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Tom Schwartz believes Lala Kent has detracted from the authenticity of Vanderpump Rules.
After Lala, 33, called out Ariana Madix, 38, for failing to be a team player by refusing a conversation with Tom Sandoval, 41, on the finale episode of season 11, Schwartz, 40, appeared on Jax Taylor, 44, and Brittany Cartwright‘s podcast, where he opened up about Lala, the filming pause, being blocked by Ariana, and the reunion.
“When you do reality TV, there’s this unspoken rule that you have to bring it, man, you have to be radically honest. But the first rule is, you don’t talk about what you have to do to make a good reality show,” Schwartz explained on the May 17 episode of When Reality Hits With Jax and Brittany.
“We have an understanding that we go in there, we remove our sensors, we have uncomfortable conversations that we would probably prefer to put off, probably forever, but ultimately, they are organic conversations that need to be had; they’re healthy conversations just we do it in a condensed timeline,” he continued. “I think the lines got blurred a little bit because the fourth wall was broken a lot in our finale.”
Looking back at the episode, Schwartz recalled Lala saying, “Show up, do your job,” noting that he took issue with the statement.
“There’s no doubt about it, unequivocally, Lala f*cking does her job. But when I think about it like a job, it detracts away from the reality a bit. These are my friends. I love these people. I’ve grown up with these people,” he shared. “When you say it explicitly, when you start talking about, ‘Doing your job, show up, do the work’ … These aren’t storylines on a fictional TV show. This is my life. And I feel like it detracts from the authenticity.”
While Schwartz admitted that Lala’s points were “valid,” he felt Ariana “earned” the right to deny Sandoval a moment.
Following the reunion taping, the Pump Rules cast has been enjoying some time off after the series was put on pause. Of the filming delay, which many have worried signals the end of the series, Schwartz said he suspects he and his cast are just getting started.
“I think we needed to let the show breathe. I think we need a reset, and maybe I’m delusional, but I feel like we’re just getting started on a new era. I could be sorely mistaken. [But] I still think [Pump Rules] has a lot of life left in it,” he declared. “There’s a lot of good things happening. There’s always gonna be drama with our group of friends. Something About Her’s opening. We’re in the midst of a renaissance at Schwartz & Sandy’s … We’ll see.”
While some of the cast members’ relationships became fractured amid season 11, Schwartz said he’s still in touch with everyone, except for Ariana.
“I’m still blocked. Ariana, it’s time to unblock me,” he stated.
Also on the podcast, after Brittany, 35, asked him which of his co-stars brought it the most to the reunion, Schwartz named two.
“Lala … Everybody brought it …. If I had to pick one person, I would say Lala and Ariana,” he replied.
The Vanderpump Rules season 11 reunion continues with part two tonight, May 21, at 8/7c on Bravo.