how.”

“Yeah, that would hurt anybody,” Nathan conceded. 

Ever the counselor, Dr. Drew pressed Jenelle to explain what happened when she had these panic attacks. 

“I just lock myself in my room in my house, and I literally get into a ball and shake and cry,” the recent graduate said. But she also noted that her baby son Kaiser was not around when she was having her breakdowns. “When I’m depressed like that, Kaiser’s usually in daycare or in bed. I don’t let Kaiser see me like that.”

Though he kept his arm around Jenelle throughout the interview, Nathan continued trying to defend only himself. 

“I really do try hard to be a rock,” he said. “I don’t think [there was physical abuse]. I just got my ring back,” he added of the two domestic domestic abuse incidents that landed both Nathan and Jenelle in jail. 

But when Dr. Drew asked the question, “There’s been no other laying hands with each other?,” the pair let the telling silence linger. 

The addiction specialist urged the couple to go to therapy to work through their issues, for the sake of their health and for the sake of their son.  The pair both agreed to regularly seeing a therapist, but it was going to take more than that to impress Jenelle’s mom, Barbara Evans

Babs did not hold back when Jenelle launched into the reasons why she should have primary custody of her eldest son, Jace

“Jace is doing really well, and my fears are — I will not put him in this house with all this violence. I will not,” Barbara firmly stated. “It was at a point where I had to pull Jace back from visiting Jenelle because he was coming home crying, wetting the bed, and for three days every week he would be out of sorts in school.” 

Jenelle flip flopped between being appreciative of her mom’s help and being furious that she wouldn’t hand over Jace. But the real beef was between the no-nonsense grandma and Nathan. 

“I’m a Christian, I don’t hate anybody,” Nathan insisted when Barbara said Nathan had never liked her. 

“You’re a Christian but you’re a cheater?” Barbara posed. “You’re a liar. You hit my daughter. You choked her when she was pregnant. If this is what [Jenelle] wants, then she can have it.” 

“She doesn’t think anyone’s good enough for me,” Jenelle claimed. (Ummm, maybe just not someone who is physically attacking you, J.)  

“I’m just doing what’s best for Jace right now,” Barbara continued. “I gave up my life to raise this child who would have ended up in a foster home.”

“Do you feel like you own him? Is that the issue?” Jenelle asked repeatedly. 

“I don’t feel like I own him! He’s my grandson and I just love him,” Barbara simply replied. 

When Barbara noted that Jenelle had taken six years to try to get custody of her son back, the fuming reality star shot back: “Oh really, Mom? And look at you, you work in Walmart deli, and I’m going to be a medical assistant saving people’s lives while you serve f—king food.” 

And with that gut-wrenching insult, Jenelle got up and walked off the stage for a second time. Backstage, her friend tried to calm her down, but Jenelle started shouting, “She doesn’t deserve anyone — anyone’s love, anyone’s affection. When I was pregnant, she called me a f—king whore. I’m done. You’re not forcing me to film.” 

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Shoving her hands against the double doors, Jenelle walked out. 

Tell Us: Do you think she reacted appropriately?

Part 2 of the Teen Mom 2 Reunion Special airs Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 9 p.m. ET on MTV. 

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Reinaldo Massengill

Update: 2024-08-19