The world of celebrity parenting has been rocked by a very public feud, with Glee star Becca Tobin becoming the latest figure to weigh in. Tobin has launched a stinging critique against Hilary Duff's husband, Matthew Koma, for his involvement in the ongoing 'toxic mom group' drama surrounding actress Ashley Tisdale.
The Origins of the Feud
The controversy began in early January, when former Disney Channel star Ashley Tisdale published an emotional personal essay for New York Magazine's The Cut. The piece, titled 'Breaking Up With My Toxic Mom Group', detailed her feelings of exclusion and the cliquey behaviour she experienced, which she likened to being "back in high school." Tisdale concluded by leaving the group chat, but notably did not name any of the other mothers involved.
Online speculation immediately pointed to fellow Disney alum Hilary Duff and singer Mandy Moore, after observers noted Tisdale had unfollowed both on Instagram. While singer Meghan Trainor denied involvement, the rumours gained significant traction last week when Duff's spouse, musician Matthew Koma, appeared to confirm them.
Matthew Koma's Controversial Post
Koma escalated the situation by posting a photo on social media that directly mocked Tisdale's essay. The image featured a mock headline reading: 'When You're the Most Self Obsessed Tone Deaf Person on Earth, Other Moms Tend to Shift Focus to Their Actual Toddlers.' He deliberately posed in an identical manner to Tisdale's original article photo, sitting on a white couch in an all-black outfit.
This move divided internet opinion, but it has drawn unequivocal condemnation from Becca Tobin. Discussing the saga on her Lady Gang podcast with co-hosts Keltie Knight and Jack Vanek, Tobin left no doubt about where she stood.
Becca Tobin's Blunt Verdict
"I don't think there's any loser," Tobin stated initially. "There's no loser in this group to me, not one, except for Hilary Duff's husband." She described Koma's actions as "gross" and took particular issue with a man inserting himself into a conflict between women.
"If Ashley had come out and said Hilary was said person being a mean girl, I would understand the husband coming to her defense," Tobin argued. "But I really am rubbed the wrong way when a man inserts himself like this, and it's solely for him to get attention."
She elaborated further, criticising the personal nature of Koma's attack. "He attacked a woman. He called her self-obsessed or whatever... And I think that's so tacky." Tobin admitted she would be furious if her own husband behaved similarly, summarising the situation as: "It's like she goes low, and then he goes lower."
In a contrasting display of restraint, Tisdale's own husband, Christopher French, has taken a more diplomatic approach. Married to Tisdale since 2014, French shared a post this week that advised: 'Underrated life skill: Pausing to decide if it's worth your energy.' His response stands in sharp contrast to the petty war of words unfolding online, highlighting the very different ways the involved parties are choosing to handle the very public fallout.
