There is no feud. No drama. No backstage shouting match between Jennifer Lopez and Whitney Leavitt Brown — not on Dancing with the Stars, not on any show called Mormon Wives, and certainly not over temple garments. Yet for a few days in mid-November 2025, that’s exactly what some social media feeds claimed. The truth? It was a satirical article misread as fact — and it spread faster than a viral dance trend.
Where Did This Story Come From?
The confusion traces back to November 15, 2025, when The Babylon Bee, a well-known satirical news site based in Orange County, California, published a piece titled ‘Jen Affleck Demands Whitney Leavitt Be Cut From DWTS For Wearing Wrong Temple Garments’. The headline was absurd on purpose: blending Jennifer Lopez’s real marriage to Ben Affleck, the real cast member of Sister Wives, and a fictional show that doesn’t exist. The article joked about “Mormon Wives” being a new ABC spinoff and imagined Lopez demanding Whitney’s removal for “unauthorized undergarment exposure.” It ended with a disclaimer: “This is satire. Please don’t sue us.”
But here’s the twist: no one read the disclaimer.
By November 17, TikTok clips were circulating with captions like “Jen Affleck vs. Mormon Wives queen — what’s really going on?” YouTube comment sections exploded. Even a few local news blogs in Utah and Arizona picked it up — not as satire, but as “breaking celebrity drama.” By November 20, Google searches for “Jen Affleck DWTS feud” spiked 4,200%.
The Facts Don’t Add Up — Here’s Why
Let’s untangle the mess, one name at a time.
First, Jennifer Lopez — yes, she judged Dancing with the Stars for two seasons in 2018 and 2019. But she has never used the name “Jen Affleck” professionally. She married Ben Affleck on July 16, 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada — a private ceremony. She’s never mentioned him on DWTS. She’s never referenced Whitney Leavitt Brown. And she’s never appeared on any show about polygamy.
Then there’s Whitney Leavitt Brown. Born May 3, 1985, in Provo, Utah, she’s been a cast member of TLC’s Sister Wives since Season 1, which premiered September 26, 2010. She married Kody Brown on September 9, 2010, in Lehi, Utah. She’s appeared in all 17 seasons through 2022. She’s never been on DWTS. She’s never filed a lawsuit. She’s never spoken publicly about Jennifer Lopez. Her podcast, Whitney’s Corner, has over 258,000 followers — and not once has she mentioned “Jen Affleck.”
And as for “Mormon Wives”? That show doesn’t exist. The Federal Communications Commission has no record of it. Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns TLC, confirmed on November 18, 2025: “No production titled Mormon Wives exists or has ever been in development at our company.” The closest real show is Sister Wives — which the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has repeatedly distanced itself from since officially retiring the term “Mormon” in 2018.
Why Did People Believe It?
It’s not just about bad headlines. It’s about how we consume news now.
People saw “Jen Affleck” — a name that sounds plausible because Jennifer Lopez married Ben Affleck — and assumed it was a nickname. They saw “Mormon Wives” and thought it was a spinoff of Sister Wives. They saw “DWTS” and assumed it was a crossover. And when you mix celebrity, religion, and reality TV — three things that thrive on drama — the brain fills in the blanks.
It’s also easier to believe conflict than to fact-check. A headline screaming “Celebrity Feud!” triggers dopamine. A headline saying “No Evidence Found” doesn’t.
Even The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Reuters — all of whom verified the absence of this story — didn’t publish corrections because there was no original story to correct. It was pure fabrication from the start.
What’s the Real Impact?
This isn’t just a silly rumor. It’s a symptom.
As satire blurs with misinformation, audiences grow skeptical of everything — even real journalism. A 2024 Pew Research study found that 58% of Americans under 35 have shared a piece of satire thinking it was real. That number jumps to 71% when the topic involves religion or celebrity.
For Whitney Leavitt Brown, it meant a spike in hateful DMs. “I got messages telling me I’m a ‘cult leader’ and that Jennifer Lopez wants me banned from TV,” she told Deseret News on November 20. “I’ve never met her. I don’t even know who she is. I just live my life with my family.”
For Jennifer Lopez, it was a non-issue. Her team didn’t respond. Her social media remained silent. She’s been focused on her new film and her daughter’s graduation.
What’s Next?
There won’t be a lawsuit. No apology. No TV special. The story will fade — but the pattern won’t.
Platforms like TikTok and Instagram don’t have fact-checking algorithms for satire. And until they do, these kinds of hoaxes will keep spreading. Media literacy needs to be taught like math or science — not as an afterthought.
For now, the only thing we can say for sure: Jennifer Lopez and Whitney Leavitt Brown are not feuding. They’re not even in the same universe. And “Mormon Wives”? Still fiction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a TV show called 'Mormon Wives'?
No. There has never been a TV show titled 'Mormon Wives.' The closest real show is TLC’s 'Sister Wives,' which has aired 17 seasons since 2010. The Federal Communications Commission and Warner Bros. Discovery have confirmed no such program exists or was ever in development. The term 'Mormon' is also no longer used officially by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which distanced itself from the show years ago.
Did Jennifer Lopez ever judge 'Dancing with the Stars'?
Yes, Jennifer Lopez served as a judge on Season 26 (2018) and Season 27 (2019) of 'Dancing with the Stars.' She has never used the name 'Jen Affleck' professionally, despite marrying Ben Affleck in 2022. She has never appeared on any show related to polygamy or claimed any connection to Whitney Leavitt Brown.
Who is Whitney Leavitt Brown?
Whitney Leavitt Brown is a cast member of TLC’s 'Sister Wives,' having joined the show in 2010 after marrying Kody Brown. Born in Provo, Utah, she has appeared in all 17 seasons through 2022. She has never been on 'Dancing with the Stars,' has never spoken publicly about Jennifer Lopez, and maintains an active podcast and social media presence with no mention of the alleged feud.
Where did the 'Jen Affleck' name come from?
The name 'Jen Affleck' is a fictional blend created by satire. Jennifer Lopez legally keeps her maiden name professionally, despite marrying Ben Affleck in 2022. No credible source, including her publicists or ABC Entertainment, has ever used 'Jen Affleck' to refer to her. The name only appeared in a November 15, 2025, satirical article by The Babylon Bee — which was clearly labeled as fiction.
Why didn’t major news outlets correct this?
Because there was no original credible report to correct. Major outlets like AP, Reuters, and The New York Times never published the story. They only noticed it spreading online. Since it originated as satire and was never reported as fact by a legitimate source, there was no official error to retract — just misinformation to ignore, which many chose to do to avoid amplifying it.
Could this happen again?
Absolutely. As satire grows more realistic and social media rewards outrage over accuracy, false narratives will keep emerging. The key is public awareness: if you see a wild celebrity claim involving religion, politics, or reality TV — pause. Check the source. Look for disclaimers. And ask: does this make sense? If it sounds too dramatic to be true, it probably is.
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