Remember Vanderpump Rules? If this were an ordinary year (where did those go?) we would be watching our once favorite SURvers right now as they made fun of Scheana Marie, fought over petty BS, and got sloppy drunk. Alas, the reckoning of 2020 put a stop to all that. Production for Season 9 is still halted due to COVID and Bravo fired OGs Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute for racist actions against Faith Stowers. Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright also got the ax “parted” with Pump Rules in 2020.
So, who’s left? Lala Kent, Scheana, Tom Schwartz, Katie Maloney, Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix, James Kennedy and newbie Charli Burnett. That sounds like enough for a show to me. But it seems like Bravo is slowly backtracking on last year’s exodus. First, Andy Cohen publicly mourned the changes. Now, it’s Lisa Vanderpump’s turn to plant the seeds for redemption.
As reported by US Weekly, Lisa recently spoke to Dear Media’s The Skinny Confidential Him & Her podcast about Stassi and Kristen getting the boot. Lisa started by saying, “it wasn’t right what they did at all.” Then continued, “but do I think they’re racist a thousand percent? No.… I have a lot of diverse people working for me that they [were] very close to over the years.” Ok, using the “I know people of color so I can’t be racist” angle.
“Do I think it was a racist action?” Lisa asked. “No, not at all. I just think it was just awful timing and stupid and ignorant.” Interesting that she notes timing. If the incident wasn’t brought up in the midst of 2020’s Civil Rights surge, should they have not been reprimanded?
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Still, Lisa says, “you can’t be cavalier just because you’re young and unaware… Of course, I do think sometimes people should be punished … and actions do have consequences, but I think people can grow from their mistakes.” True. But then she uses James as an example.
“[James] was a complete nightmare and then you see suddenly he comes out of that, like, a butterfly coming out of a cocoon where he’s suddenly — he’s not exactly a butterfly — but he’s definitely, you see him making progress and I think [to] see progress in youngsters is a wonder.”
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I don’t totally disagree with LVP’s commentary. What I find interesting is that she’s openly defending their actions right after Andy expressed regret. This is Bravo planting seeds to begin the redemption tour of Stassi and Kristen. Give them one or two seasons away from Pump Rules – if it survives – and then we’ll see them both back on screen. That seems to align with Bravo’s M.O.
TELL US- WHAT DO YOU THINK OF LISA’S COMMENTS? WAS FIRING STASSI AND KRISTEN TOO HARSH? WILL THEY BE BACK ON PUMP RULES? WILL YOU EVEN WATCH PUMP ANYMORE?
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