Former American Idol host Brian Dunkleman is firing back after it was revealed he now works as an Uber driver.
The 47-year-old comedian has been locked in a bitter custody battle with his estranged wife Kalea, with TMZ obtaining financial docs from the divorce proceedings.
Dunkleman took to Twitter on Thursday, two hours after the TMZ story ran, revealing why he drives an Uber these days.
Clapping back: Former American Idol host Brian Dunkleman reveals he’s driving an Uber for work to be with his son after divorce ‘destroyed’ his life
‘I chose to stop doing standup comedy and started driving an Uber so I could be there for my son as much as he needed after our life as we knew it was destroyed. Print that,’ he said, tagging the Twitter handles for TMZ and founder Harvey Levin.
The original TMZ report revealed that he makes about $800 a week from working 45 hours a week, with $2,000 in his checking account.
The comedian also hit back at TMZ for disclosing his financial information, stating, ‘And I make over a grand on a good week, mother******s.’
Dunkleman dunking on TMZ: The comedian also hit back at TMZ for disclosing his financial information, stating, ‘And I make over a grand on a good week, mother******s’
He again tagged TMZ and Harvey Levin, while adding the hashtag #HumanBarnacles to his tweet.
In response to his tweets, comedian and Teen Wolf star Orny Adams, who said when he saw him on TMZ, he thought he was dead.
‘I’m relieved to find out you’re just driving Uber. No shame in honest work,’ Adams said. ‘Let me take you to lunch one of these days… I will always have fond memories of us bonding at the Improv and on some studio lot.’
Orny also said in another tweet that he would pay for lunch, while also tagging Tesla and Tyler Perry to see if he could help getting him a ‘role in something.’
Old friends: In response to his tweets, comedian and Teen Wolf star Orny Adams, who said when he saw him on TMZ, he thought he was dead
Dunkleman’s girlfriend, Andrea Whitney, also added to the conversation, sharing a sweet photo of the comedian hugging his son.
‘This is why he’s an Uber driver,’ Whitney said. ‘F**k you, @TMZ,’ she added, along with the hashtag #ImInLoveWithAnUberDriver.
She also added another photo of herself in a white bikini on the bow of a boat, stating, ‘This is what an Uber driver’s girlfriend looks like. F**k you, @TMZ.’
Dunkleman and son: Dunkleman’s girlfriend, Andrea Whitney, also added to the conversation, sharing a sweet photo of the comedian hugging his son
Uber driver’s girlfriend: She also added another photo of herself in a white bikini on the bow of a boat, stating, ‘This is what an Uber driver’s girlfriend looks like. F**k you, @TMZ’
After hosting American Idol with Ryan Seacrest for the first season, Dunkleman quit the show, returning for the series finale on Fox before the show was rebooted on ABC.
After sexual misconduct allegations surfaced against Seacrest, a petition was formed to get Dunkleman back to host Idol, which received over 8,000 signatures.
Seacrest ultimately returned as host when ABC re-launched American Idol in March.
Old hosts: After hosting American Idol with Ryan Seacrest for the first season, Dunkleman quit the show, returning for the series finale on Fox before the show was rebooted on ABC
Dunkleman married his estranged wife Kalea in 2007, but they’ve been locked in a bitter divorce battle since 2016.
The comedian claimed that Kalea was an alcoholic who is out of control and poses a threat to himself and their then-three-year-old son, Jackson.
Kalea claims that Brian is the abusive one, alleging that he threw her against a wall and has been verbally abusive.
The heated battle got so bad that Dunkleman took his son Jackson to New York and got an order giving him temporary physical custody, pending a hearing.
His son Jackson, now five, lives with the comedian half of every week.
Divorce battle: Dunkleman married his estranged wife Kalea in 2007, but they’ve been locked in a bitter divorce battle since 2016