The fallout continues after Teen Mom Young And Pregnant star Ashley Jones posted a video on Instagram in which she could be seen slapping herself multiple times before claiming that her fiance Bariki Smith “beats my mother f**king ass.”
Ashley quickly deleted the original video and re-uploaded it without the scene in the beginning that included her slapping herself. Many viewers, as well as Bar’s mother Shen, were concerned that Ashley was trying to frame Bar for domestic violence, but Ashley has since shared a series of tweets in which she assures everyone that was not the case.
“Yeah you did see that video of me slapping myself, but I didn’t lie about anything,” Ashley says. “He does get physical with me often. But I love him and I stay because I really want things to work ok. Jesus. I would NEVER lie about something like that.”
She then expressed regret at having shared the video at all. “I shouldn’t have made that live but I don’t have anyone else to call and for once I just wanted to stop pretending like we were this perfect couple.”
So why was she slapping herself repeatedly at the beginning? When asked about it, Ashley explained that it is “something I do every time the pressure gets [too] real and I’m on the verge of loosing [sic] my sh*t.” She explained further that she was doing it “to come to the realization that I can’t have a mental breakdown.” She emphasizes that she “never once tried to frame Bar for the slap,” before asserting: “Couples fight.”
Bar’s mom Shen shared the video of Ashley on multiple social media platforms, which all but cemented her victory over Ashley in the court of public opinion. Within hours of the video being circulated online, Ashley did a full 180 in regards to Shen and phoned her to apologize.
“Said and did a lot of sh*t to my mother in law that wasn’t ok,” Ashley confessed to her Twitter followers. “I love her and her son and want to move forward because my daughter deserves it.”
Shen confirmed that Ashley called her to apologize, but she seemed VERY cautiously optimistic moving forward. “It’s heart breaking, but as a mother I will still be there to help in any way,” Shen tweeted after the apology. “But healing will take a long time. I have been thru so much over this: lied on, defamed but forgiveness will start healing. I am going with caution.”
Shen seemingly has a lot of reasons to be cautious. As she tweeted a couple days ago about her future daughter-in-law: “Ashley plays cool when she needs us and then when she is done with us she is back to lies and baby game.” Fans may recall that Ashley posted an apology video addressed to Shen, but many (including Shen) thought it seemed a bit insincere. Regardless, Shen agreed to return to the show and film for the Reunion. Soon after the Reunion was filmed, Ashley went right back to bashing Shen online.
While things seem to be better (for now) between Shen and Ashley, the same cannot be said for Shen and Ashley’s mother, Pastor Tea! Tea has been on a social media rampage calling out Shen and passing judgment on her and her family with fire-and-brimstone zeal. “Shen you lie like a Persian rug and you twist the truth,” Tea tweeted on Sunday. “There has been no good in you since I met you.”
More judgment and condemnation from Pastor Tea, including the mention of Shen’s son Troy Seales, who was recently convicted of murder:
As you would imagine, Shen was quick to respond on Facebook:
So I’m confused pastor=your daughter faked DV and u find a way to make this about me, naw I’m good. when i wanted to talk no one else did but I c what kind of people in dealing with. we will not sit down without attorneys because their behavior is maliciously done from hate and spite. u r capable of anything. focus on the kids getting help and making everything right for holly. I speak truth and real i have proven that.. sorry u disagree but im over it and u. So take the high school behavior to an adult so they can guide u cause this sh*t is real not show
And on Twitter:
I have to confess that when this show first started, Shen’s eccentricities had me giving her a serious side eye, but she seems to be emerging from all this as the most mature person in the whole situation! And speaking of this whole situation, I am 100% sure it is not over, so stay tuned for more updates.
Asa Hawks is a writer and editor for Starcasm.
