Jelly Roll Jokes His Beardless Look is the Work of A.I. in New Selfie

by

Jelly Roll is calling A.I. a liar. 

Oh my gosh, you guys, Jason DeFord – I mean, the Bloodline singer! – just did something totally crazy! He shaved off his beard! His beard! He’s had it for over ten years, it was, like, his whole thing. But get this, he joked that AI was responsible for the makeover! He’s so funny, and honestly, it’s still him, even without the beard. I’m still reeling!

He shared a selfie of his newly shaved face on November 26th, and playfully wrote, “AI is getting crazy these days.”

Just last week, Jelly Roll—father to 16-year-old Bailee Ann with his ex, Felicia Beckwith, and 8-year-old Noah Buddy with ex Melissa Ann Cowell—revealed a surprising new haircut. He explained that the haircut came after losing almost 200 pounds.

He joked in an Instagram video posted on November 20th that he resembled a ninja turtle. He explained that he started growing a beard partly because it was easier to conceal his weight gain.

After the video was released, many fans immediately wondered if the man shown without a beard was actually Jelly Roll, or a look-alike. This speculation prompted his wife, Bunny Xo, to address the rumors.

In a TikTok video posted on November 23rd, Alyssa DeFord, known as Bunnie, focused on Jelly Roll while he stood behind her and pointed out how his weight loss had changed the way his face tattoos looked.

She shared a video with a laughing emoji, explaining that people were joking her husband looked like a clone because he’d lost weight and his tattoos seemed different.

To clarify, the host of the Dumb Blonde podcast wanted to make sure everyone understood that her husband’s weight loss took two years, not just two weeks, as some may have thought.

But even Bunnie, 45, admitted that the end of Jelly Roll’s beard era took her some getting used to. 

Bunnie, who married Jelly Roll in 2016, shared in an Instagram video on November 13th that she’s never seen his face without a beard. She explained that, like many women, she worries about being misled in relationships because you don’t always know what someone looks like underneath their facial hair.

But the model eventually came around to his new look—kind of.

Bunnie told him, “You look really good! That goatee and mustache are awesome, and even without anything else, you still look great.”

For a look back at Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo’s romance, keep reading…

Bunnie Xo and Jelly Roll’s relationship started in Las Vegas. Bunnie shared on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast that she first met the singer in August 2015 while he was performing at the Las Vegas Country Saloon, before he became famous. He was living in a van at the time, and there were only about 20 people in the audience.

Despite their initial differences – Bunnie said he wasn’t her type, and she wasn’t his (he prefers Taylor Swift!) – they felt an instant connection. She described it as her soul recognizing him.

However, a romance didn’t begin immediately. Both were involved in other situations. They reconnected in October 2015, and Bunnie quickly fell for him. After her previous partner went to prison, she asked a friend to pass her number along to Jelly Roll. He started calling and texting her for advice about his daughter, Bailee.

Their connection turned romantic in July 2016 when Jelly Roll returned to Vegas to film videos. After a very tipsy encounter, he surprised her by asking about her five-year plan. After discussing their goals, they decided to pursue a relationship.

Bunnie and Jelly Roll followed through on their plans quickly. They got married in Las Vegas just a month after they first discussed it, in August 2016, and then meticulously worked through a five-year plan together, culminating in buying a house.

Bunnie also had her own ambitions, including starting a podcast. Jelly Roll explained on The Howard Stern Show that when Bunnie decided to leave the sex work industry in 2019, he asked her what she was passionate about, and she expressed a desire to host a talk show. She launched the Dumb Blonde podcast later that same year.

Bunnie financially supported Jelly Roll’s career as well. She invested in his 2017 album, Addiction Kills, and helped him with legal matters related to gaining custody of his daughter, as she shared on Sofia Franklyn’s podcast, Sofia with an F.

Jelly Roll’s daughter, Bailee, was born in 2008 while he was in prison for drug dealing. He credits Bailee with saving his life, even though she was very young at the time. Bailee remembers her father entering her life around age two, when he was starting his music career and living in a van. While Jelly Roll admits he wasn’t always there for her, he fought for full custody when Bailee’s mother struggled with addiction.

Interestingly, it was Jelly Roll’s then-girlfriend, Bunnie, who financed the legal battle for custody. This led both of them to re-examine their own lives and habits. Bunnie realized they couldn’t provide a stable home for Bailee while still struggling with addiction herself, and she committed to sobriety.

Bunnie also embraced a motherly role, and in 2024, for Bailee’s sixteenth birthday, she expressed gratitude to Jelly Roll for allowing her to be the mother she never had, and to Bailee for the healing lessons she’d learned over the past eight years.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie welcomed their son, Noah, around a week before their wedding in August 2016, while Jelly Roll was also navigating a custody case for his daughter, Bailee. He shared his hopes for Noah on Facebook, writing, “God Bless this Child to be everything I am not!” and expressing a desire for his children to avoid repeating his past mistakes.

Over the years, Jelly Roll and Bunnie have generally kept Noah’s life private, though they occasionally share small updates. In July 2023, Bunnie posted a TikTok video of her asking Noah simple questions about his favorite things, making sure to note that she had his mother’s permission first.

Bunnie and Jelly Roll have a good relationship with Noah’s mother, with Bunnie publicly praising her as a supportive presence, especially given Jelly Roll’s frequent touring schedule. She expressed gratitude for Noah’s mother’s help in raising him.

Bunnie cherishes her role as Noah’s stepmother, sharing on Instagram in October 2024 how much joy she finds in watching him grow up and feeling privileged to be a part of his life since his birth.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie separated in 2018, two years after getting married. Jelly Roll later admitted to infidelity as the cause of the split, calling it a low point in his life. However, they worked to repair their relationship and rekindled their romance later that year. He credits the difficult experience with making them even stronger as a couple. Bunnie reflected on the challenging time, saying their breakup and eventual reconciliation led them on an incredible journey, and allowed them to build a more solid foundation for their future together. They remain committed to each other, having fully dedicated themselves to the promises they made when they first met in 2016.

As Jelly Roll became more famous, he and his wife, Bunnie, made their red carpet debut together at the 2022 CMA Awards. In his documentary, Jelly Roll: Save Me, Bunnie described them as ‘the Addams Family of country music’ – feeling like outsiders who somehow found themselves in the spotlight.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie celebrated seven years of marriage in 2023 by renewing their vows. Bunnie fondly remembered their original wedding day, recalling how Jelly Roll promised her things would get better and that they would overcome challenges together. He kept that promise.

Bunnie described the last seven years as a challenging but rewarding journey. They worked hard to heal from past traumas, build a healthy relationship, and create a stable home for her daughter, Bailee. Through everything, they faced difficulties together with optimism and support.

Bunnie expressed her deep love and admiration for Jelly Roll, calling him her soulmate, safe haven, and best friend. She believes he’s truly one of a kind.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie continue to have a loving relationship. Bunnie has even been the inspiration behind some of his songs, like “Woman” and “Kill a Man.”

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight about the song “Kill a Man,” Jelly Roll said Bunnie is “the best,” and explained he’d tried writing many love songs but found them cheesy. He wanted to express his deep love for her in a way that still felt authentic to him.

He added that he doesn’t see anyone else and wanted the song to reflect his vulnerability.

Beyond their personal life, Jelly Roll and Bunnie have also collaborated on music videos, appearing together in his videos for “Wheels Fall Off” and “Lonely Road,” which also featured Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox.

Bunnie is Jelly Roll’s biggest fan, always supporting him whether she’s at his shows or watching from home. She publicly praised him after his 2024 CMT Music Awards performance, highlighting his 20-year journey to success. She remembers times when they worried no one was listening, contrasted with the excitement of performing for packed arenas.

Bunnie admires Jelly Roll’s songwriting, describing his music as healing and deeply relatable, offering comfort and understanding to listeners. Their strong relationship is inspiring to fans.

She affectionately calls him ‘Papabear’ and believes his voice has the power to heal, with the world singing along. She expresses her enduring love for him, promising to support him in this life and beyond.

Jelly Roll is equally supportive of Bunnie, praising her success on social media and with her podcast. He’s incredibly proud of how she inspires others, especially women, and says it fills him with joy.

Bunnie Xo is fiercely protective of her husband, Jelly Roll, and won’t tolerate anyone attacking him. She recently spoke out about the hurtful comments he received online regarding his weight before losing over 200 pounds, explaining that he had to step away from the internet due to the bullying. While Jelly Roll doesn’t always show it, Bunnie says these comments deeply affect him. She strongly refuted the idea that celebrities should simply ‘handle’ online negativity, emphasizing that it’s never okay to bully someone, as you don’t know what they’re going through mentally. Bunnie vowed to defend those who are targeted and promised to fight back against anyone who tries to bully her or her family.

Jelly Roll and his wife, Bunnie, have been publicly sharing their journey to expand their family. After Jelly Roll mentioned they were considering having a baby, Bunnie explained on Instagram in June 2024 that they’ve begun in vitro fertilization (IVF). They decided to share their experience because of their openness with fans, and because the process has already been challenging. Despite the difficulties, they remain optimistic.

Bunnie shared that they’ve been meeting with doctors and exploring all possible options to have a child. She and Jelly Roll were surprised to find they both wanted to add to their family, especially with their two children, Bailee and Noah.

Bunnie also discussed on her podcast, Dumb Blonde, in March 2025 that they are considering surrogacy because she is unable to carry a child herself due to health risks.

Read More

2025-11-26 22:51