You’ve seen the "Get Ready With Me" videos. You know the Messy Closet. You’ve probably even seen the blended family dinners where everyone seems oddly... chill. But if you’ve ever fallen down the rabbit hole of TikTok comments, you know there is one question that comes up every single time Alix Earle posts a family vlog: Who exactly is her stepmom?
The name you’re looking for is Ashley Dupré (now Ashley Earle).
If you were born after 2000, that name might not mean much. But for anyone who watched the news in 2008, Ashley Dupré was the face of one of the biggest political explosions in American history. It wasn’t just a "celebrity scandal"—it was a "front page of the New York Times for weeks" kind of disaster.
The Name You Know vs. The Woman Behind It
Honestly, the way people talk about the alix earle step mom name online is usually laced with a bit of shock. Most Gen Z fans know her as the woman who pranks Alix or helps her through "canceled" moments. But before she was a suburban mom in New Jersey, the world knew her as "Kristen."
Ashley was the high-end escort at the center of the Eliot Spitzer scandal. Spitzer was the Governor of New York—a guy nicknamed the "Sheriff of Wall Street" because he was so obsessed with cleaning up corruption. Then, the FBI found out he was "Client 9" at a service called the Emperors Club VIP.
He resigned in disgrace. Ashley became an overnight sensation.
She didn't ask for the paparazzi to camp outside her door, but they did. She was 22. In the years that followed, she tried to pivot. She wrote an advice column for the New York Post called "Ask Ashley." She did reality TV. She even released music. But the real shift happened when she met Thomas "TJ" Earle.
A "Very Modern" (and Very Messy) Family Dynamic
The crossover between the Spitzer scandal and the Earle family isn't a straight line. It's more of a jagged lightning bolt.
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TJ Earle, Alix’s dad and a wealthy construction magnate, had an affair with Ashley while he was still married to Alix’s mom, Alisa. This wasn’t some quiet secret. Because of Ashley's existing fame from the Spitzer situation, the paparazzi swarmed the Earle house in New Jersey.
Alix has talked about this on her podcast, Hot Mess. She was in elementary school. Imagine being 10 years old and thinking the photographers are there to interview your neighbors, only to find out years later via an iPad search that your family’s private business is public entertainment.
She admitted she "wanted to rip Ashley’s head off" at first. Totally fair.
How they fixed it
It took over a decade. It wasn't an "instant fix" like a 60-second TikTok makes it look. Alix and her sister Ashtin famously pulled pranks on Ashley when they were kids—think toothpaste in shoes and chocolate-covered garlic cloves.
Today? Alix describes Ashley as more of a "sister."
They are incredibly close. When Alix first blew up on social media and started facing the inevitable internet hate, she didn't just go to her dad. She went to Ashley. Why? Because Ashley Dupré is probably one of the most "canceled" women in history and survived it. She knew exactly what to say when the comments got nasty.
The Recent 2025/2026 Drama
If you think the scandal days are over, the end of 2025 proved otherwise. While Alix was competing on Dancing with the Stars, Ashley found herself back in the crosshairs.
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After guest judge Cheryl Burke gave Alix a 9 (preventing a perfect score), Ashley went on TikTok and told Burke to "go take more Ozempic." It was a mess. The internet turned on her instantly.
- The Backlash: People called it "mean girl" behavior and body shaming.
- The Response: Cheryl Burke called her out for setting a bad example for her children.
- The Apology: Ashley eventually posted a video saying her "stepmotherly instincts" got the best of her and apologized for being insensitive.
It was a stark reminder that even after years of being a "quiet" suburban mom, the old Ashley—the one who isn't afraid of a fight—is still in there.
Why This Matters for the "Earle Brand"
The transparency about the alix earle step mom name and the family’s history is actually why Alix is so successful. Most influencers try to hide the "ugly" parts of their lives. Alix did the opposite.
By bringing Ashley onto her podcast and filming TikToks with her mom (Alisa) and stepmom in the same room, she took the power away from the tabloids. You can’t "expose" a secret that the person is already talking about while doing their makeup.
What we can learn from the Earles
- Healing isn't linear. It took the Earles nearly 15 years to get to a place where they could vacation together.
- Experience is the best teacher. Having a stepmother who survived a national scandal gave Alix a "PR shield" most influencers have to pay millions for.
- Redemption is possible. Whether you like her or not, Ashley Dupré transitioned from a "tabloid villain" to a core part of a multi-million dollar creator's support system.
The "Alix Earle stepmom" isn't just a name in a database; she's a case study in how to survive the public eye. If you're following the family for the drama, you'll probably get some. But if you're following for the "modern family" inspiration, there's actually a lot of nuance there that most people miss.
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Next time you see a family vlog, look at the background. The fact that Alisa and Ashley can stand in the same kitchen is probably the biggest "flex" the Earle family has ever pulled off.
Actionable Insight: If you're interested in the full story of the Earle family’s reconciliation, listen to the Hot Mess podcast episode titled "Secrets, Sex & Scandals" from September 2023. It’s the most raw look at how they actually repaired the relationship.