Slade Smiley Opens Up About ‘Deadbeat Dad Comments’ Says He Isn’t A Deadbeat Dad!
RHOC star Gretchen Rossi has been dating serial dater Slade Smiley for quite a while and despite all the negativity that has come their way, the two seem to really love each other. Not only is Slade known for being a serial dater but he’s been accused of being a deadbeat dad by several of Gretchen’s co-stars.
Slade opens up to Wetpaint and explains he isn’t a deadbeat dad! “The most disheartening was obviously the whole ‘deadbeat dad’ accusation. That was the hardest on me, because I had full-custody of my kids, and I fought for full custody of my son. So to have his medical condition brought into this and have people assume that I was a deadbeat dad all of a sudden, that was the most difficult.”
Slade added, “My biggest issue with all of that is, all I did was file for reduction of support. I was ordered to pay almost $4,000 a month, which means the first $8,000 I make, half goes to taxes, half goes to support. So I’d have to be making 20 to 30 grand a month to keep up with that type of order. And I just don’t have that type of job anymore.”
Slade says the comments have affected his toll on his company, “It affected my ability to earn for my son. A lot of my contracts, they got cancelled. So by those girls, using me as content, and making those accusations, they literally hurt my ability to earn for my son. If they were so concerned about him, why would you make such public accusations? If you want to help, do a charity event. Come and ask me what the truth really is. How can we all work together to help him and kids like him?… Don’t accuse me of being a deadbeat just because my income has changed.”
Slade now has his own radio show and hopes people will watch! “I’m hoping that the radio show and as you go on and continue to watch, you’ll start to see more about who I really am, not just those 8 minutes that Bravo’s editing into each episode of their TV series.”
Do you think Slade is a deadbeat dad?
Category: Gretchen Rossi, RHOC
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I’ll be glad to listen to his radio show. I have a feeling it might be difficult to try and “watch” it.
I do feel bad for him. Maybe because I’m a regular girl I just don’t understand what are you supporting with 4000/mth I mean no kid on earth should cost that much. Child support is unreasonable to me. I think 500/mth is just right. But hey that’s me. I don’t think he’s a deadbeat I just think he’s too broke to afford 4000 child support order
Well said!! I think both parents should pay 50/50 for their kids. Just my 2 cents.
It sounds like a lot but he has a sick child, so that probably includes a heavy amount of medical bills.
thats what I was thinking too! I understand at the time he was making alot more money then now so it would be impossiable for him to cont. paying that. but i would really like to ask the mother of this child for how many years month after month she rec. $4000 what exactly did she do with it all. Hopefully she put it into some kind of trust for the child because i can’t see that it would cost that much plus whatever if she ever had a job her money to raise their child.
Medical bills.
I meant before the child was sick what did she do with $4000 a month. Hopefully she did have it saved up.
Great post !! You put into words just how I feel. I’ve known a few guy friend’s who were paying cs and when the economy started to crumble and they were laid off or fired , they had to go back to court to get a readjustment , doesn’t make them bad father’s , I mean you can’t pay what u don’t have.
Daycare or before and after school care can run $1000-$2000 a month and if you are working you have to pay it. Then there is food, clothes, medical expenses, dentist visits and housing. $4000 is inclusive of an extra layer of medical expense most families do not have but $500 is no where near realistic even in the middle of the us.
I do believe $500 a month is not enough. But the mother is also responsiable for half. Don’t know anything about the mother but if she doesn’t have a job she needs to get one. And if she is living somewhere above her means she needs to move he is not responsiable to keep up her life style.
Are you freaking nuts? $500 a month for child support is not near enough. Grayson’s (Slade’s child) brain tumor was diagnosed, what 6yrs ago now. Since, as you said you are a “regular girl” let me just open a new realm of thinking for you, it’s called reality. IF Grayson was a healthy child $500 a month would still be laughable. Child support is designated for housing, food, clothing, medical, and dental needs. Now add on top of that that he has cancer….DUHHHHH!!! My husband had a biopsy 5months ago and was in the hospital 3 1/2hrs and the bill was $22,000. Seriously, no joke. So if you can now wrap your head around the concept of continued cancer treatment (which is horribly expensive by the way) how far do you think $500 a month is going to go? Huh? What’s that you say? Maybe the Mom has insurance…well, maybe she does but even w/insurance every year there is still a huge, fat, horrible amount that has to be paid out of pocket before insurance pays 100% IF they pay that at all. It baffles me how so many are quick to say that Slade should not be judged and how he’s “trying” and “doing the best he can”. Bullshit! As a parent you do whatever you have to whenever you have to in order to tend to the needs of your child. If Grayson were my son and I were the non custodial parent who was “unable to find a job that paid as much as I was used to” I’d have three jobs, I’d pick up cans, I’d wash cars, period! I’d do whatever the hell I had to in order to alleviate some of the emotional and financial burdens of the parent who is actually caring for said child.
I sincerely hope that you are a naive 19yr old who doesn’t always think things through before she speaks because your “thoughts” on the appropriateness of $500 a month for support are sad.
I can’t help but think he could have escaped all of the scrutiny but for his need to be on the Real Housewives at any cost.
There is a typo in the sentence ” has come there way”, the correct usage of the word should be “their” way. Sorry to nit pick, just a pet peeve of mine. Love your site and articles.
Thank you!
This was a good interview, he explained what happened and why.
The timing of this, is it because of Bruce/Brooks and the 20/20 one? Slade made the point that he wanted his kids in his life, was this to explain everything or is he pointing out how he is different from Bruce/Brooks?
He is hoping to short circuit any attempt of his baby’s momma going to an NBC or CBS or ABC show and explaining what Slade did. It sounds alot better coming from his mouth and his interpretation instead of coming from the mother.
Have you heard that she is going to give an interview soon? You make a good point, I guess I don’t know the mother’s side of events (I just started following these people through Roxie’s site!)
Well all I gotta say is that he has Gretchen’s new best friend (Tamra) to thank for all of his “dead beat dad” issues! Way to support your man Gretchen…become besties with the woman who brought all the drama into your man’s life! Nice, really nice!!!
I don’t blame Tamra for saying all those things about him and to him. I’m sure she knows a hell of a lot more about him than we do. If he was so concerned about his appearance, his son and his well-being, why continue to go on a reality show? Yes, he’s dating Gretchen, but his children should ALWAYS COME FIRST, not last! I do feel bad for him because of his situation, but he is only speaking to try to make himself look good ever since the 20/20 story with Brooks came out. I do like him more this season, but I still think he’s not a good father at all! He doesn’t even try to help his child. I don’t care what anyone says. He is always spending his “hidden” Bravo money on Gretchen or himself by shopping in Beverly Hills, dining in restaurants, and going out to so many events all the time with Bugs Bunny… If I was Michelle, I would be so upset and furious!
Regardless, he should know after being on the show for countless seasons that when you sign the dotted line, you’re fair game!!! And, he was.
Slave should make a ‘note to self’, don’t go on a reality show if you don’t want ‘everything’ in your past & current brought to the surface & printed in the media’ … Just saying…..
i was just about to type that! But on all the HW’s they need to realize that if they did something or going through something they don’t want the world to know about don’t go on the show!!!!They are all so eager to sign up then when the sh*t hits the fan they want sympathy!
Ding Ding Ding! Exactly! All the housewives try out for the show, beg, plead, and sign up for the money, for the press, for their narcissism. Then, when the skeletons come out – and they always do – they say, “Please respect my privacy, this is a private matter.” Can’t have it both ways.
~ Run, Gretchen, Run! ~ (What real man has ever said the word ‘frosting?’)
Heidi & Jen. I agree. But in this case it seems he wasn’t trying to hide it and just wanted th either ladies not to be so aggressive and contentious about it. TV = open door to u life but in this case it seems they thought maybe people would be more compassionate. Shame
This is a man that chose to be on this show from season 1. He dated 3 women on the show. I don’t feel sorry for him, he could have walked away any time.
I’ll never feel sorry for him. We are not seeing an earnest father that has been hitting the pavement to find work to catch up on back support. We’ve been seeing a purse carrying tool that’s been spending numerous seasons living the good life with numerous housewives instead of working. I understand the whole concept of his support being too high to pay -and that is a shame, but that’s why you get your azz back in court, have it lowered and then find a job -just about any job ASAP so you can at least try to get caught up. I’m not buying the poor little Slade act.
I agree. I am not buying this either. He has been on the show for years and all he has done is the same as brooks, leeched off women.
Gretchen was caught lying about her real boyfriend in court filings when she tried to silence him from telling the truth. Court costs her a pretty penny….her lying to the Court.
Boyfriend produced the pics disputing Grethen’s cover story. Google for the pics.
Maybe he should sell a line of mens Turtlenecks ! LOL !
Wait a minute Slady—we are still in the USA. WE do not pay one-half of our income to taxes (yet). That lie alone tells us you think we are idiots and are trying to flummox us into believing you have been supporting your child. You are still a dirt bag that has a very sick child and instead you want to be on tv and the radio instead of being with your son. You are sickening.
Good point! Isn’t the 50% tax rate more if someone wins the lottery or a contest?
Yes I think he is a deadbeat because he doesn’t appear to even work one job to meet his child support obligations. As many times as you see him out with Gretch, you don’t see him out with his kids, especially the one that’s dying. He’s selfish… blah, blah, blah… the economy… get a real job. I’m sure that child needs good insurance that comes from a real job, not following around Gretch. I cannot watch this show anymore because of these two.
I don’t watch this show but what a fabulous picture of Gretchen.
If he’s been ordered by the court to pay a certain amount per month, and he fails to do so, then yes he is considered a deadbeat dad. The court will look at his income and determine the needs of the child and come up with a fair amount of money for him to support his child financially. Why should the mother of his son be let with the entire burden of support, plus caring for their child? My sympathy is with the child, not Slade. I’ve seen him do little in the way of really earning an income and more to do with being selfish and being on TV. Maybe in the end that will bring him a bigger income, but it doesn’t appear to be working for him.
While you are right on some points, it is not always the case where the court decides child support based on current income. Note I said current. Slade Smiley is stating his income has decreased, meaning he can’t afford that amount of child support anymore. It’s up to you if you believe him after that.
Whatever the child support amount was based on, he’s required by law to pay it. My impression is that he felt it was too much and opted to not work, and not pay child support. Maybe in an effort to get it reduced. I don’t know. What I have seen is he seems lazy, unmotivated and extremely selfish and self absorbed. He wants to be famous more than he wants to be a responsible parent. I won’t accept he can’t get any work to pay what he owes. I think that’s an excuse in his case. He simply can’t get the type of work he feels is good enough for him to do and whatever career he feels he should now have. If he really loved his son and wanted to be responsible and help support him, I’d believe it only if I saw him working hard to make that happen. Shovel manure into the wind if it brings home a paycheck Slade!
Incomes generally tend to decrease when one sits on sofa eating ice cream and carrying purses instead of WORKING.
never had a problem with slade ..
thought the gossip was vicious ..
tamra & vicki so vile …
since he was never to the woman ,
i always wanted to hear his side of the story ..
not to mention it’s really none of anyones biz’ to throw stones …
since he was never “married” ….oooops
Following his logic, if he cough*cough*earns $20K per month, half to taxes = $10K take home minus $4K court ordered support = $6K per month to live on. Awww only $6K per month? Perhaps $72K/year isn’t what it used to be in the OC; however – I’m gonna go out on a limb here and suggest he pays zero mortgage, utilities, etc. If he is in such dire need of more disposable income, get a real job in a real building with a real business strategy and a real boss and reporting structure and a real paycheck with which to purchase the requisite fake cashmoozie turtlenecks. Then after the 9-5 job, bag groceries at night. Work until you drop. But suggest a charity event for yourself?? Unmitigated gaul.
(Hey any tax experts here? Any restrictions on a
501(c)(3) being created to help the indigent real cashmere deprived in OC?
Also – apparently when he was fabulously working and fabulously frosting housewives with his wealth, he didn’t provide health insurance for his children? Selfish bastardo. Doncha love people who don’t want to pay a moderate insurance premium, but when the house burns down they whine on every flipping “red carpet” bar opening for $250 appearance in Vegas.
C’mon Gretchen – if Katie did it, you can do it!! Run, Gretchen, Run!
Kathy Wakile has got the most awful back flab and for her age she needs to be aware of how she flashes it….not flattering at all. She and her Jerry Lewis look-a-like spouse need to canned from the show.
Oops…lol….so sorry, took a wrong turn on Roxanne’s blog with my above comment.
Isn’t Gretched-friend his 3rd OC housewife….that would creep the willy out of me if I were her, but then again they make a perfect couple…match made in OC heaven.
Can’t stand this Slade if u like me who have being watching OC since the first season you will realized that Slade has being on this show with other women, thats crazy switching women on the same TV reality show. Come on Slade.. As for Gretchen I remember when she got drunk and was all up on Tamra son and her said boyfriend at that time who ended dying was at the hospital. Back to Slade I don’t know what he is talking about in that article but Tamra has always said crazy things about Slade but they best buddy now. So whatever….