VPR's Lisa Vanderpump has a soft spot for Tom Sandoval after Drama
Scheana Shay, Lisa Vanderpump, Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix.
Gizelle Hernández/Bravo (2)Lisa Vanderpump does not openly take sides, but she Vanderpump Rules costars think she has a preference between Team Ariana Madix and Team Tom Sandoval.
During the Tuesday, February 6 episode of Watch what happens live with Andy Cohen, Scheana Shay was asked who she thinks Vanderpump, 63, has a “softer place” between Madix, 38, and Sandoval, 41.
“Sandoval. You'll see it this season,” Shay, 38, teased about the upcoming drama.
Season 11 began three months after news broke that Sandoval and Madix were calling it quits due to his affair with Rachel 'Raquel' Leviss. Vanderpump broke her silence days after the scandal made headlines in March 2023 by asking Bravo viewers to tone down their anger toward Sandoval and Leviss, 29.
Raquel Leviss and Tom Sandoval faced major backlash for their cheating scandal — and their Vanderpump Rules costars were front and center throwing shade. The couple made headlines in March 2023 when Us Weekly confirmed that Sandoval and Ariana Madix called it quits after nearly a decade together due to his infidelity. The beauty […]
'It's a show, but [the cast is] all pain. And I'm not saying we should leave them alone,” she said during a performance on WWHL. “Condemn their actions, but do not condemn the people. All of this [online] Aggression has serious consequences. I really mean that – I think everyone needs to be careful.”
Vanderpump then filmed with both Madix and Sandoval in additional footage captured for season 10. She faced backlash from fans and cast members alike for showing Sandoval support on-screen.
Madix admitted WWHL in May 2023 that she thought Vanderpump was “a little too nice to” Sandoval during the season 10 finale. For her part, Vanderpump supported the decision to show Sandoval some compassion at a low point in his life.
“Everyone was reprimanding him. I had no desire to join the pack. I mean, it looked so slanted. Everything was against him, you know? the restaurant owner said exclusively We weekly at the time. “I've known him for a long time. Of course I condemn what he did. That's why I said, 'You're not a bad person. You just did something bad.” And my heart was always with Ariana. Maybe I didn't yell at him and harass him, but everyone else would have.”
Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss' cheating scandal brought an unexpected paycheck to several Vanderpump Rules stars. When the Bravo series kicked off season 10 in February 2023, the topic on everyone's mind was Tom Schwartz's relationship with Leviss during his divorce from Katie Maloney. A month later, Us Weekly confirmed that Sandoval and Ariana […]
Vanderpump added: “The man sitting in my living room felt like a broken man. So honestly, I just didn't want to continue. Have I had conversations and held him accountable? Yeah, I mean, I definitely felt the same as everyone else. But at some point they look like my children in a way.”
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum noted that it was difficult for her to choose a side.
“They grew up with me. … You could yell at him for a moment, and I have done that before, but when I saw him, you have to at least try to move forward or look for the path forward – even if it was too early to move forward [or] look for the way forward,” she concluded. “But of course we were all very upset. We felt cheated. We were disgusted, we were hurt – all those things.”
While some things never change, the cast of Vanderpump Rules is used to a shakeup… and a retouch. Vanderpump Rules was introduced to Bravo viewers during a special episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in January 2013. Season 1 starred Lisa Vanderpump, who was a Beverly Hills housewife at the time, Stassi. […]
Vanderpump later showed her love for Madix when she got the Dancing with the stars season 32 finale in December 2023. Vanderpump got emotional watching Madix almost win on the ABC dance competition show.
“I never knew she was capable of something so big,” Vanderpump told cohost Alfonso Ribeiro. “I watched it every week and it brought tears to my eyes.”
Season 11 of Vanderpump Rules airs on Bravo Tuesdays at 8pm ET and will be available to stream on Peacock the next day.