Foreshadowing? Raquel Leviss’ romances are a case study of reality TV imitating life. Raquel chose to pursue Tom Schwartz on camera while hooking up with Tom Sandoval behind closed doors. But her sly mannerisms hold true with both Vanderpump Rules men.
So all the observations about Raquel’s behavior from Lala Kent, Ariana Madix, and Katie Maloney ring eerily true. Just not with the Tom we were expecting.
In the latest Pump Rules episode, Raquel was giddy and squealing about her kiss with Schwartz to all of Mexico. Meanwhile, his ex-wife Katie has been publicly humiliated. The other VPR ladies were rallying to Katie’s defense. Except for the bride, Scheana Shay.
Us Weekly reported on what was said during the explosive episode. As Ariana kindly put it, “I am starting to think that Raquel might actually have feelings for Schwartz because it feels like she’s living in some sort of rom-com. I think she’s the only one in it.”
Meanwhile, Lala was on the warpath. It turns out she gets triggered by Raquel. The former beauty pageant contestant reminds her of the girls that ex-fiancé Randall Emmett liked to romance. So, while the mother of one is defending her friend, it’s really about Lala.
“What I care about is how you affected my friend. I think it is gross and dirty and disgusting. I think you need to go find yourself elsewhere,” Lala said to Raquel during the episode.
She continued, “I think your self-worth comes from the approval of a man which is very sad to me. I think you have a mental breakdown coming. You are going to need some love and support. You appreciate people who bob their head and tell you it is all good,” Lala added.
But the “creepy uncle” kiss with Schwartz is old news. We are six weeks into the biggest upset in the show’s history with the revelation that Raquel was hooking up with Sandoval. And all the intuition the girls had about Raquel in the summer of 2022 really sounds different when watching the episodes now.
Raquel was riding high at the time these episodes were filmed. But now, she is at least giving the appearance of humility and regret.
In a statement of apology to Ariana on March 8, Raquel wrote, “I want to apologize for my actions and my choices foremost to Ariana, and to my friends and the fans so invested in our relationships. There is no excuse, I am not a victim and I must own my actions and I deeply regret hurting Ariana.”
Then, Raquel gave an update on her relationship with Sandoval. “Besides the indefensible circumstances surrounding our relationship, my feelings for Tom have always been sincere and born out of a loving friendship,” she wrote via Instagram. “I care for Tom and I don’t want to label anything or predict what lies ahead. Right now I need to heal.”
Meanwhile, Sandoval’s priority was damage control. Although his lack of contrition is sabotaging the whole exercise. He appeared on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast last week. And gave his side of the story, including how the affair started.
“The feelings were something very, very strong,” Sandoval explained. “Those feelings that I had started to take over in a sense. Logic went out the window. Because I wasn’t experiencing that [with Ariana] — I hadn’t experienced that [before].”
He went on to claim he made a clean break with Ariana in the weeks before Scandoval broke the internet. “Like many relationships, it felt like it became more of like a best friends, family [thing] — sometimes roommates,” Sandoval said. “There were a lot of ways where the relationship was just lacking the intimacy, the connection. We would travel more by ourselves than we would together. I would go to weddings by myself.”
The Schwartz & Sandy’s co-owner also claimed to be taking a break from sexy times with Raquel. He stated, “We’re really good friends. We are not putting any label on it.”
Meanwhile, the prophetic 10th season of Vanderpump Rules continues to get more intriguing.
TELL US- WHAT DO YOU THINK OF ARIANA’S COMMENTS DURING THE CONFESSIONAL? WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO LALA CONFRONTING RAQUEL? WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT SANDOVAL’S INTERVIEW?
[Photo Credit: Charles Sykes/Bravo]