Dustin McCurdy, Jennette McCurdy's brother, was mentioned in his younger sibling's book titled, "I'm Glad My Mom Died." The book is a memoir and unpacks the troubling family upbringing and rise to stardom that Jennette and her brothers dealt with.
The memoir speaks about an abusive mother, shameless acts, eating disorders, and mental health, among other aspects of their childhood. It aims to help people who have similar experiences in a lighthearted manner.
Jennette McCurdy was famous for her co-star role in the hit Nickelodeon show "iCarly." Dustin McCurdy's sister had recently opened up about her and her siblings' troubled past.
Jennette McCurdy attends Magnolia Pictures' "Damsel" Premiere at ArcLight Hollywood on June 13, 2018, in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images
Dustin and Jennette Have a Sibling from Another Father
While Dustin's mother, Debra McCurdy, was married to Mark McCurdy, their mother had a seven-year-long affair with Andrew. Dustin, Jennette, and Scott McCurdy are the biological children of their mother and Andrew.
She mentioned that her brothers said their grandmother wasn't pleased with the book's title.
The siblings have a brother named Marcus McCurdy from another father, Mark. Together, they are four siblings.
Jennette McCurdy at the Premiere of Columbia Pictures' "Passengers" at Regency Village Theatre on December 14, 2016 in Westwood, California. | Source: Getty Images
Dustin Was Very Supportive of His Sister Releasing the Book
In August 2022, The Hollywood Reporter asked Jennette if it took her brothers some time to understand the title of her memoir, "I'm Glad My Mom Died." Jennette responded:
“Not at all. My brothers have been so supportive, so understanding. They get the title, to put it simply.”
The book, which Jennette dedicated to her brothers, pays testament to the closeness they now share. In Dustin's sister's appearance on the "Red Table Talk," she mentioned that her brothers said their grandmother wasn't pleased with the book's title.
The "Red Table Talk" also recorded Jennette reading an excerpt from her book where she said,
“You are an ugly monster now, love mom. Or should I say Deb since I am no longer your mother.”
This was written to Jennette in an email from her mother after she found out that Jennette had been on holiday with her secret boyfriend in Hawaii.
Dustin Has Close Relations with His Siblings
The McCurdy siblings are all extremely close with one another, and much of their relationship is linked to the traumatic past that they all shared. Dustin's sister describes their bond as "beautiful."
Dustin and his brothers' support and understanding of Jennette's book amplified their bond even further. Their strong relationship was evident in how she fondly spoke about being an aunt to her brothers' children.
Jennette McCurdy Promotes City TV/Netflix Series "Between" at Soho Metropolitan Hotel on June 29, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. | Source: Getty Images
It was only after the passing of their mother that Mark informed the siblings that Marcus was his only biological child. Dustin, Jennette, and Scott were fathered by Andrew – the man Debra had an affair with for seven years.
It took Dustin a while to comprehend what had been happening all those years, and he only recently understood the severity of it.
Dustin and his brothers can recall parts of their mother's infidelity and her attempts to navigate her relationship outside marriage.
Dustin Wasn't Entirely Aware of What Jennette Was Going Through
In a phone interview with The Washington Post, Dustin said, "While I may have known the outline, the sketch of what had happened, there were more details presented in her [one-woman] show that surprised me."
It took Dustin a while to comprehend what had been happening all those years, and he only recently understood the severity of it. He sees his sister in a completely different light now.
Dustin also mentioned, "Now, I totally get it. She just wanted to stay safe in whatever way she could." Here he was referring to how his sister often got her brothers in trouble as a means to stay in her mother's good books.
Dustin Was Also Not Treated Well by His Mother
In the same interview, Dustin reportedly stated that their mother was mentally abusive towards him and his father. Nobody was particularly exempt from Dustin's mother's abusive behavior. Jennette also confessed::
“Used to chase [her] father around the house with a steak knife.”
Scott and Jennette were reportedly forced to shower together. At the time, Jennette was 16 years old, and her mother would "examine" Jennette's private areas whether he was present or not. Their mom reportedly insisted on washing them.
While the "iCarly" co-star allowed for a financially stable home, Dustin often saw her as a scapegoat. As long as their mother's attention was focused on every aspect of Jennette's life, there would be breathing room for the rest of the family.
Dustin admitted that a part of him would say, "Oh, she's fine. Take her out of the house for a while. That sounds great." While it wasn't an ideal situation for Jennette McCurdy, for Dustin, it was a way of removing himself from an abusive situation.
ncG1vNJzZmimlazAb63MqKSapZFjsLC5jmtwbXBgbHp2ecWamq2rXZnCtMDIp2Smm5Oqv6XFjKOcp6aVqcGmecycmq6qlK7Ab7TTpqM%3D