Overview of Jenny Mollen is Trending
In this episode of Not Skinny But Not Fat, Amanda Hirsch sits down with writer and creator Jenny Mollen to unpack the social-media storm that made her “trending” on Threads. The conversation ranges from the backlash over a captioned photo with her son, to divorce, single motherhood, boy-mom dynamics, public scrutiny, and Jenny’s signature style of turning uncomfortable life moments into comedy. Amanda also opens with a personal reflection on “daddy issues,” setting up a broader discussion about parenting, family dynamics, and how childhood shapes adulthood in complicated ways.
The Threads Controversy That Made Jenny “Trending”
Jenny explains that the viral backlash began after she posted a photo hugging her son in bed with a caption joking that “your eldest child will be the most toxic guy you ever date.”
Why the post blew up
- The joke had previously fit her existing brand of edgy motherhood humor.
- Jenny believes the reaction was amplified by:
- the post being connected to her Facebook audience,
- the algorithm pushing it into a less familiar demographic,
- and the fact that she is now publicly separated from Jason Biggs.
- She felt the post was interpreted through a darker lens than intended, with strangers sexualizing a simple mother-son hug.
The backlash
- She received hostile DMs and comments accusing her of being inappropriate, even abusive.
- Some people suggested she should lose custody or claimed the post was predatory.
- Jenny says the response felt surreal because it ignored her long-standing comedic voice and her history of writing similarly provocative parenting jokes.
Divorce, Singlehood, and Co-Parenting
Jenny talks candidly about being newly single after separating from Jason Biggs.
What life feels like now
- She describes the shift as surreal, but not a clean break, since they still co-parent closely.
- The relationship remains tied together by kids, schedules, holidays, and daily logistics.
- She emphasizes that the romantic part ended, but the love and teamwork as co-parents remain.
Public reaction
- She says people reacted with sadness and confusion, as if a beloved “normal” Hollywood couple had split.
- Amanda notes that fans often feel personally invested in celebrity relationships, especially when the couple seems stable and relatable.
The Bigger Conversation: Women, Marriage, and Public Perception
A major theme is how women are judged differently depending on whether they are attached to a man.
Key idea Jenny raises
- She believes the same joke may have been received differently when she was still publicly “with a man.”
- Once she became visibly unattached, the post seemed to read as more threatening or suspicious to some people.
- She and Amanda also discuss how women are often sexualized, moralized, and scrutinized in ways men are not.
Amanda and Jenny on relationships
- Amanda reflects that marriage is less about “work” and more about patience, regulation, and compromise.
- Jenny says she tends to use humor as a coping mechanism and prefers to “laugh at the chaos.”
Boy-Mom Dynamics and the Emotional Reality of Raising Sons
One of the strongest parts of the conversation is Jenny’s explanation of why she finds the joke emotionally true.
What Jenny means by “toxic guy you ever date”
- She means the intense, consuming love a mother has for her son.
- She says there is something painful in realizing children won’t always need you in the same way.
- The post, to her, was about:
- longing,
- attachment,
- and the “longest goodbye” that mothers of boys eventually face.
A wider parenting insight
- Jenny notes that boy moms are often told sons will eventually leave and attach elsewhere.
- She says this creates a strange emotional contradiction:
- you want them to be independent,
- but you also want to stay central to their lives forever.
Creative Identity: Humor, Writing, and Control
Jenny and Amanda discuss why Jenny is drawn to writing rather than reality TV or stand-up.
Why reality TV doesn’t fit
- Jenny says she needs control over the narrative.
- She does not want to be edited into a version of herself by producers.
- She is protective of her children and does not want their story told on television.
Why writing works for her
- Writing lets her structure the joke, the point, and the tone.
- She likes being able to “tell the story” instead of reacting in fragments.
- Amanda reinforces that Jenny’s voice is singular and immediately recognizable.
Past Scandals, Oversharing, and Why She Doesn’t Back Down
Jenny and Amanda revisit past moments when she went viral for oversharing or provocative posting.
Her response style
- She usually doubles down instead of retreating.
- She says criticism often pushes her to become more certain of her point of view.
- She eventually wrote a Substack piece reflecting on the emotional meaning behind the backlash.
Her philosophy
- She’d rather be funny, specific, and real than safe and bland.
- She seems more concerned about betraying her own perspective than satisfying strangers online.
Health, Thyroid Issues, and the Ambulance Story
The conversation also branches into Jenny’s health scares, including a past ambulance ride.
What happened
- Jenny describes taking peptides/GLP-1-related treatments and dealing with autoimmune thyroid issues.
- She experienced severe bleeding and blood clots, then fainted at home.
- Jason Biggs had to call an ambulance, and she was taken out in a wheelchair/gurney.
Her health background
- She says she has both Hashimoto’s and Graves’ disease, which she jokingly describes as “dueling banjos” in her body.
- She links some of her more impulsive or extreme behavior to periods when her thyroid was especially out of control.
Cosmetic Procedures and Oversharing as a Signature
Jenny also touches on how she openly shares cosmetic procedures and medical experiences online.
Examples mentioned
- Labiaplasty
- A “vaginal rejuvenation”-type treatment involving PRP
- Various body/beauty updates she posts in real time
The takeaway
- Jenny treats her body and personal life as part of her storytelling universe.
- Amanda admires that Jenny commits fully to the bit, even when it becomes messy or controversial.
Main Takeaways
- The viral post was meant as dark, affectionate mom humor, not a literal statement.
- Jenny believes the backlash was intensified by algorithmic spread and by her current public status as a woman without a husband attached.
- A central emotional truth of the episode is the grief and humor of raising a son who will one day detach.
- Jenny’s brand is built on candor, control, and making jokes out of uncomfortable truths.
- Despite the scandal, she seems eager to move on, keep writing, and keep posting on her own terms.