“How did this go from a one-night stand to a full relationship between the two of you?” Now, Andy, THAT’S the burning question and we all need the answer. Will the truth come out on part one of theVanderpump Rules reunion? Tonight, it’s everyone vs. Sandoval. But first, we kick things off a day before the reunion when Andy sits down for one-on-one interviews with those involved in the notorious Scandoval.
Andy is holding this pre-reunion interview for three reasons: to give Sandoval a chance to come clean, to have Ariana share her experience, and for Raquel to explain how this all happened. During this filming, Sandoval still lived in the house he shared with Ariana. Ariana explains that it took Raquel 48 hours to text an apology to her, but the damage had already been done.
In the texts, Ariana tells Raquel, “You are DEAD TO ME.”
Raquel responds to Ariana: “Ariana, I don’t know what to say right now besides I really f–ked up and I am so so so sorry.”
Ariana fires back at Raquel: “Shut the f–k up you f–king RAT.”
Raquel Leviss’ text message to Ariana Madix was shared on the Vanderpump Rules reunion. Credit: @QueensofBravo
Sandoval claims he first slept with Raquel the very next See You Next Tuesday after the infamous guys’ night. Ariana was suspicious of NOTHING, and it is heartbreaking to see the season flashback showing Ariana defending that “worm with a mustache.”
Sandoval goes on to say he “took a break” from Raquel after the first time (in August), but then they became close again. Andy asks if it got Sandoval off to see his girlfriend and his mistress standing next to each other, but Sandoval denies that vehemently. Andy ponders what could have driven Sandoval to cheat on his girlfriend of nine years, and Sandoval states he felt like Ariana’s “gay bff” and that it was not fair they were not sharing cracks in their relationship in front of the cameras. No doubt Sandoval is scared and nervous to face this group at the reunion…
On the day of the reunion, Andy asks Schwartz, “Were you silent or were you silenced?” To that, Schwartz whispers, “The answer is both.” Ariana’s face when Sandoval enters the stage and hearing her utter, “Well, he looks like sh*t,” is just the start of the end for Sandoval. Andy reminds us that Raquel is not legally allowed to be in the same room as Scheana due to the restraining order she filed against Scheana. Raquel is sitting in a nearby trailer, watching live footage until Scheana is 100 yards away.
James essentially says that he’s the number one guy in the group by default, and Andy kicks it off by giving Sandoval the opportunity to apologize to Ariana and/or the cast. Sandoval begins his fake emotional rant, but James cuts him off by yelling, “Pull yourself together, man.” Thank you, James, for calling Sandoval out for his crocodile tears — that magically stopped after James made fun of him.
Sandoval tells Ariana, “I love you and I apologize.” Gross. Ariana claims that Sandoval is victim-blaming, and she doesn’t believe a word that he says. Lala calls Sandoval Randall and a narcissist. When LVP jumps in, she calls it a dangerous claim, but Lala refuses to back down.
Ariana makes it clear that Sandoval caused the “divide in the relationship” by sleeping with other people and that he made these choices. Sandoval goes off talking about their connection dissipating — aka, making Ariana feel like it’s HER fault HE had an affair.
Schwartz sensed issues brewing with Sandoval and Ariana’s relationship, and Scheana lets it be known that according to Ariana, they were in a good place, and that was in JANUARY. In fact, they were even intimate with each other. This appears to be news to Raquel in her trailer listening in to the reunion. The shock on her face — chef’s kiss.
Andy wants to know why Sandoval didn’t tell Ariana about the affair, but instead, he gets interrupted by a salty James. James is disgusted that he used to refer to Sandoval as “big bro,” and they begin going at it because James still very clearly loves Raquel and feels backstabbed by Sandoval. Now this appears to be something Raquel in the trailer is enjoying — two men, seemingly fighting over *her*. Sigh, how romantic.
Andy has to hold James back from decking Sandoval, and then he laments that he dropped his cards in the midst of the chaos. James calls Sandoval a “back-stabbing ho,” and Andy must demand that James “stay in your f*cking chair.”
Lala reminds Sandoval that Ariana was his life partner and that he should stop “pulling out the history books” to try and defend his behavior. Andy, for the THIRD time, asks Sandoval why he never came clean with Ariana. Sandoval states he was afraid to and didn’t want to add more to her plate as she had a lot going on at the time.
Schwartz lets us know that Sandoval broke it down for him in late August, to which Sandoval looks confused and aghast, almost, dare I say, mad at Schwartz? Lala hits Sandoval with, “Ohhh did you guys not put your timelines together to match?” Touché. Ariana laughs because Sandoval was not given the chance to coach Schwartz. Schwartz goes on to mention that throughout the fall, Sandoval and Raquel spent an “inappropriate amount of time together.” But how weird was it for Sandoval to encourage Schwartz to hook up with Raquel after they cheated?! And how can Raquel sit there with that stupid grin on her face like she won a competition?
Ariana talks about how she forgave Sandoval for sleeping with Miami Girl eight years ago because their relationship wasn’t that serious at that point (??), but this proves that Sandoval hasn’t changed at all.
Andy addressed the “seismic breakups” that occurred prior to Scandoval. Katie talks first about Schwartz and the choice she “didn’t want to make.” Katie shares how hard it was navigating the newly divorced life, but her only stipulation was that he not hook up with anyone in the group. And we all know Schwartz messed that up the minute he made out with Raquel. Schwartz calls it “rich” of Katie to say that because she was sleeping with other people while they were still living together. Seems like Schwartz took some notes from Sandoval and is playing the blame game.
When Schwartz says the kiss with Raquel was liberating, Raquel smirks while the rest of the cast gags. Bravo to Andy (pun intended) for calling everyone cheaters and reminding them that no one in this group has clean hands… except for Katie. He wonders how this is not hypocritical, but Lala reminds him that no one was sleeping with their best friend’s man.
Katie’s “terms” don’t seem to jive with Schwartz, and Andy questions Schwartz’s relationship with Jo, Kristen Doute’s ex-best friend. Katie calls Jo a “creep,” and Schwartz threatens to hit her with a cease and desist (appears as though he is getting legal advice from Raquel these days, huh?). Schwartz denies going on double dates with Raquel and Sandoval. To that, the group boos the Toms because we ALL know that the four of them went snowboarding together — there is photographic evidence!!
The whole Schwartz and Sandy’s segment should have been scrapped. The only good part about it was Andy making them look like fools for thinking they knew how to run a business. And to watch Schwartz lament over the #teamariana fans. Ariana explains that she will have a hard time confiding in LVP if she continues backing the Toms, but she clarifies by saying that she will always love and support LVP (cuz she knows where her bread is buttered and not to p*ss LVP off).
Something About Her — the goal is to be open by the end of May (so, like, now). The girls have felt the support through an early merch push, and Ariana lets Andy know she has something to REPLACE the infamous TomTom hoodie from BravoCon.
Scheana finally speaks — 50 minutes into the reunion. Scheana explains that her friendship with Lala has grown. Schwartz does a nice job deflecting the heat off of him and interjecting that Katie told him she didn’t feel like Lala was giving her the same amount of loyalty as she gives Lala.
Lala reminds Katie of all the times she was there for her, but Scheana now realizes in retrospect that she should have never pushed Raquel into making out with Schwartz. She admits that she let what Raquel told her be the “bible,” and when Scheana mentions bullying, Lala goes off. Sandoval jumps in and tells Lala that she has bullied in the past, and Lala claims she knew Raquel was a snake the minute she met her. To that, Sandoval retorts, “Takes one to know one I guess.”
As tensions rise, Lala tells LVP she’s gotta stop defending the Toms, and LVP becomes appalled. James storms off the set and Raquel rolls her eyes in the trailer. She’s safe in there… for now. But that eye-rolling better stop before she makes her way to the stage and gets eaten alive.
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