It has now been four years since Fall Out Boy’s bassist Pete Wentz, 35, and Ashlee Simpson, 30, called it quits on their marriage after three years and one son together.
Since that time both have moved on with their lives while co-parenting their now 6-year old son Bronx Mowgli as Wentz welcomed his second child and first with girlfriend Meagan Camper in August 2014. Meanwhile Simpson went on to marry actor and singer Evan Ross in August 2014 and confirmed they are expecting their first child together later this year.
While time has passed and they’ve worked out how to stay friendly, Wentz revealed what was really going on at the time of their split in a candid interview on Howard Stern’s Sirius XM show on Tuesday January 20.
He admitted to Stern that he thought their marriage would be “forever” but things began to crumble when his band went on hiatus in 2010. “Here’s what it really was: At 31, we’d had all these great years as a band, and then we took time off, and I basically became Mr. Mom. I had the beard, the flannel shirt. I didn’t know what my identity was. That factored in. When your identity is what you do, it’s hard when you stop doing it.”
He explained that as the fame with the band ceased he stopped caring, “I think when you stop caring about your personal appearance, your personal hygiene, it makes you even more depressed, but it makes you do it more. It’s like a vicious cycle.”
Stern then bluntly asked if Wentz felt betrayed that Simpson broke up with him while he was depressed. “I would be an idiot to think that I didn’t contribute to the unraveling of it,” he replied. “Of course, at first, I’m like, ‘This sucks! You bailed on me!’ But you get perspective. We have a kid together. Our kid is awesome. He’s great.”
Even though Wentz and Camper already have a child together he is hesitant to confirm a wedding is in the works, “I think that understanding that commitment can be…when you’re really committed to somebody, you know that you’re going to be with them, whether a ring changes that or not. I think it’s important to the kids. I do still believe in marriage.”
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Telisa Carter
Telisa enjoys learning and writing about all things entertainment in the world of Hollywood. When she isn't catching up on her favorite TV shows, she likes to read, and obsess over all things football.