Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · July 10, 2025 · Entertainment

Erika Jayne's New Love: Army Veteran Nicknamed 'Shrek' in Spotlight

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika 'Jayne' Girardi is reportedly dating John 'Shrek' McPhee, a retired US Army special operations sergeant major, as her long-delayed divorce from prison-bound estranged second husband Thomas Girardi enters its fifth year (pictured May 12)

SCANDALOUS ROMANCE ROCKS HOLLYWOOD: Erika 'Jayne' Girardi Spotted Holding Hands with Ex-Special Forces Operative John McPhee Amidst Divorce Drama!

It's a love triangle for the ages! As Erika "Jayne" Girardi, the sassy star of Bravo's The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, turns 54 this Thursday, she's been spotted holding hands with her new beau, retired US Army special operations sergeant major John McPhee - all while her long-awaited divorce from estranged husband Thomas Girardi enters its fifth year!

TheScholarlyNote.com has obtained exclusive photos of the newly-minted couple, both 54, as they went on a romantic errand in Los Angeles on Monday. But before we dive into their whirlwind romance, let's take a trip down memory lane to revisit Erika's tumultuous past...

The U.S. Sun obtained pictures of Erika (not pictured) - turning 54 this Thursday - holding hands with the 54-year-old SOB Tactical founder (L, pictured June 29) while running errands in Los Angeles on Monday

Thomas Zizzo Jr., Jayne's first husband, was a DJ who fathered her son when she was just 20 years old. The marriage ended after five years in 1996. Then came her second and longest marriage to Thomas Girardi - the lawyer who's now serving 87 months in prison for allegedly embezzling over $15 million from clients between 2010-2020! Talk about a toxic relationship!

But back to John McPhee, the rugged ex-Special Forces operative. A self-proclaimed "Sheriff of Baghdad," he has two adult children - one of whom followed in his footsteps by enlisting in the US Army! This tough-as-nails dad has been divorced multiple times, and his take on marriage is as honest as it gets: "It's like being in prison. You can call home, but you ain't going there anytime soon... That's how marriage works in the Army!"

McPhee's impressive military career spanned 20 years, with deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. Since retiring in 2011, he's worked as a bodyguard for The Hills alum Heidi Montag at her concerts - proudly donning his "Team Heidi" shirt! Who knew being a tough guy could be so dashing?!

John has fathered two adult children, one of whom (his son) followed in his footsteps by enlisting in the US Army, and he's been 'divorced several times'

Meanwhile, Erika has been keeping busy filming the 15th season of RHOBH, which marks the debut of fashion designer Rachel Zoe and the exit of Garcelle Beauvais. On a recent episode of her podcast Diamonds in the Rough with Teddi Mellencamp, Jayne opened up about her emotional struggle following Tom's prison sentence: "It just hurts... It reopens old healing wounds, and it is something that, you know, I had a sold-out crowd in a theater just for me, and I was so grateful. My happiest place in the whole world to be is on stage."

But don't worry, Erika fans! The singer's spirits were lifted when she joined the Scissor Sisters onstage at LA's Kia Forum last Saturday to perform their iconic 2012 hit "Let's Have a Kiki" during the band's co-headlining T**s Out Tour with Kesha. Who knew being a rockstar could be so therapeutic?!

So, are Erika and John McPhee the next big thing in Hollywood? Only time will tell! For now, we're just excited to see what this unlikely couple has in store for us. Stay tuned, folks!

McPhee explained on The Megyn Kelly Show May 26: 'I would say being married was like being in prison. You could call home, and you ain't going there anytime soon...That's how marriage works in the Army'

The self-described 'Sheriff of Baghdad' noted: 'Only guys that had perfect relationships, their marriages survived the war'

Lately, John (L, pictured June 29) has been employed as a bodyguard for The Hills alum Heidi Montag (R) at her concerts where he proudly dons a 'Team Heidi' shirt

McPhee retired from the Army in 2011 after 20 years of service deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq, and he regularly offers his expertise to civilians, law enforcement, and militaries worldwide (pictured June 14)

Jayne was married for 21 years to Girardi (L), who was sentenced to 87 months in prison last month for his law firm allegedly embezzling over $15M from clients between 2010-2020

The 86-year-old disbarred lawyer - who's suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's - was also fined $35K and ordered to pay restitution of $2.3M during the fraud trial (pictured August 7)

The Dominos singer was performing in London when Tom was sentenced, which caused her show to be 5% worse than the prior show because 'I was feeling sorry for myself' (pictured last Saturday)

Erika lamented on the June 13th episode of her podcast Diamonds in the Rough with Teddi Mellencamp: 'It just hurts. It reopens old healing wounds, and it is something that, you know, I had a sold-out crowd in a theater just for me'

Erika continued: 'And I was so grateful. My happiest place in the whole world to be is on stage. So while I was happy … there’s a little piece [of me] that was like,

Last Saturday, Jayne joined the Scissor Sisters onstage LA's Kia Forum to help them perform their 2012 gay anthem Let's Have a Kiki during the band's 37-date co-headlining T**s Out Tour with pop star Kesha