Jelly Roll has been open about his health journey, shedding nearly 200 pounds since beginning his transformation in late 2022.
While the country star has received plenty of encouragement along the way, some of the commentary around his appearance has struck a nerve—especially with his wife, Bunnie Xo.
Over the weekend, Bunnie took to her TikTok to push back on the narrative that Jelly Roll only recently became attractive after losing weight. In a clip filmed from their Tennessee farm, she displayed the types of comments she’s been hearing, including: “Girl, your man is so hot now that he lost all that weight.”
Her response was sharp but heartfelt. “Is he? ’Cause he’s always had the same face. He’s always had the same heart. He’s always had the same soul,” Bunnie said, adding that the real focus should be on his health, not superficial approval.
She reminded followers, “The most appropriate thing to say is that he looks so much healthier now. We’ve gotta stop living in a ‘Shallow Hal’ world, guys, because you might miss out on the best love of your life by judging somebody by their weight.”
Jelly Roll—born Jason DeFord—has spoken openly about the reasons behind his lifestyle shift.
On stage during a 2025 appearance on Big Night AHT with Pat McAfee, he revealed he had dropped from 540 pounds to 357. “I’m going to lose another 100 pounds and go skydiving with my wife,” he told the crowd.
On Bunnie’s Dumb Blonde podcast last year, Jelly Roll broke down why he wanted to be transparent with fans: “People who become as big as I became, when they lose the weight, they’re ashamed. They hide and then come back out looking different, and they don’t know how to interact with the world. I didn’t want that—I wanted to be honest about my struggles.”
Jelly Roll once said he’d love to land on the cover of Men’s Health by 2026. But for Bunnie, the milestone is already clear: “He’s been that dude. I’ll forever be cheering him on, no matter what weight he is.”
