Reggie Watts’ Attorney Calls Out ‘Dangerously False’ Claims About Star’s Ex-Girlfriend’s Death
The musician’s ex-girlfriend, Katherine Early McCollough, died by suicide in March.
ByJaelani Turner-Williams
August 22, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Reggie Watts’ attorney Andrew Brettler called it “dangerously false” to hold the comedian responsible for ex-girlfriend Katherine Early McCollough’s suicide and rejected the investigation as a “preconceived narrative.”
- Brettler denied that Watts encouraged McCollough’s substance use and said neither she nor anyone close to her ever told Watts she was suicidal.
- Rolling Stone reported that drugs played a central role in their relationship and that McCollough experienced mania before their 2025 breakup; Peruvian authorities said she and Fabian Gorldt died by suicide in March 2026.
Reggie Watts has been publicly condemned in the suicide of his ex-girlfriend Katherine Early McCollough, and his attorney has weighed in on the matter.
In a newly published Rolling Stone investigation, it’s been claimed that the comedian and musician drove the 36-year-old to her death. Attorney Andrew Brettler called it “dangerously false” to suggest Watts bore any responsibility.
In a statement to Rolling Stone, Brettler also dismissed the broader story as a “preconceived narrative,” and specifically pushed back on claims that Watts encouraged McCollough’s substance abuse, stating that she was already an “experienced drug user” who “did not need any so-called ‘encouragement’ from him.”
Through his attorney, the former The Late Late Show With James Cordenbandleader also issued a statement about his awareness of McCollough’s mental health. “Not once during that period did Katherine or any of her family members or friends, ever suggest to Reggie that she was suicidal.”
Watts declined Rolling Stone‘s multiple requests for an interview and did not specifically address the majority of questions posed to him. Five of his ex-girlfriends, however, many of whom chose to be anonymous, did speak to the outlet and expressed empathy for McCollough.
The investigation painted a vivid picture of a relationship in which drugs were central from the beginning. Rolling Stone reported that a friend compiled a list of substances McCollough allegedly said she tried with Watts, including LSD, MDMA, DMT, ketamine, cocaine, and several others.
Watts, a self-described “psychonaut” and prominent ketamine advocate, has publicly championed the drug on multiple occasions. At Outside Lands in October 2021, he jokingly encouraged the crowd to get a ketamine prescription. On podcast The Joe Rogan Experience in 2024, Watts said he considered himself “really good at dosing.”
The couple had begun their romance in late 2023, after meeting at a party in May of that year. McCollough, 36, was a former Cornell Law School student who had worked in digital marketing at a record label, completed her final law term at UCLA, and held a legal internship at the Writers Guild of America West in 2024.
She died in Lima, Peru in March 2026 alongside a German man, 38-year-old Fabian Gorldt. Peruied by suicide. Following her death, Watts memorialized McCollough in an Instagram post, acknowledging that she was “in pain” but planned her final days in Lima “beautifully.”
“You changed my life. You opened up my vulnerability and taught me how to receive love from someone so close,” Watts wrote.
If you or someone you know is struggling, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.
