Kevin Federline on Friday brushed off a public jab from Sam Asghari about Federline’s parenting and defended his upcoming memoir, which he says will offer a candid account of his life during and after his marriage to Britney Spears.
Asghari, Spears’ most recent ex-husband, was asked about Federline’s book in August and sneered that Federline would be "a great... it would be the first book that'll tell you how to be a professional father," an apparent reference to the child support payments Federline received during and after his marriage to Spears. Federline, speaking to TMZ while out for a hike in his new Hawaii hometown, chuckled at the remark and said, "Yeah, I’m not too worried about what Sam thinks. But I do love the tagline 'professional father.' Every father should strive to be a professional father." He added, "I’m excited for people to read it, it’s been quite a process, but I can’t really say too much," and, when asked about Spears, said only, "Just happy and healthy… you guys will definitely hear more on that later."
Federline announced the memoir, titled You Thought You Knew, in August and has said it will be released in October. In a press release, he described the book as "extremely intimate and transparent," promising to recount what he called the challenges of a "highly publicized marriage" while also describing his efforts to provide stability for his children. The announcement drew swift criticism from some fans and social media users, who called the timing a "cash grab" coming months after Spears’ final child support payment.
Spears’ last child support check, for $20,000, was reportedly sent in November 2024, closing nearly two decades of payments to Federline. The disclosure of the final payment prompted critical commentary online; one Reddit user wrote, "That child support dried up real quick," while another said, "His timing tells you everything."
Federline has also publicly circulated support for the memoir. He reposted a note from Hawaii media personality Ryan Kalei Tsuji that defended him, saying Federline had remained largely silent while being criticized and that the book was an opportunity to set the record straight. "This isn’t a tell-all meant to wound anyone," Tsuji wrote, adding that Federline had prioritized "being a father, showing up for his kids, giving them stability, and protecting their peace in the middle of chaos."
Federline’s announcement comes nearly two years after Spears published her own memoir, The Woman in Me, which was released Oct. 23, 2023. That book received widespread attention for its account of Spears’ life under a 13-year conservatorship and for detailing personal relationships and career pressures. Federline’s memoir is expected to offer his perspective on their marriage and the media scrutiny that followed.
Federline and Spears were married from 2004 to 2007 and share two sons, Sean, 19, and Jayden, 18. Federline is also the father of two older children with ex-fiancée Shar Jackson — daughter Kori, 23, and son Kaleb, 21 — and two younger daughters with his current wife, Victoria Prince, whom he married in 2013: Jordan, 14, and Peyton, 11.
Asghari and Spears married in June 2022, separated in August 2023 and their divorce was finalized the following May. Asghari has since entered a relationship with real estate agent Brooke Irvine, making their partnership Instagram-official in December 2024.
Observers and fans remain divided over Federline’s decision to publish. Supporters argue the memoir is his right to tell his side after years in which media accounts and public commentary focused on Spears; critics say the book risks profiting from the intimate details of a shared past. Federline has repeatedly framed the project as a personal attempt to explain his experience, writing in the book announcement that he "achieved my biggest dreams, dealt with crushing heartbreak and endured constant ridicule, all while becoming the father my children needed as they experienced non-stop emotional turbulence."
Federline’s public comments on Friday and his promotional notes about the memoir stop short of revealing the specific allegations or revelations the book will contain. He said only that he was "excited" for readers and reiterated a wish for Spears’ well-being.
The back-and-forth between Spears’ former husbands is the latest episode in ongoing public scrutiny of relationships and family life surrounding the pop star, whose own memoir reignited debates about media coverage, personal autonomy and the long-term impacts of fame. Federline’s book will add another firsthand account to that conversation when it appears in October.