Vanderpump Rules may only be through one of its three (3!) reunion episodes, but Andy Cohen hopes the backlash one of its stars, Tom Sandoval, is facing will die soon.
For months now, Tom has been at the center of a controversy for engaging in an affair with fellow cast member Raquel Leviss while in a nearly decade-long relationship with another cast member, Ariana Madix. News of the affair — the Scandoval, as it’s being called — first broke in March and has played out on screen in the currently airing season of Vanderpump Rules.
The majority of the cast (including former cast members like Kristen Doute) have made the media rounds to discuss the Scandoval and Vanderpump Rules. Andy, who hosts the show’s reunion episodes, has also not shied away from addressing the controversy, routinely discussing it with guests on his late-night Bravo show, Watch What Happens Live.
Ariana even gave her first major interview amid Scandoval to Andy on May 17 on Watch What Happens Live.
However, now several months into the Scandoval, it seems Andy’s tone about the media hurrah that’s turned into a ratings boom for Bravo is starting to change.
While promoting his latest memoir, Daddy Diaries, Andy appeared on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast hosted by Amanda Hirsch, and he was honest about what he thinks of the state of Scandoval.
Specifically, Andy thinks the backlash Tom is facing has gone too far.
“Tom Sandoval made a mistake that he’ll probably regret for the rest of his life. He is still a person,” he said. To which, Amanda responded, “It’s gotten out of control.”
Andy agreed, saying “It’s out of control. I hope it’s kind of dying down, for his sake.”
“Look, he’s a real person. He did something really stupid and hurtful and asinine and just every word. He didn’t kill anyone. He did not commit a crime,” he later added.
“There still is a level of outrage against these two people that’s so intense that, you know, one starts to worry about their mental health. You want to make sure they’re okay,” he said.
For his part, Tom has remained in the spotlight amid the hoopla, touring with his band and giving an interview to Howie Mandel.
If the Scandoval is to die down, it won’t be for another few weeks. Vanderpump Rules will air its two remaining reunion episodes on Wednesday, May 31, and Wednesday, June 7. Andy’s talk show airs right after the series, so he isn’t likely to quell the flames anytime soon either. Stream both shows on Peacock now.
