Child Abuse Made Me Cheat: Jesse James

Finally, the full interview airs
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted May 26, 2010 7:34 AM CDT

The Jesse James interview aired on Nightline yesterday, and America finally found out why he cheated on Sandra Bullock: “Because, you know, I've basically never felt good enough for anyone” as a result of childhood abuse, he said. His father “beat my ass pretty good a bunch of times,” he continued, crying when he remembered his dad chasing him and causing him to break his arm—when he was the age his own daughter, Sunny, is now.

When Vicki Mabrey noted, “There are a lot of people who are abused who don’t go on to cheat on their wives,” he quickly shot back, “There are a lot of people that are abused that go on to abuse, or go on to do drugs,” and insisted he’s not a monster. “Bike builder, Monster Garage TV star—all that stuff is a huge smokescreen so people won’t see that I’m a scared, abused kid. A 7-year-old.”
(More Jesse James stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X