Raquel Leviss‘ three-part interview on Bethenny Frankel‘s podcast has gotten the attention of many, including the network on which she once starred: Bravo.
In a series of statements, the network has reacted to Raquel’s suggestion that Kristen Doute, 40, was given a spinoff to silence her claims about James Kennedy, 31, and that Tom Sandoval, 40, was offered a producer credit after potentially fabricating “Scandoval” to save Vanderpump Rules — all while Bethenny reacted with a statement about “damage control.”
As Bravo refuted the claims Raquel, 28, made on her podcast, Just B With Bethenny, Bethenny, 52, took to her Instagram Story, where she shared a message from one of her followers, who shaded the network for speaking out and encouraged Bethenny to do more interviews with their reality stars.
“BRAVO is at WORK with damage control. [Bethenny Frankel] you should interview more reality show exploits and let them all tell their story. Stay strong and Thank you for not letting social media, the network, or anyone stop you from using your platform for good,” the person wrote.
And in a response of her own, Bethenny agreed, saying, “Yup.”
As Pump Rules fans may have heard, Raquel told Bethenny she felt that Sandoval may have created “Scandoval” to avoid the series being canceled.
In part two of her interview, Raquel said that while Sandoval wasn’t a producer on season 10, he told her he was offered the role for season 11.
“He’s not technically a producer, he’s been on the series from day one, season one. I don’t know if I’m even able to disclose this information, but he did tell me that for negotiations for season 11, he was offered a producer credit for season 11,” Leviss answered. “I think he was being rewarded for the Scandoval of it all, and to me, that’s just kinda gross because it seems, it makes me skeptical. Was this really just something that was fabricated for this end result?”
She then gave a nod to a statement made by her executive producer, Alex Baskin, who reportedly said “the show was going to be canceled after season 10 and if it wasn’t for ‘Scandoval.'”
But according to Bravo, Sandoval was never offered a behind-the-scenes position.
“Tom Sandoval was never offered a producer credit on Season 11 and had absolutely no creative control over editing during any season of Vanderpump Rules,” a Bravo spokesperson told Entertainment Tonight on August 17.
The network also released a statement to Us Weekly in regard to Raquel’s claims regarding Kristen being “silenced” with a spinoff.
“Kristen was just starting to talk about her tumultuous relationship with James [Kennedy] and what happened behind closed doors. Then all of a sudden she’s presented with this spinoff,” Raquel said. “I believe [it] is a way to silence her — to keep that under wraps — so that the longevity of Vanderpump Rules can continue.”
“I’ve seen him be a violent person so I have no doubt that what she’s saying is true. I hope that one day it will come to light and there will be justice,” Raquel continued. “It is interesting because the cast members that were fired and canceled at that time, now have this big comeback because this scandal is so salacious that we are the ultimate villains — Tom [Sandoval] and I — and now they have a platform to redeem themselves.”
But in their statement, a Bravo spokesperson insisted, “Kristen Doute was one of the people approached for an upcoming spinoff because she is part of the friend group that is featured on a new show.”
Vanderpump Rules season 11 is expected to begin airing on Bravo sometime later this year or early next year.