Tom Sandoval’s alleged affair: Every part it’s good to know in regards to the ‘Vanderpump Guidelines’ on-line drama
How can we clarify the #Scandoval? In primary phrases: A actuality star from the Bravo present Vanderpump Guidelines, Tom Sandoval, allegedly cheated on his longtime girlfriend, Ariana Madix, who can be on the present, with one more Vanderpump star, Raquel Leviss, who’s the ex-fiancée of fellow Pump star, James Kennedy.
However that very convoluted sentence is the equal of claiming JFK was murdered by Lee Harvey Oswald, finish of story. There’s a lot extra. A hilarious quantity extra. A very daunting quantity extra, which I’ll do my very best to put out on this article. It’s a story ripe with theories floated by web sleuths, difficult webs of romantic overlap, and the deeply bizarre historical past of a actuality present that is been working for a decade.
Here is my greatest try at breaking this complete factor down into some type of discernible little bit of textual content. However earlier than we get to the (alleged) dishonest, its historical past, and the theories, we have to go over some information.
The present
Vanderpump started as a Actual Housewives spinoff of kinds. Scheana Shay, a castmember, labored at SUR, the Los Angeles restaurant owned by Actual Housewives of Beverly Hill star Lisa Vanderpump. Shay unknowingly had an affair with the husband of one other housewife. That drama helped beginning Vanderpump Guidelines, which initially traced the lives and drama of the wannabe actors/fashions/and so forth. who labored at SUR. A decade and some forged members later, the present now follows a mishmosh of people that work at SUR and people who do not.
Mainly, the present created micro-celebrities (also called Bravolebrities) out of its forged — so now it is only a present that follows these folks.
The important thing #Scandoval gamers
OK, let’s meet the folks. Different forged members will inevitably come up, however these are the 4 main gamers on this scandal.
Tom Sandoval
Sandoval is a longtime forged member of Vanderpump Guidelines. He is been there because the starting. He fancies himself a Renaissance man of kinds: a mannequin, actor, and musician, and never a lot good at any of these issues. He was beforehand in a relationship with former forged member Kristen Doute, who had alleged (with out proof) that Sandoval cheated on her with Madix.
Ariana Madix
Madix joined the forged in Season 2. Her and Sandoval have been companions for years, personal a home collectively, and repeatedly acknowledged they have been life companions regardless of not wanting marriage.
Raquel Leviss
Leviss joined the forged in Season 5. She was courting forged member James Kennedy, a self-styled DJ. They acquired engaged earlier than calling it quits final yr.
Tom Schwartz
Schwartz is Sandoval’s bestie. He was married to forged member Katie Maloney earlier than a really public divorce final yr. Schwartz is the extra laid-back, man-child of the Tom duo. Collectively they opened the bar TomTom(Opens in a brand new tab) below the steerage of Lisa Vanderpump earlier than putting out on their very own with one other bar referred to as Schwartz & Sandy’s(Opens in a brand new tab).
The scandal
OK, let’s get to the meat and potatoes of this factor.
This season of the Vanderpump Guidelines has been all about relationship struggles, primarily the divorce of beloved forged members Schwartz and Maloney. And, let’s not neglect, Leviss and Kennedy had referred to as off an engagement — and the hot-headed DJ had already moved on with a brand new girlfriend.
Amid all that, there have been rumors that Schwartz and Leviss had made out at Coachella. To make issues worse, Leviss stored kind of…brazenly flirting with Schwartz. Have in mind: She’s ostensibly associates with Maloney and Madix, so all of this public flirting crossed a number of lady codes. The latest episode that aired this week confirmed Leviss admitting to Maloney(Opens in a brand new tab) that she had floated the concept of creating out to Schwartz.
Come to seek out out, the general public discovers that no, no, no it wasn’t that Tom who was cozy with Leviss. It was none apart from Sandoval, you already know the one nonetheless in a longterm relationship. TMZ first broke the information(Opens in a brand new tab) that Sandoval and Leviss have been engaged in an affair and that Madix apparently discovered(Opens in a brand new tab) express messages and movies proving such. Quickly sufficient, incremental particulars of the affair and breakup flooded the pages of TMZ, Web page Six, Reddit, and just about in every single place else on-line. There are many smaller particulars to go over later however the greatest factor: This was reportedly not a one-off dishonest incident. A supply advised Individuals(Opens in a brand new tab) that the affair had been occurring for not less than six months.
Vanderpump is a present mainly constructed on infidelity — the historical past there’s so deep we do not have the time — however this incident comes amid a downturn in reputation for the present that when headlined Bravo’s non-Housewives choices. It is also the type of dishonest scandal the present hasn’t actually seen: It is an affair throughout the group coping with a pair — Sandoval and Madix — who had deliberate to spend their lives collectively. Madix was even seen supporting his band at a gig as not too long ago as final Wednesday.
“That is somebody [Madix] thought she knew; somebody she deliberate to spend the remainder of her life with. You possibly can’t even put into phrases that betrayal,” Individuals quoted(Opens in a brand new tab) a supply,
Ultimately, Sandoval all however confirmed the affair. In an Instagram put up he stated he understood the anger directed at him — almost all followers are firmly on Madix’s facet — however that to please depart his bar Schwartz & Sandy’s out of it, which had been flooded with unhealthy critiques on platforms like Yelp and Google.
Noticeably absent from the preliminary assertion: Madix, who apparently seen(Opens in a brand new tab) that herself. Sandoval lastly addressed her in a press release within the wee hours of Tuesday morning.
He wrote(Opens in a brand new tab), partly:
“I need to before everything apologize to everybody I’ve harm via this course of. Most of all, I need to apologize to Ariana. I made errors, I used to be egocentric, and made reckless selections that harm someone I like. Nobody deserves to really feel that ache so traumatically and publicly. I can solely think about how devastating this has been for Ariana and everybody round us. I really feel actually horrible about that. My greatest remorse is that I dishonored Ariana. I by no means meant to disappoint so many individuals, together with our loving households and associates.”
On Wednesday, we lastly acquired some affirmation and an apology from Leviss herself.
“I need to apologize for my actions and my decisions foremost to Ariana, and to my associates and the followers so invested in {our relationships}. There isn’t any excuse, I’m not a sufferer and I need to personal my actions and I deeply remorse hurting Ariana,” Leviss advised Leisure Tonight(Opens in a brand new tab).
These are the broad strokes of the #Scandoval, however there’s a lot extra. As a result of as with all different juicy information, the web sleuths are on the case.
The theories, the gossip, and all the remainder
So now that we all know the fundamentals of the scandal, let’s get to the juice. To be frank, there’s a 0.0 p.c likelihood I may embrace each little bit of gossip about this example as a result of it’s infinite. For those who’re not a Bravo individual, you will not get it, however the community and its reveals encourage a sure type of fandom. The fervor surrounding that is affair has been rabid and folks have been onerous at work uncovering each final breadcrumb on the web.
Let’s dig into a couple of of the theories, bits of gossip, and different tidbits circulating across the #Scandoval. As a result of it is simple to consider this affair was imminently apparent in the event you knew the place to look.
Tweet might have been deleted
(opens in a brand new tab)
(Opens in a brand new tab)
The matching necklaces
The good of us on Reddit(Opens in a brand new tab) — the place else — famous quickly after the information breaking that each Sandoval and Leviss had continuously worn lightning bolt necklaces recently. This was backed up — or, let’s be actual, perhaps reverse-engineered — with a put up on Reddit(Opens in a brand new tab) from somebody claiming to be a good friend of Raquel. These kinds of tales get unfold like wildfire by Bravo fan accounts on-line, that are mainly treating this affair like Watergate.
Tweet might have been deleted
(opens in a brand new tab)
(Opens in a brand new tab)
Now, after all a variety of these particulars are to be taken with an enormous grain of salt. As an illustration, that random account claiming to be Leviss’s pal acknowledged that Leviss would keep the evening at Sandoval and Madix’s house, finishing up the affair proper below the couple’s roof. It additionally claimed Sandoval has been laying aside the breakup for months. But, the sourcing comes right down to “belief me, bro.” A few of this may be true, however it’s there is no solution to inform.
The Tom of all of it
The Toms are inseparable. Naturally, some of us have puzzled if Schwartz was masking — knowingly or not — for Sandoval’s mess. In spite of everything, it is fairly unusual the Leviss was so clearly pursuing Schwartz on digicam and even taking part in alongside in press interviews on the opening of Schwartz & Sandy’s. Individuals have even floated the concept that Sandoval was the Tom noticed making out with Leviss at Coachella and that Schwartz was a handy fall man.
This may be fascinating, contemplating the drama taking part in out within the season at the moment airing. Leviss successfully wiggled out of drama in final week’s episode as a result of Maloney consider she wasn’t good sufficient to plan an affair with Schwartz. Maloney believed Leviss acquired the concept put in her head and that she could not pull off being the villian.
“Raquel will not be good sufficient to provide you with one thing this diabolical on her personal,” Maloney stated within the episode. “She’s actually the human equal of cotton sweet.”
Maybe not a lot.
Halloween and hoodies
I swear it is like Sandoval and Leviss needed folks to know one thing was up. To start with, Leviss wore a TomTom hoodie onstage eventually yr’s BravoCon(Opens in a brand new tab), and fascinating alternative for an occasion the place the forged members usually get glammed up. On the time, folks speculated this was a shot at Maloney and her obvious curiosity in Schwartz. Now, with the Sandoval affair out, it could possibly be learn in another way.
To not be outdone, when Halloween rolled round, Sandoval dressed as Leviss. He donned a wig to match her hair and the exact same TomTom hoodie(Opens in a brand new tab).
The forged chooses sides
Spoiler alert: Just about everybody has sided with Madix. Kennedy, a good friend of Sandoval and usually forged because the villain in his relationship with Leviss, has been taking a victory lap(Opens in a brand new tab). All the ladies within the forged, particularly, have rallied round Madix(Opens in a brand new tab). They have been noticed going to her home, wine in hand, whereas Shay has posted(Opens in a brand new tab) movies of her dancing and singing with Madix, apparently taken at a live performance.
Tweet might have been deleted
(opens in a brand new tab)
(Opens in a brand new tab)
Watch What Occurs Dwell drama
A lot drama within the Bravo-verse traces again to Watch What Occurs Dwell, the late-night present hosted by Andy Cohen, the brains behind the whole lot Bravo. Unconfirmed rumors have recommended Shay — who’s tight with Madix — might have bodily confronted Leviss final Wednesday after they each appeared on the late-night present. That might align with the rumored timeline of the scandal breaking — that Madix found the obvious affair after Sandoval carried out along with his band. There was no affirmation a confrontation occurred however US Weekly reported(Opens in a brand new tab) that Leviss has filed a restraining order in opposition to Shay.
Once more, the bodily altercation is only a rumor, however Shay did like a tweet(Opens in a brand new tab) that stated, “If what they’re saying @scheana did after WWHL is true she is the ULTIMATE RIDE OR DIE good friend.”
Tweet might have been deleted
(opens in a brand new tab)
(Opens in a brand new tab)
The assertion from Leviss additionally indicated some incident might have occurred, however, once more, nothing has been confirmed and Shay’s title wasn’t talked about.
“Though I selected to be on a actuality present accepting the nice and unhealthy that comes with it, past my very own actions I’ve been bodily assaulted, misplaced friendships, acquired dying threats and hate emails along with having had my privateness violated,” Leviss advised(Opens in a brand new tab) ET in a press release.
“Ship it to Daryl”
Legal professionals, after all, have already gotten concerned. Leviss’s legal professional has reportedly contacted forged members to warn them to not share any intimate movies involving Leviss and Sandoval, claiming it was filmed with out her consent and topic to revenge porn legal guidelines.
Forged member Lala Kent, who famously as soon as referred to as Leviss a “Bambi-eyed bitch,(Opens in a brand new tab)” wasn’t happy that the lawyer contacted her straight. She introduced up her personal lawyer by title in a phrasing that’s positive to final the take a look at of time.
Tweet might have been deleted
(opens in a brand new tab)
(Opens in a brand new tab)
“Raquel: Inform your little Mickey Mouse lawyer that if he has stuff to ship over, he can ship issues to my lawyer. Similar with the remainder of my associates and forged, alright?” she stated(Opens in a brand new tab) in a video posted to Instagram.
“I do not know if you understand how this works, I do know you’re fairly model new to the sport. Did not final lengthy — look what you probably did along with your fucking quarter-hour. You could have one thing to ship over, you possibly can ship it to my lawyer,” she added. “I do not need to see that ever. Ship it to DARYL!” (There’s, after all, now “ship it to Daryl(Opens in a brand new tab)” merch.)
So what now?
What now, certainly. For one, the tenth season of Vanderpump Guidelines continues to be freaking airing. The obvious affair is taking part in out in actual time, and we’ll be capable of watch the upcoming episodes understanding data the forged members — apart from Leviss and Sandoval, apparently — are with out. When the information broke, Bravo fired up the cameras to, one assumes, get reactions from the forged. We’ll get some type of response to the scandal this season, which is a rarity for a actuality present. Till then, of us might be pouring over the episodes just like the Zapruder movie to suss out new theories.
Cohen stated on his radio present(Opens in a brand new tab) that it is his understanding Sandoval and Leviss are nonetheless seeing each other. Sandoval has been noticed(Opens in a brand new tab) visiting her house, in order that provides up.
In a present mainly constructed on dishonest — we did not even contact on scandals involving former iconic forged members like Jax, Stassi, and others — that is the scandal that beats all of them. The present, which had struggled to seek out its footing amid forged turnover, is now must-see TV. Get your popcorn and outrage prepared.
