When it comes to Scandoval, Real Housewives of New Jersey OG Teresa Giudice is definitely Team Ariana.
Teresa was a guest on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. When Andy asked her to name her top five Bravo villains, guess who got the top spot? The mom of four chose Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval as the top Bravo villain of all time.
When news broke in March 2023 that Tom was having an affair with costar Rachel Leviss behind the back of his longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix, the world of reality TV tilted on its axis. Not only did Ariana immediately dump her boyfriend of nine years, but fans were seriously shook.
Some of Ariana’s costars objected to her refusing to film with Tom
The bombshell exploded in the Season 10 Pump Rules finale, which aired in May 2023. Though Rachel declined to return for Season 11, both Tom and Ariana did. They were shown still living in their co-owned Valley Village home, although they inhabited different parts of the house and only communicated through an assistant. Ariana consistently refused to speak to Tom and avoided filming with him.
“It is bulls*t that she can’t film with someone that she stays under the same roof [with],” Lala Kent insisted. “It is a lot that she says, ‘Don’t f*ck with Tom Sandoval, but I am going to sleep down the hall from Tom Sandoval.’ I have never in my life experienced someone who gets cheated on and suddenly she becomes God.”
The public attention naturally upped Ariana’s visibility in the entertainment world. Suddenly, she was offered a plethora of rewards: a part in a Lifetime movie, a Super Bowl commercial, an invitation to the Whitehouse Correspondents’ Dinner, the hosting job on Love Island, and being invited to compete on Dancing with the Stars. The cherry on top was an invitation to perform as the lead in the musical Chicago on Broadway, where she broke box office records.
Perhaps Lala was more than a little jealous of the opportunities suddenly offered to the former SUR bartender.
During the Season 11 reunion, the cast was shown the previously unaired ending moments of the season’s final episode. That’s when Ariana first heard Lala express her feelings about her costar’s behavior. They haven’t spoken to each other since then.
Will there even be a Season 12 of Vanderpump Rules?
With the cast of the show more divided than ever, some fans doubt the show will return. Bravo has made no formal announcement about Season 12, and VPR is officially “on hiatus.” Producers are giving the cast time to cool their emotions. But some think VPR has more to offer.
“I feel like we still have a lot of story to tell,” Sandoval told US Weekly in October. “[But] it’s not up to me.”
Besides her top villain Tom Sandoval, Tré’s list included Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Kenya Moore, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Lisa Rinna, Real Housewives of Potomac alum Candiace Dillard Bassett, and Real Housewives of Salt Lake City alum Monica Garcia.
Vanderpump Rules is currently streaming on Peacock.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF TOM BEING CROWNED BRAVO’S NUMBER ONE VILLAIN? DO YOU THINK VPR WILL EVER RETURN?
