Erika Jayne Opens Up About New Love Amid Ex's Prison Start
Erika Jayne Spills Tea on New Beau "Shrek" McPhee - But Her Ex-Husband Tom Girardi's Prison Sentence Has Left Her Fuming!
It's been a tumultuous time for Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne, but it seems she's finally found some comfort in the arms of her new beau, John "Shrek" McPhee. The 54-year-old actress has been tight-lipped about her romance with the retired US Army Special Ops agent, but on Wednesday's episode of her Diamonds In The Rough podcast, she let loose and dished all about their whirlwind relationship.
McPhee, who's affectionately known as "the Sheriff of Baghdad," has a reputation for being a bit of a mysterious figure. But it turns out he's got some serious connections in the reality TV world - including working as a private security guard for none other than The Hills star Heidi Montag! Erika revealed that she met McPhee through an encounter with Montag at an event in London, and it seems they hit it off immediately.
"I was on after her [Heidi]," Erika explained to her co-host and former RHOBH costar Teddi Mellencamp. "I thought, 'That's that guy from the podcast. I'm gonna walk up and say hello.' So I did. I walked up and introduced myself and said, 'Hey, my name is Erika, and I've seen a couple of podcasts. I'm a fan.'"
But what really got our attention was when Erika revealed that she's been spending quality time with McPhee - including getting a manicure-pedicure together! The two were snapped by paparazzi holding hands affectionately, but Erika wasn't too pleased about the exposure.
"What was a nice, private moment and a nice, private thing I was having for myself was ruined," she complained. "We obviously had no idea that we were being photographed."
Despite the drama surrounding their outing, it seems Erika is smitten with McPhee - admitting on her podcast that she's been having some serious feelings for him.
"It was really nice," she gushed. "Like, I feel comfortable holding this person's hand, and he's a nice man. I haven't been seen with anybody in five years. So this is a really nice person, and I enjoy my time with him."
But while Erika may be finding love again, her ex-husband Tom Girardi is facing some harsh realities behind bars. The disbarred lawyer turned himself in last week to begin his seven-year prison sentence for embezzling over $15 million from his clients at Girardi Keese.
Girardi's mental health has been a topic of debate since 2020, when his law empire collapsed amid accusations of financial misconduct. A Long Beach psychiatrist diagnosed him with Alzheimer's, but prosecutors suspected he was faking the extent of his decline. Even federal neuropsychologist Dr. Tracy O'Connor Pennuto testified that while Girardi wasn't malingering, he did suffer from "moderately advanced dementia" with signs of Alzheimer's.
But despite Girardi's pleas to be placed in a long-term care facility due to his declining health, US District Judge Josephine L. Staton ruled that prison was the appropriate consequence. Girardi will now serve out his sentence at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles as inmate 43156-510.
The question on everyone's mind is - how will Girardi's mental decline be handled behind bars? The LA Times reports that determining the right facility for an inmate with mental or physical health issues can take weeks or even months. Officials have declined to comment on where Girardi might ultimately be placed, leaving many wondering what the future holds for the embattled lawyer.
For now, it seems Erika is moving on from her past and focusing on her new romance with McPhee. We can't wait to see how their relationship unfolds - especially since they've got Heidi Montag's seal of approval!
