Tom Arnold Faces Backlash Over Past Comments About Women His Age

Arnold recalled telling people who urged him to date women his age, “Dude, have you seen people my age? We are freaking disgusting.” On his nationwide comedy tour, “My Crazy X-Wife,” he said he has met “funny, smart, sexy, 60-something women.” He said he hopes to meet someone he could eventually introduce to his children, but added that he is not putting pressure on himself. “I think, one of these days, it will happen,” he said.

The comments spread on social media, where some users mocked Arnold’s appearance and others criticized his earlier judgment of older women. One X user said women younger than him likely found him “disgusting”; another defended him, citing the difficult experiences he has faced.

Arnold has been married four times. His marriage to Roseanne Barr began in 1990 and ended in divorce four years later. Barr alleged in court documents that he had been physically and emotionally abusive; Arnold’s addiction was also a source of tension in the relationship. He told Page Six he began drinking at 12 and using drugs after high school. After 19 years of sobriety, he relapsed following a 2008 motorcycle accident that broke his back and led to treatment with pain medication. He said he had to “start over.”

Arnold has said Barr was not his most difficult former wife, noting that they did not have children together. His marriage to Ashley Groussman lasted from 2009 until their separation in 2020. They share two children, Jax and Quinn. Their split led to a lengthy custody dispute and domestic violence allegations, which Arnold denied and a judge later dismissed. Reflecting on his four marriages, he said, “And it is me, 100 percent,” adding that humor has helped him appreciate his life and become a better father.