At times, Tom Schwartz stands by his conviction. The normally amiable and non-confrontational Vanderpump Rules star only ever spoke out to suggest his ex-wife consider someone else’s point of view. He even stayed soft on his bestie, Tom Sandoval, in light of his affair with Raquel Leviss.
But Tom can now say for sure that the kiss with Raquel wasn’t worth the fallout. This despite saying he had no regrets in a previous interview. Namely, breaking Katie Maloney’s request that he not date within the friend group. It was a pact they made after their split in March 2022. Seven months later, the divorce was finalized in October.
People reported that Schwartz made the revelation while appearing on a recent episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. “In hindsight, I don’t think it was [worth it],” Schwartz explained to Andy Cohen while in the clubhouse. “I never wanted to hurt Katie. The fallout I got, the blowback I got from that kiss, my God!”
Some VPR fans suggested Raquel pursued Schwartz as a cover-up for her affair with Sandoval. The Schwartz & Sandy’s co-owner denied that it was anything but genuine. “I just feel like there was so much of a buildup. The chemistry was building,” Schwartz said of Raquel. “… It wasn’t planned, it wasn’t a decoy kiss. It was a real kiss.”
Raquel echoed a similar sentiment. Last month, she told TMZ, “I genuinely had an interest in Tom Schwartz and there’s a genuine curiosity there, so it wasn’t a cover-up.”
The pair hooked up on the most recent episode of Vanderpump Rules. Bravo filmed the kiss in August 2022. Raquel set up a candlelit table on the opposite side of the pool from where Scheana Shay was hosting her entire wedding guest list.
Raquel laid the foundation prior to Scheana’s destination wedding by asking Schwartz if she could kiss him at a cast event. As Schwartz approached the setup, he asked, “This is a romantic table. Raquel, what is this? Are you seducing me?”
“Why, do you feel seduced?” Raquel said, with a twinkle in her eye. Schwartz answered, “A little bit actually.” With the cheers of Scheana’s guests in the background, the pair looked to be getting cozy. Schwartz noted how much the bride pushed him to kiss Raquel.
“I’m so annoyed by what people have done to try and coerce us into making out. I kinda just want to do it now,” Schwartz said. A delighted Raquel answered, “Schwartz! When did you come to this realization?”
“Raquel, you’re f—ing gorgeous. You’re beautiful,” Schwartz added. “It was never even a thing. Katie made it a thing and now you’re forbidden fruit.” The former beauty pageant contestant agreed, “She made it more of a thing than anything, and now I just can’t stop thinking about it.”
While filming the confessional for the episode, Raquel again made it clear that her interest in Schwartz was genuine. “There’s a lot of things that attracted me to Schwartz. He is so sweet, kind. Love his sense of humor. My attraction for Schwartz definitely outweighs my desire to be friends with Katie,” she said.
That was the buildup to the kiss. In the next scene, Schwartz and Raquel lean over the table for the infamous smooch. Scheana’s guests cheered the duo. While at the WWHL clubhouse, Schwartz shared when he learned about Sandoval’s affair with Raquel.
“I learned in August, in late August about the affair, the one-night stand — allegedly,” he revealed. “There was a lot of grey area there.” Schwartz spoke to the nature of the affair. He opined, “From my point of view, it became, like, an emotional affair — which is still inappropriate.”
The Schwartz & Sandy’s co-owner had to walk back this statement. He was previously quoted saying he did not find out about the affair until early in 2023. “In January, Tom came to me … and he told me that he was in love with Raquel. I was flabbergasted,” Schwartz clarified.
Andy also asked Tom if he would have kissed Raquel if the cameras weren’t rolling. The duo was at a Sandoval & The Most Extras gig when she propositioned Schwartz for a kiss. Schwartz answered, “Yes.”
TELL US- WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT TOM REGRETTING THE KISS? WHEN DO YOU THINK HE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE AFFAIR? WAS RAQUEL USING SCHWARTZ AS A COVER-UP?
[Photo Credit: Nicole Weingart/Bravo]