It actually is all occurring: Bravo’s Vanderpump Guidelines is kicking up main drama after a sleepy final couple of seasons with a serious dishonest scandal involving castmates Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval, and his now-ex girlfriend, Ariana Madix—and issues simply preserve getting messier.
TMZ broke the information on Friday that Sandoval and Madix referred to as it quits after 9 years collectively, reporting that Madix had solely very lately came upon that Sandoval cheated on her with Leviss, and with that revelation, instantly ended the connection. However additional reporting from Individuals journal claimed that Sandoval and Leviss had been having a full-blown affair behind Madix’s again for six months—and that cameras are rolling as this all unfolds, with the intent to incorporate the breakup and all its fallout within the present season, which is airing now.
However first, let’s again up—right here’s all the pieces it is advisable know concerning the main scandal consuming the Actual Housewives of Beverly Hills spin-off.
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What’s the backstory?
Buckle up. Sandoval and Madix each began on the present as bartenders at Lisa Vanderpump’s attractive distinctive restaurant in West Hollywood, SUR. Whereas different scandals and companion swaps rocked the present—Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute, Jax Taylor, and his spouse, Brittany Cartwright left the present after allegations of racist conduct in opposition to a former solid member in 2020—Sandoval and Madix had been seen because the bedrock relationship on the present. The couple, however Madix specifically, all the time form of floated above the drama that consumed their extra unstable castmates; they joked about appearing like an previous married couple.
However there had been indicators of hassle on the horizon. In January 2019, Madix mentioned Sandoval “betrayed my belief” after he informed pals that Madix had connected with one other castmate, Lala Kent, in his automobile.
Sandoval and Madix on the season 10 premiere celebration.
Bravo
“My sexuality shouldn’t be one thing that’s meant to sound cool to a bunch of dudes,” she mentioned on a confessional on the present. The couple was capable of transfer previous it after Sandoval apologized at house.
Earlier within the present, there had been different, less-substantiated rumors about Sandoval dishonest. Again in season 3—Sandoval and Madix introduced they had been formally collectively through the season 2 reunion—Sandoval’s ex, Kristen Doute, accused him of dishonest with a girl in Miami, whom the solid dubbed “Miami woman.” Doute engineered bringing the girl from Florida to SUR to pressure a confrontation with Madix; Madix, for her half, mentioned she by no means believed the story.
What set the stage for season 10?
As the latest, now-airing season of the present opened, Leviss was newly single after her engagement to DJ James “the White Kanye” Kennedy, one other Pump Guidelines castmate, was referred to as off. Kennedy moved on shortly with new girlfriend Ally, whom he’s been bringing round SUR, the place Leviss nonetheless works, so viewers had been typically feeling sympathetic towards Leviss. It was additionally revealed that, as was lengthy speculated, Kent and Kennedy did cheat on their then-partners, Leviss and Randall Emmett. In earlier seasons, Leviss all the time felt like one thing was up between Kennedy and Kent—in a single confrontation between the 2 ladies, Kent branded Leviss a “Bambi-eyed bitch”—so it appeared like Leviss was lastly vindicated. Simply earlier than the dishonest drama broke, Leviss mentioned in an interview that Madix and Shay “had been those that actually embraced me into this group and have been there for me since day one.”
Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz, additionally as soon as thought-about an endgame relationship on the present, have gotten divorced, with each of them making an attempt to navigate each single life and making an attempt to keep up a friendship. (One acknowledged purpose for the divorce? Schwartz’s concentrate on his new bar-restaurant enterprise enterprise, Schwartz & Sandy’s, with Sandoval and different enterprise companions.)
However Maloney and Schwartz’s fledgling friendship is seemingly difficult by Schwartz hooking up with Leviss, allegedly at solid member Scheana Shay’s August 2022 wedding ceremony to Brock Davies. Since then, Leviss had posted herself a number of occasions carrying merch for the Toms’ first shared bar, the Vanderpump-backed TomTom, and customarily being a bit messy.
Scheana Shay claims Maloney gave the Schwartz-Leviss fling her full “blessing” on a visit to Vegas; however on a latest episode, Maloney denies she provided her blessing, accuses Shay of forcing Schwartz and Leviss collectively, and calls Shay a “shitty individual.”
There was additionally a dustup throughout promo for season 10 when it was recommended Sandoval and Madix had been in an open relationship. Madix tweeted on the time from her now-deactivated account: “We dont have an open relationship. i’m actually not that cool. thought that was apparent.”
Inform me all the pieces we all know concerning the dishonest scandal.
Right here’s what’s been reported thus far: In accordance with Individuals, Madix came upon concerning the dishonest on Wednesday, March 1, whereas supporting Sandoval at a present for his band, Tom Sandoval & the Most Extras. Whereas at an L.A. venue, she noticed a sexually specific picture from Leviss pop up on Sandoval’s cellphone. (In accordance with the unverified celeb gossip IG DeuxMoi, it was allegedly a video of a FaceTime intercourse session between the pair.) Madix scrolled additional, reportedly cluing her in to how lengthy this had been happening.
“This has been happening for upwards of 6 months—all of the whereas, Tom was sleeping subsequent to Ariana in mattress,” one supply informed Individuals. “She was utterly blindsided by this; devastated doesn’t even scratch the floor of how she feels.”
The journal’s supply added: “That is somebody she thought she knew; somebody she deliberate to spend the remainder of her life with. You’ll be able to’t even put into phrases that betrayal.”
A second supply informed Those who Madix “had no thought any of this was occurring behind her again.” In the meantime, the identical day in New York Metropolis, Leviss and Shay appeared for a taping of Watch What Occurs Reside with Andy Cohen. Throughout the present, Leviss defended posting pictures with Schwartz, saying, “I’m simply making an attempt to reside my life and I’m sorry if that offends individuals.”
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Raquel Leviss Explains Why She Was All of the sudden Into Tom Schwartz | WWHL
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However as Individuals reported, citing a 3rd supply, Leviss admitted the reality about her and Sandoval to Shay after the taping, and Shay was “livid.”
“She and all of the Vanderpump Guidelines costars have rallied round Ariana throughout this time. They will’t consider Raquel would do one thing like that,” the supply mentioned.
Sandoval and his band had one other gig the night time the information broke in Orange County, CA. Kennedy posted a video urging ticket holders to deliver tomatoes and cabbages to throw, and Kent posted Instagram Tales encouraging the viewers to “bust right into a chant—ARIANA!”, whereas additionally revealing she had Madix’s OK to go after Sandoval.
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For what it is value, it does look like followers brought about slightly little bit of hassle in a video captured on the present, yelling “cheater” and “Ariana,” to which Sandoval responded, “We love her.”
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Because the dishonest allegations broke, eagle-eyed on-line sleuths observed Sandoval and Leviss have for months been carrying what seem like matching lightning bolt necklaces.
Madix has additionally deactivated her Instagram account after the breakup turned public.
What does Tom Sandoval should say for himself?
On Saturday, Sandoval put out an announcement on Instagram—with feedback off—asking followers to take their anger out on him, not Schwartz or his enterprise companions, which appeared to substantiate the dishonest allegations. Notably, and far to the dismay of each followers and his co-stars, Sandoval didn’t point out or apologize to Madix.
“I totally perceive and deserve ur anger & disappointment in direction of me, however please go away Schwartz my family and friends out of this example…This was a really private factor,” he wrote, happening to say he’d be taking “a step again” and “a hiatus” from the brand new enterprise.
The identical day, Schwartz & Sandy’s posted an announcement (additionally with the feedback turned off) asking followers to not take out their ire on the newly opened restaurant.
“In gentle of the latest information we admire the various phrases of assist however we additionally perceive the outpouring of shock that has been directed in direction of our enterprise. Nevertheless, these of us who should not well-known have devoted our time, hearts and cash to make this restaurant a actuality,” the assertion learn. “We too are disillusioned by the present state of affairs, as Ariana has all the time been a superb good friend and nice supporter of the restaurant…however pleasure perceive that the livelihoods of others additionally rely upon this enterprise, there are way more individuals concerned on this enterprise than simply Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz.”
At his band’s present on Friday, US Weekly reported Sandoval additionally requested the gang: “Have you ever ever been one of the crucial hated individuals in America?”
And regardless of being noticed leaving the home he shares with Madix toting suitcases the day after the breakup, Sandoval’s rep informed E! that he has not moved out.
How has the remainder of the Vanderpump Guidelines solid responded?
Schwartz stays mum on the drama, along with his final IG submit being a #spon video with Sandoval promoting a giveaway with Hydroxycut weight reduction drugs. Madix and Leviss have but to publicly remark.
Everybody that’s spoken out has been firmly #TeamAriana, together with Maloney, Shay, and Doute, who posted two movies in assist of Madix, together with one the place she says, “I stan Ariana. That is in real-time. I really like you a lot.”
Present Guidelines solid member Charli Burnett—who hasn’t engendered a lot goodwill this season—additionally hit again arduous after Leviss’s sister got here after her on Twitter, seeming to allege {that a} solid member was violent with Leviss.
Madix’s brother, Jeremy, who has additionally been on the present, commented on certainly one of Kennedy’s Instagram posts to defend his sister and fireplace again at Sandoval, Leviss, and the present basically, writing, per US Weekly, “Toms a attempt arduous having a midlife disaster along with his cringy band and Raquel has faked her technique to the highest.”
“This life-style and this group is past poisonous and I wouldn’t advocate it to anybody…All only for clout from a corny ass community like BravoTV 😂,” he continued. “Promote out kind lame shit. Let’s all keep in mind that Raquel was a fan of the present earlier than all of this. Does anybody concentrate?”
Even Taylor, previously the “primary man on this group,” bought in on the pile-on.
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How do Lisa Vanderpump and Andy Cohen really feel about all this?
The doyenne of SUR/TomTom/PUMP/Vanderpump Cocktail Backyard/Vanderpump à Paris semi-joked that she’s unsure her coronary heart is as much as what may very properly be a 10-part VPR reunion particular.
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Ummm one…I’m unsure my coronary heart is as much as it.
— Lisa Vanderpump (@LisaVanderpump) March 4, 2023
Bravo King Andy Cohen replied:
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You might have time to get a pacemaker as a result of I NEED YOU
— Andy Cohen (@Andy) March 4, 2023
However Vanderpump had earlier retweeted a message about how viewership of the present is up, so behind closed doorways, she’s in all probability smiling just like the cat that ate the canary.
Cohen, for his half, stirred the pot over the weekend, together with by posting an Instagram video saying he’s “as riveted and upset and fascinated by the Scandaval as all of you,” additionally revealing that Vanderpump could be his visitor on WWHL this Wednesday.
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Will all of the dishonest drama be on season 10?
In accordance with studies, the reply is sure. Leisure Tonight reported, citing a supply near manufacturing, that cameras are again up and rolling to seize all the continued fallout, with plans to incorporate all of it as a part of season 10. E! Information additionally reported cameras had been again up and educated on the ex-couple.
On his radio present immediately, Cohen additionally confirmed that the Pump Guidelines reunion is ready to movie in two weeks.
