None of us know Ariana Madix personally, but the public rallied behind her in the wake of the cheating scandal between her ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss. He is still receiving a lot of vitriol for his role in publicly humiliating the Vanderpump Rules fan-favorite. But celebrating Ariana’s new romance is the next phase in the journey.
The Something About Her co-founder was first connected with NYC based trainer Daniel Wai last month. The duo were spotted canoodling at Coachella. Following that encounter, the long-distance loves met up on May 2 for a Yankees game in NYC. And this past week’s movements solidified them as the newest reality TV/Instagram hybrid couple. Ariana has moved on in a big way.
Ariana was in the Big Apple for her first Watch What Happens Live appearance since the months-long affair came to light. While there, the couple documented the date-packed days for their Instagram followers.
The couple met 10 days after Scandoval news broke
Ariana was also invited on to TODAY with Hoda & Jenna for the May 18 episode. She shared the story of meeting Daniel, and what effect the new romance had on her life.
“I’m enjoying myself and I would say I’m very happy right now,” Ariana said. “I met him at a wedding about 10 days after all of this. And in no way, shape or form did I go into that thinking anything.”
Certainly, no one could blame Ariana for being cautious in a new romance. But Daniel’s demeanor gave her a sense of security and confidence. And she was ready to move on.
“I have just been taking things very, very slow and really enjoying myself,” she added. “And it’s just really lovely to interact with someone who is just so nice and kind and lovely and caring.”
As Lala Kent pointed out during Season 10, often in affairs, the woman gets the brunt of the blame and stigma. But Ariana puts more blame on the Schwartz & Sandy’s co-owner.
“I would say I place more of the blame on him because he was the one in the relationship,” Ariana explained. “Even though she was my very close friend, I do think that ultimately it is the responsibility of the person in the relationship to set those boundaries.”
Ariana told co-hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager that she refuses any future contact with Sandoval or Raquel.
“I don’t, I really don’t,” she confessed. “I just don’t trust that person. You hear my ex on the show last night saying, ‘I know it’s hard for Ariana to trust people,’ and it has been over many years. It took me a long time to get to a point where I did trust new friends. So, I think once that trust is broken, I don’t see going back.”
Co-stars Lala and Scheana Shay met Daniel and are thoroughly in support of the romance.
“The way that I witnessed him treat her, I’ve honestly—not even in the beginning of her relationship with Tom—ever seen her light up the way she does when he gets around her, when she talks about him,” Scheana said in an exclusive to E! News. “It’s been really, really amazing to just see her so happy.”
“To see her with this new guy, where she just seems light and excited about life, it’s inspiring,” Lala added.
Part One of the Vanderpump Rules Season 10 reunion airs May 24, at 9/8c on Bravo.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF ARIANA AND DANIEL’S NEW ROMANCE? WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THE TIMING OF THE ROMANCE? WAS TOM MORE TO BLAME FOR THE AFFAIR THAN RAQUEL?
