Four months after being pushed into retirement by the Clippers, future Hall of Famer Chris Paul apparently took delight in the team’s quick exit from the postseason Wednesday night.
Paul, the Clippers’ all-time assists leader, called out teammates, coaches and executives during his short second stint with the team early this season. In an effort to inject accountability during the team’s 6-21 start, Paul instead angered many, including head coach Tyronn Lue, who wasn’t on speaking terms with Paul at the end.
“Everyone was fed up,” a league source told The Times in December.
Paul, who is second to John Stockton in NBA career assists with 12,552, posted at the time about his being cut on social media, saying “Just Found Out I’m Being Sent Home,” along with a peace emoji.
For their part, the Clippers turned around their season, going 36-19 after a horrific start to finish with a winning record for the 15th consecutive season at 42-40.
Then came the dispiriting loss to the Warriors and the 40-year-old Paul’s opportunity to get in the last meme, even though it wasn’t exactly original. Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid posted the same one when the team traded guard Ben Simmons in 2022.
Dakota Mortensen’s storyline will be edited out of the upcoming season of “Vanderpump Villa.”
Mortensen, who regularly appears in “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” was set to be included in the third season of “Vanderpump Villa” — slated to premiere April 16 — as part of a getaway with members of DadTok, the group that consists of past and current partners linked to the MomTok influencers of “Mormon Wives.” Variety was first to report the decision.
Hulu declined to comment.
It’s the latest reality TV series caught in the relationship dust-up involving Mortensen and his ex, Taylor Frankie Paul.
Last month, a domestic violence investigation between the on-again, off-again pair prompted Season 5 of Hulu’s “Mormon Wives” to pause filming. Subsequently, the release of a video of a separate dispute in 2023 led to the shelving of Season 22 of ABC’s “The Bachelorette,” which featured Paul as its heroine. It has not yet been announced whether or not it will air at a later date.
Much of Paul’s story on “Mormon Wives” has revolved around her rocky relationship with Mortensen. Paul was previously arrested and charged in 2023, eventually pleading guilty to one count of aggravated assault; other charges were dropped. Part of that incident was documented on the series premiere of the show in 2024.
How does “Vanderpump Villa” figure into all of this? The third season of “Mormon Wives” featured the fallout from an explosive crossover with Hulu’s other reality series, which follows former Bravo star Lisa Vanderpump and her staff at various luxury European estates. “Mormon Wives” stars Demi Engemann and Jessi Ngatikaura were guests on that show’s second season and got embroiled in drama with staff member Marciano Brunette, who alleges he had intimate connections with both women. The recent fourth season of “Mormon Wives” revisits the crossover, with some of the women’s spouses partaking in their own “Villa” getaway that fuels more drama, including between Mortensen and Paul.
Mortensen isn’t totally out of the reality TV circuit, though. He is set to appear in “Unwell Winter Games,” a YouTube reality competition series produced by Alex Cooper, that premieres April 6.
Amid allegations of three domestic violence incidents involving reality TV star Taylor Frankie Paul, fans are worried about whether MomTok can survive this.
Paul, who gained an online following after founding MomTok — a loosely connected group of TikTokers who made content about their lives as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — previously pleaded guilty in abeyance to a third-degree felony count of aggravated assault following a fight with former boyfriend Dakota Mortensen in 2023.
MomTok inspired the Hulu reality show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” which follows eight women in Salt Lake City who grapple with their relationship with the church. The first season explored the fallout of the group’s “soft swinging” scandal, which Paul exposed on TikTok prior to filming.
Throughout its four seasons, “Mormon Wives” has featured lighthearted content like the moms’ love of the soda shop Swig and more weighty topics, including gender roles within the Mormon church. “Mormon Wives” has also crossed over with various Disney reality shows, including “Dancing With the Stars,”“The Bachelorette” and “Vanderpump Villa.”
However, filming on Season 5 of “Mormon Wives” was paused and Paul’s season of “The Bachelorette” was shelved in the wake of domestic abuse allegations. A second investigation, which began in late February, gained even more attention when a video from Paul’s 2023 domestic dispute with Mortensen was made public. The footage showed Paul putting Mortensen in a headlock and throwing metal barstools while the couple fought. Paul’s daughter can be heard crying and was injured during the incident, according to the police report.
2020: The birth of MomTok
Paul, Whitney Leavitt, Mayci Neeley and Mikayla Matthews begin making videos together on TikTok. Their content focuses on motherhood and their relationship with the church mixed with dancing and skits.
May 2022: The Pauls split
Paul posts a video on TikTok announcing her divorce from her husband, Tate Paul. Fans begin speculating what led to their divorce.
May 25, 2022: ’Soft swinging’ scandal emerges
On TikTok Live, Paul explains that she and her husband had been in an open relationship and were part of a “soft swinging” group with other members of MomTok. Paul says she had violated the group’s rules by meeting with a partner without her husband’s knowledge, which contributed to their divorce.
Feb. 17, 2023: Paul is arrested
Hulu begins filming the first season of “Mormon Wives.” After a fight with Mortensen, Paul is arrested and charged with assault, criminal mischief and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child, according to the Herriman Police Department. Filming of the show is put on hold during the investigation.
August 2023: Paul enters a plea deal
Paul enters a plea in abeyance to a third-degree felony count of aggravated assault. The agreement allows charges to be reduced after three years, if Paul meets the requirements of her plea deal.
Dakota Mortensen and Taylor Frankie Paul share 2-year-old son Ever.
(Fred Hayes / Disney)
March 19, 2024: Paul and Mortensen welcome a son
Paul has a son, Ever, with Mortensen. While the pair had been dating throughout Paul’s pregnancy, they choose to end their relationship and co-parent their son.
Sept. 6, 2024: ‘Mormon Wives’ debuts
The first season of “Mormon Wives” is released on Hulu. The series follows cast members Jen Affleck, Jessi Draper, Demi Engemann and Layla Taylor, as well as Leavitt, Neeley, Matthews and Paul from the original group of MomTokers. The pilot episode, “The First Book of Taylor,” explores the fallout of the swinging scandal and ends with Paul’s 2023 arrest. The second episode picks up nearly a year after the incident.
The show is Hulu’s most-watched unscripted season premiere of 2024 and is renewed just a month after its premiere.
October 2024: On again
Mortensen and Paul seemingly reconcile their relationship.
December 2025: Off again
Paul and Mortensen break up. On Christmas, Paul posts on TikTok that she “wouldn’t wish this pain upon anyone.”
Demi Engemann, Mikayla Matthews, Mayci Neeley, Layla Taylor, Whitney Leavitt, Miranda Hope and Taylor Frankie Paul in Season 2 of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”
(Fred Hayes / Disney)
May 15, 2025: Season 2 premieres
Season 2 of “Mormon Wives” is released. Miranda Hope joins the cast.
Sept. 10, 2025: Paul gets her roses
During an episode of Alex Cooper’s hit podcast “Call Her Daddy,” Paul announces she will star as “The Bachelorette.” Paul is the first-ever Bachelorette to have not competed on “The Bachelor.”
Fall 2025: Mortensen‘s mea culpa
While FaceTiming Paul before she begins filming “The Bachelorette,” Mortensen apologizes for his behavior and tells Paul “save a rose for me.” This conversation is shown in the fourth season of the show in March 2026.
Nov. 13, 2025: Season 3 debuts
”Mormon Wives” Season 3 premieres.
Feb. 24-25, 2026: A second investigation opens
The Draper City Police Department makes contact with Paul and Mortensen regarding an open “domestic assault investigation” between the two, with allegations being made in both directions.
March 12, 2026: Season 4 drops
Season 4 of “Mormon Wives” is released.
March 16, 2026: ‘Mormon Wives’ filming halts
Filming for Season 5 of “Mormon Wives” is paused as the new investigation involving Paul and Mortensen becomes public.
Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of “The Bachelorette” was canceled three days before it was set to premiere.
(Michael Kirchoff / Disney)
TMZ publishes a previously unreleased video taken by Mortensen during his February 2023 altercation with Paul. It shows Paul throwing barstools at Mortensen as her then-5-year-old daughter cries. After the video’s release, ABC cancels Paul’s season of “The Bachelorette.”
March 20, 2026: The court intervenes
Mortensen is granted temporary custody of Ever, his 2-year-old son with Paul, according to documents obtained by People.
March 24, 2026: A third investigation opens
The West Jordan Police Department in Utah begins investigating a third incident of domestic abuse between Paul and Mortensen, which occurred in “early-mid 2024.” No charges have been filed as the investigation is ongoing.
Paul has been denied visitation until their protective order hearing on April 7, which may determine whether a final protective order is granted by the court.
