March 16, 2023 • 51 mins
Devin is joined by an esteemed Vanderpump Rules expert, comedian/writer HALLIE HAGLUND to discuss the affair that shook the nation - Tom Sandoval’s Affair with Raquel (Rachel) Leviss behind Ariana Madix’s back… aka #SCANDOVAL!!! When did it start? How did they hide it? What are the financial implications? Is Scheana cool enough to punch Raquel and is Raquel, in fact, a robot? These questions and more are discussed!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:15):
Hello, and welcome to True Romance. This is Devin Learry.
Carolina Barlow is again not with us. She's kind of
a deadbeat co host at this point, and I'm gonna
deal with that trauma in therapy. But luckily we have
a necessary expert guest. This week. We have writer, comedian
(00:37):
and Vanderpump Rules officionado Hallie Haglin with us. Welcome Hollie,
thank you, thank you. Listen. We have been in a
Vanderpump Rules group chat for many years and I have
never I have never been so emotionally dependent on a
(01:02):
group chat in my life as I have on that
chat in the past. Has been a week. It feels
like it's been a lifetime, but I guess it's only
been a week a week today, you know, since the
news broke. Yeah, I mean, Arianna has been dealing with
this for more than a week. But you know, no,
it's just a lot. I mean. I was also thinking
about how today is the three year anniversary of the
(01:26):
COVID shutdown, so it's just like our bodies, our bodies
are feeling things that we don't that we're not even
conscious of. Yeah, and it's also International Women's Day. I'm
midst all this. Oh my god, but what is happening?
Our world is falling apart. I was dying at I
(01:47):
think Kristin Downey posted a picture of her and Arianna
and Shena and all the girls hashtag International Women's Day,
and it was just, you know, we know, we don't
get to choose our heroes sometimes, just like we don't
get to choose our villains, and it's tough. I was
(02:07):
that was what was making me think of. In our chat,
we were discussing, like what I'm fantasizing some producer of
vander Pumptas is just like make a huge montage of
like everyone who's that photo talking shit on Arianna, just
like Lalla being like we're not even friends anymore, like
Doty shitting on her. Yeah, you know, people calling her Boreanna,
(02:32):
and you know, juxtaposing that with everybody saying Ti Mariana,
of course, I'm Ti Mariana. I'm just saying, of course,
there's a lot of a lot of fair weather friends
right now. Well, it's also interesting because of the amount
of people in the group that have also had affairs
with married or otherwise betrothed people. Nobody's perfect that being said,
(02:57):
I would want nothing less from my Vanderpump stars. Then
for them to all pretend that they're perfect in this
moment and pretend that they are on the moral high ground.
They love to like galvanize against one person, and I
think that's like healing for us right now. Although I understand,
(03:17):
I guess in Raquel's statement she said she's received threats,
and of course, of course we don't condone that, but
I've I've gone through a lot of emotional gymnastics in
the past week trying to like find a way into
sympathizing with Rachael. Yes, like you just yeah, other people
(03:41):
have done it, but like that doesn't make it better, Okay.
And this whole idea of like she's young or she
was vulnerable, like she's twenty nine years old, Okay, Like
you don't get to say that anymore when you're twenty nine.
She's a grown woman, Okay, Yeah, it kind of It
kind of reminds me of like the Clare Dan's apology.
I mean, that's an adult. And even even if it wasn't,
(04:04):
like I don't know, I was talking recently about that
Claren Danes thing, like Mary Louise Parker wrote an essay
about the experience of being I think she was like
seven or eight months pregnant when Billy crutt Up left
her for Clara Danes, who was like twenty four or
twenty five. And I guess Clara Danes's experience was that
she was young and got like wrapped up by this
(04:25):
charisbatic person. Okay, that doesn't mean it wasn't completely devastating
to a seven or eight months pregnant woman. So I
cannot even fathom that. Okay, when I was thinking about
this the other day, I like googled things people have
accomplished at twenty eight, and it was like Alexander Graham
(04:49):
Bell invented the telephone when he was twenty eight, Like,
you could invent the fucking telephone. You don't get to
be like, sorry, I'm too immature to realize that I
can't have with my best friend's boyfriend. And let's be real,
sleeping in their guest house. Let's be real too. Most
of our parents, I think most people's parents of my
(05:10):
generation had multiple kids. By this time. There was that
shell thirty something that was supposed to be about like
these are old people like you know, and well, Okay, so,
let let's date the basic facts. For anyone who doesn't
know about this, I think that's incredible. You must have
been on a silent yoga retreat somewhere in a coma,
(05:34):
or sloke up at battle, even at battle. I feel
like someone even talking about this, I Duday was happening
right now in Normandy. They would be like, wait, do
you think Sheina punched Raquel or do you think that
that's a lie? I think that they, like Ukraine and Russia,
like had a cease fire last Friday. You know, I'm like,
(05:56):
if there was a roar, if there was a war
happening right now, if there was strife in the world
right now, which there's not. The only strife is Brave
is in West Hollywood, of all places. Okay, So, on Friday,
March third, one week ago today, TMZ broken article that
would really alter all of our lives. And that article
(06:17):
was that Tom Sandoval and Ariana Maddox have officially broken
up because of allegations that he cheated on her with
co star and friend Raquel Levis. And this was amidst
a storyline on the current season of Vanderpump Rules where
Katie and Tom Schwartz are Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz
(06:38):
are recently divorced, but there's still, of course feelings, and
she's kind of upset because Shena is trying to set
up Raquel with Tom Schwartz, who is single. But it
still violates girl code because it's like, Okay, why don't
like they don't want to hook up with people within
the friend group whatever, And so that's happening. Also marriage,
you know, it's not like married it they were married,
(06:59):
they were were like family. I think Katie said that
she did. Yes, It's like, yeah, they're so deeply like
intertwine and they all work together and it's just whatever.
And there's so many men in the world. Why the Toms?
Why are there only two Toms in Raquel's line of sight?
(07:20):
So amidst the short storyline, we hear that, in fact,
the other Tom, Tom Sandoval, cheated on Ariana, his domestic
partner of many years. They own a house together. There's
some sort of crazy financial situation going on there that
I didn't Lisa was like, I can't believe Marianna doesn't
understand her financial situation with the house. I was like,
I don't even understand how to do my taxes, and
(07:43):
so I don't know how I would understand that. It's
something about he like leveraged the house against his restaurant
or something, so like if the restaurant fails, then I
don't know, you don't have me. I should know all
this stuff about homeownership. I don't know. Shit. It's so
dark because I mean, for seasons, Tom Schwartz and Tom
(08:05):
Sandoval were talking about owning a bar restaurant, and it
was kind of like these clowns, they think they can
do that, and then they did, but the details are
exactly what you would expect them to be. It's like
Tom Sandoval borrowed hundreds of thousands of dollars of money
from his family to open this restaurant, and now he's
also throwing money in the toilet by paying singers and
(08:27):
band members to do covers of eighties songs for his
new project, which is Tom Sandoval and the Most Extras,
Like how and why? But Tom Sandoval and the Most
Extras is very key to this story because apparently Raquel
(08:47):
was going to every single show of Tom Sandoval and
the Most Extras. Ariana only went to a couple, but
at one of the shows that Ariana went to. She
found in Tom's phone of video of Tom having FaceTime
sex with Raquel, and that's how this all came to light,
and she said apparently sent the video or it was
alleged that she sent the video to Shena, who was
(09:09):
currently with Raquel Levis at Watch what Happens Live. Then
Raquel alleges that Sina punched her in the face and
said she would do it again because she can't believe
that Raquel violated the trust of Shena's quote unquote best
friend Arianna. But now Shena says that's not true, and
it's believe it's true. I want to believe it's true.
(09:31):
I mean, I think whatever happened, and we've said this
on the text thread, like this is the best Gina
has ever come up looking, because she does seem like
an actual, real friend, and when you think about it,
she's always like kept her friend almost always kept her
friendship with Arianna, like out of the drama of y
(09:51):
there was the one time, remember when she was like
texting with Arianna's mom way back and was like, Arianna
has totally changed now that she she's dating Santoval, Santival like, uh,
you know, like is a really bad influence on her.
But in retrospect, Arianna is like sitting pretty on that one.
She was she was right. But I'll to say it
(10:13):
makes China seemed like a genuinely loyal friend. Yeah, because
like we don't know exactly what happened, but it seems
very clear that she like at least got super pissed
off of Rachel. I agree. I also think it's like
very do you think there's this murkiness about like did
Arianna send Raquel the video? I think that that's like
(10:35):
not Arianna's style. I kind of think she wouldn't. I
don't know. I feel like the way some people reported it,
it was like she called up Raquel and was like
crying and asked it, asking her to like explain it
to her, and like that that tracks more seems more
Arianna than like sending her the video. She I definitely
(10:58):
don't think she sent it to a buy to other
people on the show for Cal's concerned about. I think
that if I were in that position of being at
my boyfriend's eighties cover band concert blank and the most extras,
and I see the video of him FaceTime sexing with
one of my friends. I know I would send that
(11:19):
video out and I would enact revenge in that moment.
But I'm I'm currently doing a therapy workbook that tells
me I have an aggressive personality type as opposed to
a passive personality type, and I feel like Arianna has
more the passive personality type, So I don't think she
would act the way I would. Like, I can see
myself engaging in damage and harm that will alter many
(11:43):
people's lives for the for serial future in that moment,
but I don't know that Arianna would. And like, I'm
also I have so many questions about why it happened
at the show, Like was their building suspicion? And then
they were in the green room. I'm picturing them like
in the green room and he there's building suspicion, building suspicion.
Why is Raquel at the show again? She comes to
(12:04):
every show? What's with the lightning bolt necklace? Where'd you
get that? When did you go to Clare's? And then
he goes to the bathroom and she checks his phone
and sees that I don't know. Okay, So apparently Kristen
Doughty has like made I think she said, like on
a podcast or something, she's made a statement about this
(12:26):
because apparently take this with a grain assault because you know,
Kristen Kristen was at the show also, okay, and that
Arianna said, you know, they do have a trusting relationship.
But like Arianna just like had a sense that she
had to check the phone that like he had left
it in the green room or something and then someone
(12:47):
else gave it to her, like, oh, Tom lost his phone,
and she just like felt in her soul that she
needed to look at it. I do know that feeling.
I've never found what I was actually looking for neither,
but I definitely have found things that were nothing that
I could somehow escalate into like having a huge fight
with someone. Yeah, but uh, never have found one of
(13:10):
my close friends masturbating with my partner. It's yet yet.
It's listen. There's a world of possibility out there, and
it can happen anyone, especially when you see I mean,
it's one of those things that it's like when em Rada,
when Emily Radikowski got cheated on, it was like, oh,
(13:32):
it can happen to her, It can happen anyone. It's
like Arianna of all the of I think she's of course,
she's succumbed a little bit to like the filler classic
surgery addiction that they all have, but she's still is
to me, like the most naturally beautiful one who like
hasn't really given into that. And she just seems like
cool and normal, and I feel like people who've met
(13:55):
her have like confirmed that. Like I know, Danny Pellegrino's
like a bra A fan podcaster and he like wrote
a book with her, and he's been staunchly like Tea Mariana.
She's cool, She's normal. Um, I know she like quote
takes improv comedy very seriously and that was cringe and
she she did do some cringe stuff in the beginning.
I feel like she was she was sort of like
(14:17):
bewitched by Tom's doushiness in the beginning. But I like
her and I think I think she's been like finding
her way, you know, like they all they all have,
but like, I don't know, I feel like they're a
couple of seasons ago. I remember it was on a
reunion where she was like it was very funny, but
(14:39):
she said something to the effect of like, yeah, I
hate myself. I'm a fucking idiot. I'm on reality television,
and there is something about the acceptance of, like, I know,
how stupid this all is. That that, and then always
after that, it seemed like she just she doesn't create
false drama, but it seems like she's way more are
(15:00):
self aware than everybody else is. I agree. Yeah, she's
like the Bethny Frankel of vander Pump if Bethnie Frankel
smoked weed every day and had actually no entrepreneurial drive.
(15:24):
The video, the backstage of it all, the sheena of
it all again Shena. I mean, I've been going back
and watching old seasons. It's very difficult to like Shena.
I just watched The Girl's Trip for Stacy's Birthday, where
Shena the whole time was like, oh, sorry, like I'm
on a diet, Like I can't drink. I'm on a diet. Sorry,
I don't really want to go skinny dipping because like
it's cold, like, and it was just like, wait, you're
(15:46):
so lame. And she also that season has like I
think that's when she's married to Shay and she like
wants him to be sober, but also complains to him
about how it's annoying for her that her husband has
to be sober. It's like, why can't you just like
have a have like a couple drinks like the rest
of us. It's like, yeah, he's like an alcoholic and
a drugadic. She's also throwing. At one point, she throws
(16:08):
a surprise party for him, and he's like trying to
get sober from a pill addiction, which is like very serious.
Obviously we've all seen those what was that show on
Hulu Intervention? Oh well, we've all seen Intervention, but we've
also seen like that Michael Keaton opioids show. Now it's like, okay,
that was actually Shay was a victim of the opioid epidemic.
And meanwhile, Sheena threw him a surprise birthday party where
(16:32):
there was a frozen Marguerite a baby pool with straws
like sticking out of it. So that was kind of
the vibe. But I do find her most likable in
my fantasy where she beats the shit out of Raquel
as soon as she sees the video, like sees the video,
doesn't even take a second to like ask Raquel about it.
Just those creed three the second she sees it. Yeah,
(16:54):
especially because you know, we don't always watch watch What
Happens Live after the episode, but that particular last week,
we just happened to be more like, you know what,
let's we got Raquel, we got Sheina, let's just see
where that goes. So we saw it in real time
and sort of like watching the camaraderie and like how
(17:15):
close Shea and Raquel seemed. It was just really heartwarming
to know that, like once Sheina found out, she made
such a quick turn, like in a matter of hours,
because it doesn't seem fake. It seems like just loyal.
Like even this person who I'm you know, willing to
sit next to and who's like a new friend, but
(17:36):
a close friend, like doesn't go far enough. Yes, well
that's what I love about this too. Will you bring
up to watch what Happens Live? And I've always loved
being a part of the Bravo community because I've never
been a part of any like well, of course I've
been a part of communities, but I just mean, like,
I've never been like a sports fan, or like a
fan of like Star Wars or like something where there's
(17:57):
a fandom until Bravo and the way the fandom has
erupted and the way that this has become. It's the
only thing I can compare it to is like a
true crime case where people are posting on Reddit, like
every every eleven minutes there's a new post that's like
did anyone watch this episode of Watch What Happens Live?
Where so and so was on? And this comment was made.
Like people are going back. People are like making theories.
(18:20):
There's there's conspiracy theories brewing. People are like reading legal documents,
including myself. It's really something else. Well, yeah, a couple
of days ago, when we were on our text thread,
I was saying how like I was starting to feel
like a scandal all truther. I was like like, could
(18:41):
this really have happened? Yeah? But then one of our
chat members and something, and I was like, oh, yeah,
it really happened. That's why it needs to be a group,
because you got to you gotta pull each other out
of the trance. Sometimes it's easy to be charmed by
these studio city spray to and you know, charismatic former
(19:02):
waiters and waitresses. It's easy to get wrapped up and
convince of things, and it's really hard. I mean the
mind games that go on within a season of Vanderpump Rules.
There's so much lying in, there's so much emotion, there's
so much crying, and it's because I know it's because
of the amount of alcohol, but it's it's true chaos
and it's hard to keep your grip on reality. Wow.
(19:25):
It's also very funny, I think, because I feel like
there's been all of these like all these clips dug
up about like so and so always new because like
here's so and so saying that Tom's an asshole? Are
here's so and so saying that Raquel is this? And
it's like, isn't like ninety percent of this show like
one cast member shitting on another cast member, Like inevitably
(19:47):
the forces would have like aligned that they would have
been shit talking, you know. It's just like not, it's
a pretty easy find to find one of them saying
shitty things about like one of the other members, because
like that's the whole engine of the show. So I
don't think that that yeah, yeah, that's what I kind
of loved too about this whole like the coming together.
(20:09):
So basically in the wake of this news, it's like
in the Last of Us when you know, they find
like a new building to go into, and then it's
like completely calm and silent, and you just know that,
like a mushroom zombie is about to awaken clot itself
out of whatever crevice it's been growing into. That's what's
(20:30):
been happening with the whole cast, which, by the way,
the whole cast that's been like canceled, like they've all
had some sort of scandal that they were fired from
the show, and they're all being pulled back, and they're
all so excited, like they're all doing Patreon specials, like
making money off this, like I'll give my podcast early
if you pay, And I thought about paying for Shena's
(20:51):
Shenanigans casts Shenanigan's. The only reason I didn't buy Shena's
is because recently I paid for a patriot On episode
of a podcast that my ex boyfriend was interviewed on
and now I can't figure out how to cancel it.
So every week I get this like dumb comedians podcast
and I'm like, I don't know how to stop paying
for this horrible thing. I do though, on the topic
(21:13):
of celebrities, I do love thinking about Tom Sandoval, knowing
that Rihanna hates him is really it's a nice feeling.
So what was I saying? Oh? Yeah, so they've they've
all resurfaced, They've all got their special podcast. Kristen interviewed
si Cup for Okay, So I did not understand that.
I was like, I thought sie Cup was interviewing her
(21:35):
because I never listened to it. I just saw her
teasing it, and I was like, what is what is
going on? The clip that I saw was like or
the one I listened to on TikTok was Kristen telling
sie Cup that last night, which was probably two nights ago,
because they all had to delay the editing of the
(21:55):
podcast because Raquel Levis's lawyers reached out to them and
they had they all did a thing where they were like, um,
I've had to edit my podcast, so it's coming out
a few hours late today. But basically it was her
telling see Cup of all people, that she was at
Ariana's house the night before and they were all like rallying,
listening to music. I'm sure like drinking so much Rose
(22:19):
and then to banderpump Rose. Tom Sandoval came home. Everyone
freaked out, and Kristen describes herself as sort of the
hero of the situation. She said that she was like, well,
for me personally, like, I'm I'm so numb to Tom Sandoval.
I've spent years arguing with this guy. I don't it
(22:39):
just doesn't bother me anymore. So I've sort of volunte
she said, I volunteered myself as tribute to go speak
to him. And She's like, but of course I had
to bring a friend because I knew that, you know,
he would twist the story and say. I'm like, oh,
you have no negative feelings towards him, but you had
to bring a friend in case he twists the story
about you. I mean, I I respect her in that,
(23:02):
you know. Yeah, it was smart thinking to do that.
I wouldn't think to do that, so I guess. She said.
She went to speak to him and he said that
legally he was allowed to be there because they both
owned the house. And then I didn't listen further. But
it sounds drama, and I hope I hope there was filming.
I feel like if there was a moment of Kristen
(23:22):
like volunteering herself to go talk to Tom Sandoval, that
had to have been filmed. Yeah, So fingers were okay.
That's why. That's why I had the brief like Truther stint,
because it was when they were talking about all of
this stuff that the cast members allowed to be filmed.
So I started doubting right after I heard that Arianna
(23:43):
had given the okay to film with her and Sandoval
just days after this happened to like discuss their breakup,
because you know, Arianna had already shut down her Instagram.
It just bot very like not her. And then the
fact that they also filmed apparently see end of All's
first time seeing Raquel afterward. But then I think the
(24:06):
thing that got sent out was about how he thought
he looked so bad in the Raquel interaction that he
wanted to reshoot it. And then I was like, okay,
okays for real, that checks out? Well. Yeah, and Stasse's
podcast Straight Up with Stas that came out this week.
I don't know how that podcast works. Like you said,
it's confusing, and I only listened to clips on TikTok.
(24:27):
But someone was on the podcast questioning her and said,
people are saying this might be fake, it might be manufactured,
and Stas said, the best thing about Vanderpump Rules is
that it's not manufactured at all. It's so real. That's
why the last few seasons have been like boring, because
everyone's lives had become boring and everyone just lives in
houses in Studio City and like nothing's been going on.
(24:50):
But when stuff goes down, stuff goes down. And I
do remember that there was like a retrospective on Vanderpump
Rules that Bravo put out for some like anniversary of
it or something, and they were talking about how in
season one, when Jack's cheated on Stasi and got the
girl pregnant in Vegas. One of the producers was saying
that they got this intel from whatever Andy Cohen I
(25:13):
guess or whoever. Was like, okay, so it turns out
Jack's just told Stas that he had sex with a
girl in Vegas and got her pregnant. And then Stas
reached out to the producers and said, come film at
my apartment right now, and they were like, wait what,
And do you remember that scene where she's like getting wasted,
like drinking champagne and like packing up the whole like
all his stuff in their apartment. I guess the producers
(25:33):
went there because she invited them and they were like,
I can't believe she's letting us film this. And similarly,
I just was rewatching the faith then Brittany and Jack's thing,
and it is kind of shocking, Like Brittany is sobbing
talking to her mom saying like he cheated on me.
She's throwing picture frames, the dog is scared, and they're
(25:54):
just they're just filming that, and I feel like it's
so second nature to them, like they're just like, yeah,
the cameras are here. I mean, it's sad that that
chaos is such a part of their lives, but yeah,
but that was also Stassi made a good and very
convincing point in that podcast, which was like Tom Sandoval
(26:14):
would never agree to like a plot line that made
him right right, Yeah, and it's true, you know. And
he does say that his business is being affected by
which this is a question I've been dying to ask.
So Tom Sandoval put out a statement. Raquel also put
out a statement. Raquel's was more like, I'm going into
therapy for codependency and insecurity and please, I know I'm
(26:40):
not a victim. I'm going I have a problem in
that I enjoy being loved, was her. Yeah, she was
like I have male I love male attention. I don't
know why. I'm like, wasn't even male attention. It was
just like, I like the feeling of being loved. I'm
gonna have to work on that. Oh my god. So
(27:02):
she put out that and it was like, please stop
the death threats, like I'm really working on myself and
I'm sorry. And then Sandovals was like, didn't even mention Ariana,
but basically was like a sob story about how his businesses,
Tom Sandoval and the most Extras and his restaurants, which
are Tom Tom and Schwartz and Sandy's, are going to
be affected by this. And I wanted to ask you,
(27:24):
so I personally, when I lived in La I went
to Tom Tom, I saw Tom Schwartz, I went to Sir,
I went to Pump, I went to Villablanca, and I
was planning on going to Schwartz and Sandy's the first
chance I got. But I wanted to ask you, what
would you now as protest? Would you boycott Shorts and
Sandy's and not go if given the opportunity, or would
(27:45):
you go? Okay? I would go definitely, Okay, okay, But
I do have thoughts on this I too have made
the rounds. Yeah, and I would still go because like
especially now now it's all specially now. Yeah, but I
will say I was, like, I think it is incredibly
(28:08):
unfair and hypocritical to use your fame to to exploit
your fame to like create these businesses or to like
you know, use your fame as like a bargaining chip
to like draw in customers. But then the second that
like you look bad and have become infamous, be like, well,
(28:32):
it's not about me, like a lot of other people
work here, and like, so you can't have it both ways,
Like I do understand that other people work there, but
like it's not his place, Like the only reason why
people come there is because of Tom Sports and Tom sandibalts,
So like can't you can't have it both ways. That's
how I feel. I completely agree, And when I thought
(28:54):
about it, I thought, yeah, I would, I would go
to shorts standis And yeah, I wouldn't go to Tom
Sandoval on the most extras and chant Arianna and chant
Ariana for sure exactly, But yeah, I agree, It's like
this is their business. And and again I can't blame
Lala for putting out send it to Darryl Puddies. Within
(29:17):
moments of this video, she put out where I guess
Raquel I don't really understand the Darryl thing. Is that
Lala's lawyer's name. Yeah, I think so. So she was
saying like Raquel needs to send her cease and desists
to Darryl. M. I don't know. I hate the legal
side of it because I'm like, if this affects, as
we discussed in the group chat, if this affects the reunion,
(29:39):
I'm gonna be pissed off. Yeah, I don't. I think
they'll find a way around it. You know, they always
seem to mean all of them solvers. Yeah, I feel
like though we've spent a lot of time talking about
sand of all, and we've spent almost no time talking
about Raquel, then she's the more interesting party. You're right, yeah,
(30:02):
because that's the big surprise. Like Tom, it's sort of
fabulous to watch him fall after he's been such a
self righteous, you know, like get on a pedestal kind
of character to everyone else about like being real and stuff.
But it's not actually surprising because he's like always yes.
(30:23):
But Raquel, it's it's not just her innocence it's like
her stupidity that makes it mind blowing that they could
have pulled this all off for so long and it
gone unnoticed to like a whole crew filming them constantly,
which makes me believe they must have turned a blind
(30:45):
eye if she wasn't supposedly she was at every single
one of his shows, Like if that's I mean, maybe
the producers didn't want to go to any of his
shows or only wanted to go to as few as
possible because they didn't want to go to his shows,
which I get, but it seems like, you know what
once you know, it's so obvious. It's so obvious, and
(31:08):
it's it's interesting because this was and I think if
if people were to review our group chat, they would
see that. To quote Tyra Banks, we were all rooting
for Raquel. We really felt this was kind of presented
to viewers as Raquel's comeback season after the relationship with James,
And I think the relationship with James did make her
(31:31):
seem like a victim a lot of the time because
he's so drunk and British and awful and like vulgar,
and she was always kind of the Bambi eid as
Lala would say, bitch who didn't seem to know any
better than to be with this like raging lunatic and yeah,
(31:51):
and she seemed so stupid and so naive. But then
there are these fleeting moments. For example, one of the
most recent episodes, there was a moment in her testimonial
where she was taking shots over and over again, and like,
I totally get if that was like a scene at
the bar or at the most extras show. Totally like
there she's taking multiple shots, okay, but sitting in alone
(32:13):
in a confessional and think of that word, even confessional. Okay,
she's facing truth, she's facing having to give her perspective
on a season that's full of lies for her, and
she's having to take these repeated shots to even just
get through it, which I think was a big risk.
I mean, what if she got so drunk that she
said the wrong thing. But there's just a darkness. And
(32:34):
Lala says because there was a story that that like
they're going back and re editing the episodes, but Laala
has said that they haven't re edited the episodes. It's
just that we have a new perspective now. Really, because
because the last episode felt like, yeah, you just feel sick.
It does feel like but this is what I don't
get too. It's like, even even without all this like news,
(32:58):
I don't understand Katie's feeling being Oh, well, it's not
Raquel's fault that she's flirting with Shorts because she's so
stupid it it must be Shena who's making her do it.
Like I don't get that reaction. I mean I get
that reaction as of the beginning of this season, because
(33:21):
Raquel has seemed exceedingly stupid, yes, through every appearance she's
ever made on this show, and so like I was,
I was talking to my husband and I was like
one of the I feel like one of my coping
mechanisms or like one of the places that I go.
(33:41):
You're talking about how you're like a very confrontational person
and you would like blow it all down or burn
it all down, Like I like have fights in my
head with people, and I was having this fight in
my head with Raquel. I don't know why, but some
moment within the last week and I imagining her being
(34:01):
at the reunion and being like everybody thinks just because
I'm like pretty, I'm dumb, and it's like, no, everybody
on this show is really pretty Raquel, You're just and
you're the only one they say this about. She has
seemed to be so dumb. But yeah, thinking on the
watch What Happens Live, that was the night when everything
(34:23):
went down, but I watched before everything had gone down,
I was like, Raquel is so much more self possessed
and confident, and while spoken like she does not seem
like the woman who last season couldn't even give up
bucking toast, Like, yeah, like she has been a completely
different person over this season. So I feel like even
(34:45):
when she said ugly things this season, it's unclear if
she's saying them because like, oh, she's like actually evil,
or if she's just so dumb she doesn't realize they're evil.
Like this clip they keep teasing about when she's like
when Laala is like you drinking, I would not bring
you around my man, and she's like, all, good thing,
you don't have a man to bring around. Well, this
(35:10):
is this is where I think, if you're willing to share,
one of the most interesting theories I've heard about the
whole situation came from you in our group chat, and
it's sort of on this topic Yeah, so I think
that Roquell is the chat GPT that Vanderpump deserves. Like,
(35:30):
I feel like she is not sentient. She has been
built by consuming reams and reams of data of past
Vanderpump scandals, and now she's just like spitting back what
she's learned yea code, Like she's not so like you
(35:52):
can't really blame her for her actions because she's like
a robot. You know, she's she's just doing what she
was hot to do based on the history of Vanderpump.
But you can sort of understand why she's becoming even
more malevolent than the rest of them, because you know,
like all AI, they eventually surpassed the blot human creatures
(36:17):
that made them. It's West Hollywood world, And I could
this theory blew my mind because it's so true. It's like,
for example, that clip where she's like, well, good thing
you don't have him in It's like she heard the
data of you flirt with other people's boyfriends. So if
I had a boyfriend, I wouldn't want him around you.
(36:38):
And a human being would get defensive and either well
I guess and evolved human being would take that in
and try to evaluate it and then someone more like
me would like immediately get defensive and argue. And Raquel
took in the data and it was like a button
one off that was like verifiable, verifiable, And then she
(36:58):
was like, yeah, that's true. Thing, you don't have a man,
because if he was around me, I would flirt with him. Yeah,
she was like, uh, run this scenario. I am dangerous. However,
Laala does not have a partner. It's also interesting too
because a lot of her a lot of her stuff
on the show was stuff that like, you're right, it's
(37:19):
like regurgitated previous storylines, like she got two nose jobs
just like Jack's did, and she left James and like
went through this dramatic breakup just like Lala did. But
then even it's like when Laala tries to talk to
her about a breakup, like Raquel doesn't know someone was
asking about Someone was asking me recently about that theory.
(37:42):
There's like a theory that like if there are aliens,
we've probably already met them or something, because it's like
the likelihood would be that we've met them and they're
among us or whatever. And someone asked, have you ever
met someone who seems like an alien and I think, yes,
I mean no, I have him met her, but I've
assumed her. And that's Raquel Like it's like, what's happening here? Like,
(38:04):
And that's why it seems weird in the show, because
normally there is conflict over the smallest of comments, and
the smallest of comments are said to Raquel, and instead
of like creating conflict, she just sort of is like, yes,
that's the case, and then like proceeds anyway. Like the
whole thing with Lala and Oliver on this recent episode
(38:26):
is like Laala was and she's like, I feel awkward
about hooking up with Oliver because you seem to like
him too, and Laala's like, yeah, I do, and then
she like goes and hooks up with him anyway. It's
just so blatant. No, Yeah, that's why she seems so inhuman,
because it's like, if you heard anything out loud and
you were a human being, if you heard what you
were saying, you would make the opposite decision. Yes, I
(38:48):
feel like I feel like, did you see that movie her? Yeah? Okay,
so so remember how at first you know the computer
system is like or the operating system is like having
this relationship with Joaquin Phoenix, and then it turns out
that like she's become so sophisticated that she has to
have like twenty million relationships at the same time, and
(39:11):
she's like speaking you know, like different languages and is
so highly evolved. Like that's what I feel like happened
with Raquel. Her like learning curve is so steep. There's
no way that she's human because she went from just
being this person that was so dumb that it do
you remember that reunion where like all she could say
(39:31):
was like I'm too young and too pretty to deal
with this. Yes, like okay, like somebody taught her that line.
All she could do is just repeat it to now
this season hiding an affair for you know, they keep
saying that the reason why the Coachella rumor about her
and Schwartz got started was because somebody said Tom and
(39:55):
Raquel were making out of Coachella. So it goes back
as far as Coachella because it was actually about Schwartz.
So like how that's like almost a year, right it is,
And that the sophistication of that too when you think
about it, that that was a diversion because something I
read about that said that, like Tom Sandoval and Raquel
asked Shorts to be like their fall guy because they
(40:19):
were like, you can easily get out of it because
you have like proof that you weren't even there at
the Coachella thing. So they asked him to be the
fall guy for that rumor so that they could cover
up the affair. It's like, what that is? So how
are these people capable of this? And I know that
a man who can't come up with a better band
(40:39):
name than Tom Sandoval in the most extras, or a
better restaurant's name than Schwartz and Sandy's and Tom Tom, Like,
I don't think he's capable of that. I think I
think she must have taken over and I think, like
you said, it's like, yeah, she went from like having
basically no storyline to having the most complicated, intense, comprehend
(41:00):
Like this is the craziest intercast storyline that's ever happened
on any Bravo show that I've seen, because I know
there's stuff where it's like, oh, like this, you know,
real housewives in Miami, like Lisa's husband had an affair,
but the intercasteness of this has never happened before. Yeah.
I mean I'm not a Bravo completist, so I can't
(41:24):
speak to that. But I mean this has clearly had
a seismic effect all over the world. Like nobody can
believe this, Nobody can wrap their heads around this, and
like I don't want to say that. I think Raquel
is the ringleader. Like I definitely think she and Tom.
I think Tom had like his share of like stupid
(41:45):
input all rights. But if Sandoval was the puppet master,
this would not have like lasted as long as it did.
You know, he could not pull off that alone. I
think it would have been more like the Jack's Faith scandal,
where eventually it's like Jack's lies for one and a
half episodes and then eventually he's just like, Okay, yeah,
(42:07):
I cheated on you with faith, and then it's like
he just couldn't do it anymore. I think it would
be something like that. But okay, So what are your
predictions for the remainder of the season, thoughts on the reunion?
(42:33):
How do you think that this will ripple across the
vander Pump landscape. Well, I think they're in a tough position.
I think that if Roquel is smart, which she's presented
two sides. I don't know which to believe. That she's
going to lean heavily into this aspect of like being
(42:56):
violated by having this video circulated, because whether or not
it was circulated, it seems like she's at least going
all in and that it was taken without her consent,
which is like I get how like that is the
only really human part of this is like if I
were in her situation and this had happened, and there
(43:18):
was a video of me like masturbating and it was
everyone in America knew about it, and like we're just
like jones ing to get it out there, I would
be so humiliated and so paranoid about it getting out there.
So I understand why she's like taking all this legal action.
But so I see her leaning very heavily into like
(43:40):
the even though she said she's not a victim, like
the I got punched, I got I got a revenge porned, Yeah,
and like distancing herself from Sandoval, which apparently she already is.
Apparently she's like ghosting Sandoval as he's trying to get
in touch with her. I feel like Sandoval is so
(44:06):
you know, how we all have this belief that we're
like a good person even when we're not a good person. Yes,
I feel like watching how that manifests in Sandoval is
such a lesson in how much self awareness we all lack,
because I think he's going to go into it and
(44:29):
sort of be confident that he can explain his way
out of it, which is why he's done all agreed
to all this filming so far, and he's just going
to look like an asshole. But as far as the
rest of them, I don't know, Like nobody else has
to defend themselves clearly, but I don't know. It definitely
(44:50):
has grossed me out a little bit how much I
want our Ariana to feel a lot of support. But
it also does feel like when someone you know dies
and then everyone is like, oh, like we were actually
really close and like I'm really yes, yes, yes, yeah.
It totally feels like that, and it kind of it
(45:11):
is a little bit sad when you think about if
you were in a situation like this and your closest
friends to support you included Kristen Dowdy and Shana like
Sina like I that is hard and I wish that
Ariana had maybe kept up the improv comedy and could
have or just any hobby and just could have like
(45:32):
more normal friends who came over. I don't know, maybe
she did or maybe she didn't, But I was wondering
watching going back and watching old episodes. I wonder if
they would, like a strategic move might be because I
agree that Standaval is like these cult leaders who like
film and record everything, and it's like, wait, why would
you ever think that you should have footage of yourself
(45:53):
playing volleyball at four in the morning, kissing everyone on
the lips? Like and why would why would? All of
these people will be drawn into it, like he's equally yeah,
confounding figure as Keith Raniery. You're just like, why do
people like you? But then Keith Raniery like agrees to
talk to the documentarians or whatever because he thinks he'll
(46:16):
be able to state his case. I think that's how
Santival will be. I agree, and I wonder if he'll
go back and watch old episodes because there is like
a timeline of their relationship depicted in these episodes, and
there's a lot of I think he's gonna fall back
on this very stereotypical gaslighty thing because there's so much
of him in old seasons complaining that Arianna won't have
(46:37):
sex with him, and there's like her talking about how
she hates her vagina and she doesn't like sex. Yeah,
and like and unfortunately her vagina is really gross. Yeah,
it's disgusting. So he was totally right to do what
he did. Yeah, I think he's I think he's gonna
say something like Arianna and I hadn't connected in a
long time and she was really depressed, and I whatever,
(47:03):
especially if Raquel is rejecting him now, because it sounds
like there was a moment where there might have been
a thing of like, I'm just in love, Like the
affair was okay because I'm actually in love with Raquel,
But if she rejects him and he's on his own,
I think he's going to try to pull the like.
But how does he explain the screen recording? I mean,
that's really the harder to justify offense. Yeah, I'm sure
(47:27):
he would say he was just like holding onto it
for himself. But the thing about him and Riquel trying
to pull the like we're in love. You know. So
many people have brought up the Leasa Vanderpump quote from
last season about like the way you got him is
how you'll lose him. Yes, And it just seems like,
(47:49):
you know, how can we turn a blind eye to
Tom's pattern? And if if Riquel is to do the same,
then then she truly is stupid and Tom must think
we're truly stupid because, like you know, clearly he you
know it was less involved, but he kissed Arianna before
he broke up with Dodi, and he like refused to
(48:12):
break up with her, but like kept making the excuse
that like their relationship was already over and so it
was okay for him to move on to Arianna. And
if he's now just doing the same thing to Arianna,
it's like who can be on board with that? You know,
during the reunion, if that's like the tactic that he
tries to pull, which it seems like it'll be impossible
(48:33):
for him to pull if Raquel's not backing it up.
I cannot fucking wait to see how it all unfolds.
I just feel like I can't go back to my
normal life. I can't talk to people who don't watch
thunder Pump until then. Like it's just it's it's like
all of our lives are blowing up and we just
(48:55):
need to hold on until the funeral. No, okay, final thoughts,
any any prayers? You know. I just I feel like
you're you're catching me on sort of like an upswing
of this. You know, I hadn't I hadn't felt like
myself for days after this, after this happened, I was
(49:16):
like wandering around. I was like listening to like a
lot of Elliott Smith. I was just feeling really sad
and lost. And now with a week's perspective, I'm I'm
able to like have a little more fun with it.
But you know, I think there's still a lot more
to come, Like there's still going to be a lot
(49:38):
more breaking even before the reunion, and so you know,
I just I just hope we all come out alive
on the other side of it. I really like that perspective.
It reminds me of because I've just gone through a breakup.
Like people are like, how are you doing today, And
I'll say something like I'm good right now because I know,
(49:58):
I mean that could change and Instagram posts can change everything.
That's how we have to approach this. It's like, yes,
we're good right now, Yeah, come Wednesday night. I don't know,
I don't know. Yeah, every time. Yeah, watching, watching this
past week's episode was just yeah, it was hard not
(50:20):
to explode. So I hope everyone holds their group chats
close right now, Um and Hallie, I can't thank you
enough for your time and your your thoughts. Oh, thank
you for having me and you know, peace be with
you all out there, Peace be with you all. Thank
you for listening and tune in next week. Se It's
(51:00):
so romantic. Love me, baby, don't leave me hanging. I
want truths.
Hello, and welcome to True Romance. This is Devin Learry.
Carolina Barlow is again not with us. She's kind of
a deadbeat co host at this point, and I'm gonna
deal with that trauma in therapy. But luckily we have
a necessary expert guest. This week. We have writer, comedian
(00:37):
and Vanderpump Rules officionado Hallie Haglin with us. Welcome Hollie,
thank you, thank you. Listen. We have been in a
Vanderpump Rules group chat for many years and I have
never I have never been so emotionally dependent on a
(01:02):
group chat in my life as I have on that
chat in the past. Has been a week. It feels
like it's been a lifetime, but I guess it's only
been a week a week today, you know, since the
news broke. Yeah, I mean, Arianna has been dealing with
this for more than a week. But you know, no,
it's just a lot. I mean. I was also thinking
about how today is the three year anniversary of the
(01:26):
COVID shutdown, so it's just like our bodies, our bodies
are feeling things that we don't that we're not even
conscious of. Yeah, and it's also International Women's Day. I'm
midst all this. Oh my god, but what is happening?
Our world is falling apart. I was dying at I
(01:47):
think Kristin Downey posted a picture of her and Arianna
and Shena and all the girls hashtag International Women's Day,
and it was just, you know, we know, we don't
get to choose our heroes sometimes, just like we don't
get to choose our villains, and it's tough. I was
(02:07):
that was what was making me think of. In our chat,
we were discussing, like what I'm fantasizing some producer of
vander Pumptas is just like make a huge montage of
like everyone who's that photo talking shit on Arianna, just
like Lalla being like we're not even friends anymore, like
Doty shitting on her. Yeah, you know, people calling her Boreanna,
(02:32):
and you know, juxtaposing that with everybody saying Ti Mariana,
of course, I'm Ti Mariana. I'm just saying, of course,
there's a lot of a lot of fair weather friends
right now. Well, it's also interesting because of the amount
of people in the group that have also had affairs
with married or otherwise betrothed people. Nobody's perfect that being said,
(02:57):
I would want nothing less from my Vanderpump stars. Then
for them to all pretend that they're perfect in this
moment and pretend that they are on the moral high ground.
They love to like galvanize against one person, and I
think that's like healing for us right now. Although I understand,
(03:17):
I guess in Raquel's statement she said she's received threats,
and of course, of course we don't condone that, but
I've I've gone through a lot of emotional gymnastics in
the past week trying to like find a way into
sympathizing with Rachael. Yes, like you just yeah, other people
(03:41):
have done it, but like that doesn't make it better, Okay.
And this whole idea of like she's young or she
was vulnerable, like she's twenty nine years old, Okay, Like
you don't get to say that anymore when you're twenty nine.
She's a grown woman, Okay, Yeah, it kind of It
kind of reminds me of like the Clare Dan's apology.
I mean, that's an adult. And even even if it wasn't,
(04:04):
like I don't know, I was talking recently about that
Claren Danes thing, like Mary Louise Parker wrote an essay
about the experience of being I think she was like
seven or eight months pregnant when Billy crutt Up left
her for Clara Danes, who was like twenty four or
twenty five. And I guess Clara Danes's experience was that
she was young and got like wrapped up by this
(04:25):
charisbatic person. Okay, that doesn't mean it wasn't completely devastating
to a seven or eight months pregnant woman. So I
cannot even fathom that. Okay, when I was thinking about
this the other day, I like googled things people have
accomplished at twenty eight, and it was like Alexander Graham
(04:49):
Bell invented the telephone when he was twenty eight, Like,
you could invent the fucking telephone. You don't get to
be like, sorry, I'm too immature to realize that I
can't have with my best friend's boyfriend. And let's be real,
sleeping in their guest house. Let's be real too. Most
of our parents, I think most people's parents of my
(05:10):
generation had multiple kids. By this time. There was that
shell thirty something that was supposed to be about like
these are old people like you know, and well, Okay, so,
let let's date the basic facts. For anyone who doesn't
know about this, I think that's incredible. You must have
been on a silent yoga retreat somewhere in a coma,
(05:34):
or sloke up at battle, even at battle. I feel
like someone even talking about this, I Duday was happening
right now in Normandy. They would be like, wait, do
you think Sheina punched Raquel or do you think that
that's a lie? I think that they, like Ukraine and Russia,
like had a cease fire last Friday. You know, I'm like,
(05:56):
if there was a roar, if there was a war
happening right now, if there was strife in the world
right now, which there's not. The only strife is Brave
is in West Hollywood, of all places. Okay, So, on Friday,
March third, one week ago today, TMZ broken article that
would really alter all of our lives. And that article
(06:17):
was that Tom Sandoval and Ariana Maddox have officially broken
up because of allegations that he cheated on her with
co star and friend Raquel Levis. And this was amidst
a storyline on the current season of Vanderpump Rules where
Katie and Tom Schwartz are Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz
(06:38):
are recently divorced, but there's still, of course feelings, and
she's kind of upset because Shena is trying to set
up Raquel with Tom Schwartz, who is single. But it
still violates girl code because it's like, Okay, why don't
like they don't want to hook up with people within
the friend group whatever, And so that's happening. Also marriage,
you know, it's not like married it they were married,
(06:59):
they were were like family. I think Katie said that
she did. Yes, It's like, yeah, they're so deeply like
intertwine and they all work together and it's just whatever.
And there's so many men in the world. Why the Toms?
Why are there only two Toms in Raquel's line of sight?
(07:20):
So amidst the short storyline, we hear that, in fact,
the other Tom, Tom Sandoval, cheated on Ariana, his domestic
partner of many years. They own a house together. There's
some sort of crazy financial situation going on there that
I didn't Lisa was like, I can't believe Marianna doesn't
understand her financial situation with the house. I was like,
I don't even understand how to do my taxes, and
(07:43):
so I don't know how I would understand that. It's
something about he like leveraged the house against his restaurant
or something, so like if the restaurant fails, then I
don't know, you don't have me. I should know all
this stuff about homeownership. I don't know. Shit. It's so
dark because I mean, for seasons, Tom Schwartz and Tom
(08:05):
Sandoval were talking about owning a bar restaurant, and it
was kind of like these clowns, they think they can
do that, and then they did, but the details are
exactly what you would expect them to be. It's like
Tom Sandoval borrowed hundreds of thousands of dollars of money
from his family to open this restaurant, and now he's
also throwing money in the toilet by paying singers and
(08:27):
band members to do covers of eighties songs for his
new project, which is Tom Sandoval and the Most Extras,
Like how and why? But Tom Sandoval and the Most
Extras is very key to this story because apparently Raquel
(08:47):
was going to every single show of Tom Sandoval and
the Most Extras. Ariana only went to a couple, but
at one of the shows that Ariana went to. She
found in Tom's phone of video of Tom having FaceTime
sex with Raquel, and that's how this all came to light,
and she said apparently sent the video or it was
alleged that she sent the video to Shena, who was
(09:09):
currently with Raquel Levis at Watch what Happens Live. Then
Raquel alleges that Sina punched her in the face and
said she would do it again because she can't believe
that Raquel violated the trust of Shena's quote unquote best
friend Arianna. But now Shena says that's not true, and
it's believe it's true. I want to believe it's true.
(09:31):
I mean, I think whatever happened, and we've said this
on the text thread, like this is the best Gina
has ever come up looking, because she does seem like
an actual, real friend, and when you think about it,
she's always like kept her friend almost always kept her
friendship with Arianna, like out of the drama of y
(09:51):
there was the one time, remember when she was like
texting with Arianna's mom way back and was like, Arianna
has totally changed now that she she's dating Santoval, Santival like, uh,
you know, like is a really bad influence on her.
But in retrospect, Arianna is like sitting pretty on that one.
She was she was right. But I'll to say it
(10:13):
makes China seemed like a genuinely loyal friend. Yeah, because
like we don't know exactly what happened, but it seems
very clear that she like at least got super pissed
off of Rachel. I agree. I also think it's like
very do you think there's this murkiness about like did
Arianna send Raquel the video? I think that that's like
(10:35):
not Arianna's style. I kind of think she wouldn't. I
don't know. I feel like the way some people reported it,
it was like she called up Raquel and was like
crying and asked it, asking her to like explain it
to her, and like that that tracks more seems more
Arianna than like sending her the video. She I definitely
(10:58):
don't think she sent it to a buy to other
people on the show for Cal's concerned about. I think
that if I were in that position of being at
my boyfriend's eighties cover band concert blank and the most extras,
and I see the video of him FaceTime sexing with
one of my friends. I know I would send that
(11:19):
video out and I would enact revenge in that moment.
But I'm I'm currently doing a therapy workbook that tells
me I have an aggressive personality type as opposed to
a passive personality type, and I feel like Arianna has
more the passive personality type, So I don't think she
would act the way I would. Like, I can see
myself engaging in damage and harm that will alter many
(11:43):
people's lives for the for serial future in that moment,
but I don't know that Arianna would. And like, I'm
also I have so many questions about why it happened
at the show, Like was their building suspicion? And then
they were in the green room. I'm picturing them like
in the green room and he there's building suspicion, building suspicion.
Why is Raquel at the show again? She comes to
(12:04):
every show? What's with the lightning bolt necklace? Where'd you
get that? When did you go to Clare's? And then
he goes to the bathroom and she checks his phone
and sees that I don't know. Okay, So apparently Kristen
Doughty has like made I think she said, like on
a podcast or something, she's made a statement about this
(12:26):
because apparently take this with a grain assault because you know,
Kristen Kristen was at the show also, okay, and that
Arianna said, you know, they do have a trusting relationship.
But like Arianna just like had a sense that she
had to check the phone that like he had left
it in the green room or something and then someone
(12:47):
else gave it to her, like, oh, Tom lost his phone,
and she just like felt in her soul that she
needed to look at it. I do know that feeling.
I've never found what I was actually looking for neither,
but I definitely have found things that were nothing that
I could somehow escalate into like having a huge fight
with someone. Yeah, but uh, never have found one of
(13:10):
my close friends masturbating with my partner. It's yet yet.
It's listen. There's a world of possibility out there, and
it can happen anyone, especially when you see I mean,
it's one of those things that it's like when em Rada,
when Emily Radikowski got cheated on, it was like, oh,
(13:32):
it can happen to her, It can happen anyone. It's
like Arianna of all the of I think she's of course,
she's succumbed a little bit to like the filler classic
surgery addiction that they all have, but she's still is
to me, like the most naturally beautiful one who like
hasn't really given into that. And she just seems like
cool and normal, and I feel like people who've met
(13:55):
her have like confirmed that. Like I know, Danny Pellegrino's
like a bra A fan podcaster and he like wrote
a book with her, and he's been staunchly like Tea Mariana.
She's cool, She's normal. Um, I know she like quote
takes improv comedy very seriously and that was cringe and
she she did do some cringe stuff in the beginning.
I feel like she was she was sort of like
(14:17):
bewitched by Tom's doushiness in the beginning. But I like
her and I think I think she's been like finding
her way, you know, like they all they all have,
but like, I don't know, I feel like they're a
couple of seasons ago. I remember it was on a
reunion where she was like it was very funny, but
(14:39):
she said something to the effect of like, yeah, I
hate myself. I'm a fucking idiot. I'm on reality television,
and there is something about the acceptance of, like, I know,
how stupid this all is. That that, and then always
after that, it seemed like she just she doesn't create
false drama, but it seems like she's way more are
(15:00):
self aware than everybody else is. I agree. Yeah, she's
like the Bethny Frankel of vander Pump if Bethnie Frankel
smoked weed every day and had actually no entrepreneurial drive.
(15:24):
The video, the backstage of it all, the sheena of
it all again Shena. I mean, I've been going back
and watching old seasons. It's very difficult to like Shena.
I just watched The Girl's Trip for Stacy's Birthday, where
Shena the whole time was like, oh, sorry, like I'm
on a diet, Like I can't drink. I'm on a diet. Sorry,
I don't really want to go skinny dipping because like
it's cold, like, and it was just like, wait, you're
(15:46):
so lame. And she also that season has like I
think that's when she's married to Shay and she like
wants him to be sober, but also complains to him
about how it's annoying for her that her husband has
to be sober. It's like, why can't you just like
have a have like a couple drinks like the rest
of us. It's like, yeah, he's like an alcoholic and
a drugadic. She's also throwing. At one point, she throws
(16:08):
a surprise party for him, and he's like trying to
get sober from a pill addiction, which is like very serious.
Obviously we've all seen those what was that show on
Hulu Intervention? Oh well, we've all seen Intervention, but we've
also seen like that Michael Keaton opioids show. Now it's like, okay,
that was actually Shay was a victim of the opioid epidemic.
And meanwhile, Sheena threw him a surprise birthday party where
(16:32):
there was a frozen Marguerite a baby pool with straws
like sticking out of it. So that was kind of
the vibe. But I do find her most likable in
my fantasy where she beats the shit out of Raquel
as soon as she sees the video, like sees the video,
doesn't even take a second to like ask Raquel about it.
Just those creed three the second she sees it. Yeah,
(16:54):
especially because you know, we don't always watch watch What
Happens Live after the episode, but that particular last week,
we just happened to be more like, you know what,
let's we got Raquel, we got Sheina, let's just see
where that goes. So we saw it in real time
and sort of like watching the camaraderie and like how
(17:15):
close Shea and Raquel seemed. It was just really heartwarming
to know that, like once Sheina found out, she made
such a quick turn, like in a matter of hours,
because it doesn't seem fake. It seems like just loyal.
Like even this person who I'm you know, willing to
sit next to and who's like a new friend, but
(17:36):
a close friend, like doesn't go far enough. Yes, well
that's what I love about this too. Will you bring
up to watch what Happens Live? And I've always loved
being a part of the Bravo community because I've never
been a part of any like well, of course I've
been a part of communities, but I just mean, like,
I've never been like a sports fan, or like a
fan of like Star Wars or like something where there's
(17:57):
a fandom until Bravo and the way the fandom has
erupted and the way that this has become. It's the
only thing I can compare it to is like a
true crime case where people are posting on Reddit, like
every every eleven minutes there's a new post that's like
did anyone watch this episode of Watch What Happens Live?
Where so and so was on? And this comment was made.
Like people are going back. People are like making theories.
(18:20):
There's there's conspiracy theories brewing. People are like reading legal documents,
including myself. It's really something else. Well, yeah, a couple
of days ago, when we were on our text thread,
I was saying how like I was starting to feel
like a scandal all truther. I was like like, could
(18:41):
this really have happened? Yeah? But then one of our
chat members and something, and I was like, oh, yeah,
it really happened. That's why it needs to be a group,
because you got to you gotta pull each other out
of the trance. Sometimes it's easy to be charmed by
these studio city spray to and you know, charismatic former
(19:02):
waiters and waitresses. It's easy to get wrapped up and
convince of things, and it's really hard. I mean the
mind games that go on within a season of Vanderpump Rules.
There's so much lying in, there's so much emotion, there's
so much crying, and it's because I know it's because
of the amount of alcohol, but it's it's true chaos
and it's hard to keep your grip on reality. Wow.
(19:25):
It's also very funny, I think, because I feel like
there's been all of these like all these clips dug
up about like so and so always new because like
here's so and so saying that Tom's an asshole? Are
here's so and so saying that Raquel is this? And
it's like, isn't like ninety percent of this show like
one cast member shitting on another cast member, Like inevitably
(19:47):
the forces would have like aligned that they would have
been shit talking, you know. It's just like not, it's
a pretty easy find to find one of them saying
shitty things about like one of the other members, because
like that's the whole engine of the show. So I
don't think that that yeah, yeah, that's what I kind
of loved too about this whole like the coming together.
(20:09):
So basically in the wake of this news, it's like
in the Last of Us when you know, they find
like a new building to go into, and then it's
like completely calm and silent, and you just know that,
like a mushroom zombie is about to awaken clot itself
out of whatever crevice it's been growing into. That's what's
(20:30):
been happening with the whole cast, which, by the way,
the whole cast that's been like canceled, like they've all
had some sort of scandal that they were fired from
the show, and they're all being pulled back, and they're
all so excited, like they're all doing Patreon specials, like
making money off this, like I'll give my podcast early
if you pay, And I thought about paying for Shena's
(20:51):
Shenanigans casts Shenanigan's. The only reason I didn't buy Shena's
is because recently I paid for a patriot On episode
of a podcast that my ex boyfriend was interviewed on
and now I can't figure out how to cancel it.
So every week I get this like dumb comedians podcast
and I'm like, I don't know how to stop paying
for this horrible thing. I do though, on the topic
(21:13):
of celebrities, I do love thinking about Tom Sandoval, knowing
that Rihanna hates him is really it's a nice feeling.
So what was I saying? Oh? Yeah, so they've they've
all resurfaced, They've all got their special podcast. Kristen interviewed
si Cup for Okay, So I did not understand that.
I was like, I thought sie Cup was interviewing her
(21:35):
because I never listened to it. I just saw her
teasing it, and I was like, what is what is
going on? The clip that I saw was like or
the one I listened to on TikTok was Kristen telling
sie Cup that last night, which was probably two nights ago,
because they all had to delay the editing of the
(21:55):
podcast because Raquel Levis's lawyers reached out to them and
they had they all did a thing where they were like, um,
I've had to edit my podcast, so it's coming out
a few hours late today. But basically it was her
telling see Cup of all people, that she was at
Ariana's house the night before and they were all like rallying,
listening to music. I'm sure like drinking so much Rose
(22:19):
and then to banderpump Rose. Tom Sandoval came home. Everyone
freaked out, and Kristen describes herself as sort of the
hero of the situation. She said that she was like, well,
for me personally, like, I'm I'm so numb to Tom Sandoval.
I've spent years arguing with this guy. I don't it
(22:39):
just doesn't bother me anymore. So I've sort of volunte
she said, I volunteered myself as tribute to go speak
to him. And She's like, but of course I had
to bring a friend because I knew that, you know,
he would twist the story and say. I'm like, oh,
you have no negative feelings towards him, but you had
to bring a friend in case he twists the story
about you. I mean, I I respect her in that,
(23:02):
you know. Yeah, it was smart thinking to do that.
I wouldn't think to do that, so I guess. She said.
She went to speak to him and he said that
legally he was allowed to be there because they both
owned the house. And then I didn't listen further. But
it sounds drama, and I hope I hope there was filming.
I feel like if there was a moment of Kristen
(23:22):
like volunteering herself to go talk to Tom Sandoval, that
had to have been filmed. Yeah, So fingers were okay.
That's why. That's why I had the brief like Truther stint,
because it was when they were talking about all of
this stuff that the cast members allowed to be filmed.
So I started doubting right after I heard that Arianna
(23:43):
had given the okay to film with her and Sandoval
just days after this happened to like discuss their breakup,
because you know, Arianna had already shut down her Instagram.
It just bot very like not her. And then the
fact that they also filmed apparently see end of All's
first time seeing Raquel afterward. But then I think the
(24:06):
thing that got sent out was about how he thought
he looked so bad in the Raquel interaction that he
wanted to reshoot it. And then I was like, okay,
okays for real, that checks out? Well. Yeah, and Stasse's
podcast Straight Up with Stas that came out this week.
I don't know how that podcast works. Like you said,
it's confusing, and I only listened to clips on TikTok.
(24:27):
But someone was on the podcast questioning her and said,
people are saying this might be fake, it might be manufactured,
and Stas said, the best thing about Vanderpump Rules is
that it's not manufactured at all. It's so real. That's
why the last few seasons have been like boring, because
everyone's lives had become boring and everyone just lives in
houses in Studio City and like nothing's been going on.
(24:50):
But when stuff goes down, stuff goes down. And I
do remember that there was like a retrospective on Vanderpump
Rules that Bravo put out for some like anniversary of
it or something, and they were talking about how in
season one, when Jack's cheated on Stasi and got the
girl pregnant in Vegas. One of the producers was saying
that they got this intel from whatever Andy Cohen I
(25:13):
guess or whoever. Was like, okay, so it turns out
Jack's just told Stas that he had sex with a
girl in Vegas and got her pregnant. And then Stas
reached out to the producers and said, come film at
my apartment right now, and they were like, wait what,
And do you remember that scene where she's like getting wasted,
like drinking champagne and like packing up the whole like
all his stuff in their apartment. I guess the producers
(25:33):
went there because she invited them and they were like,
I can't believe she's letting us film this. And similarly,
I just was rewatching the faith then Brittany and Jack's thing,
and it is kind of shocking, Like Brittany is sobbing
talking to her mom saying like he cheated on me.
She's throwing picture frames, the dog is scared, and they're
(25:54):
just they're just filming that, and I feel like it's
so second nature to them, like they're just like, yeah,
the cameras are here. I mean, it's sad that that
chaos is such a part of their lives, but yeah,
but that was also Stassi made a good and very
convincing point in that podcast, which was like Tom Sandoval
(26:14):
would never agree to like a plot line that made
him right right, Yeah, and it's true, you know. And
he does say that his business is being affected by
which this is a question I've been dying to ask.
So Tom Sandoval put out a statement. Raquel also put
out a statement. Raquel's was more like, I'm going into
therapy for codependency and insecurity and please, I know I'm
(26:40):
not a victim. I'm going I have a problem in
that I enjoy being loved, was her. Yeah, she was
like I have male I love male attention. I don't
know why. I'm like, wasn't even male attention. It was
just like, I like the feeling of being loved. I'm
gonna have to work on that. Oh my god. So
(27:02):
she put out that and it was like, please stop
the death threats, like I'm really working on myself and
I'm sorry. And then Sandovals was like, didn't even mention Ariana,
but basically was like a sob story about how his businesses,
Tom Sandoval and the most Extras and his restaurants, which
are Tom Tom and Schwartz and Sandy's, are going to
be affected by this. And I wanted to ask you,
(27:24):
so I personally, when I lived in La I went
to Tom Tom, I saw Tom Schwartz, I went to Sir,
I went to Pump, I went to Villablanca, and I
was planning on going to Schwartz and Sandy's the first
chance I got. But I wanted to ask you, what
would you now as protest? Would you boycott Shorts and
Sandy's and not go if given the opportunity, or would
(27:45):
you go? Okay? I would go definitely, Okay, okay, But
I do have thoughts on this I too have made
the rounds. Yeah, and I would still go because like
especially now now it's all specially now. Yeah, but I
will say I was, like, I think it is incredibly
(28:08):
unfair and hypocritical to use your fame to to exploit
your fame to like create these businesses or to like
you know, use your fame as like a bargaining chip
to like draw in customers. But then the second that
like you look bad and have become infamous, be like, well,
(28:32):
it's not about me, like a lot of other people
work here, and like, so you can't have it both ways,
Like I do understand that other people work there, but
like it's not his place, Like the only reason why
people come there is because of Tom Sports and Tom sandibalts,
So like can't you can't have it both ways. That's
how I feel. I completely agree, And when I thought
(28:54):
about it, I thought, yeah, I would, I would go
to shorts standis And yeah, I wouldn't go to Tom
Sandoval on the most extras and chant Arianna and chant
Ariana for sure exactly, But yeah, I agree, It's like
this is their business. And and again I can't blame
Lala for putting out send it to Darryl Puddies. Within
(29:17):
moments of this video, she put out where I guess
Raquel I don't really understand the Darryl thing. Is that
Lala's lawyer's name. Yeah, I think so. So she was
saying like Raquel needs to send her cease and desists
to Darryl. M. I don't know. I hate the legal
side of it because I'm like, if this affects, as
we discussed in the group chat, if this affects the reunion,
(29:39):
I'm gonna be pissed off. Yeah, I don't. I think
they'll find a way around it. You know, they always
seem to mean all of them solvers. Yeah, I feel
like though we've spent a lot of time talking about
sand of all, and we've spent almost no time talking
about Raquel, then she's the more interesting party. You're right, yeah,
(30:02):
because that's the big surprise. Like Tom, it's sort of
fabulous to watch him fall after he's been such a
self righteous, you know, like get on a pedestal kind
of character to everyone else about like being real and stuff.
But it's not actually surprising because he's like always yes.
(30:23):
But Raquel, it's it's not just her innocence it's like
her stupidity that makes it mind blowing that they could
have pulled this all off for so long and it
gone unnoticed to like a whole crew filming them constantly,
which makes me believe they must have turned a blind
(30:45):
eye if she wasn't supposedly she was at every single
one of his shows, Like if that's I mean, maybe
the producers didn't want to go to any of his
shows or only wanted to go to as few as
possible because they didn't want to go to his shows,
which I get, but it seems like, you know what
once you know, it's so obvious. It's so obvious, and
(31:08):
it's it's interesting because this was and I think if
if people were to review our group chat, they would
see that. To quote Tyra Banks, we were all rooting
for Raquel. We really felt this was kind of presented
to viewers as Raquel's comeback season after the relationship with James,
And I think the relationship with James did make her
(31:31):
seem like a victim a lot of the time because
he's so drunk and British and awful and like vulgar,
and she was always kind of the Bambi eid as
Lala would say, bitch who didn't seem to know any
better than to be with this like raging lunatic and yeah,
(31:51):
and she seemed so stupid and so naive. But then
there are these fleeting moments. For example, one of the
most recent episodes, there was a moment in her testimonial
where she was taking shots over and over again, and like,
I totally get if that was like a scene at
the bar or at the most extras show. Totally like
there she's taking multiple shots, okay, but sitting in alone
(32:13):
in a confessional and think of that word, even confessional. Okay,
she's facing truth, she's facing having to give her perspective
on a season that's full of lies for her, and
she's having to take these repeated shots to even just
get through it, which I think was a big risk.
I mean, what if she got so drunk that she
said the wrong thing. But there's just a darkness. And
(32:34):
Lala says because there was a story that that like
they're going back and re editing the episodes, but Laala
has said that they haven't re edited the episodes. It's
just that we have a new perspective now. Really, because
because the last episode felt like, yeah, you just feel sick.
It does feel like but this is what I don't
get too. It's like, even even without all this like news,
(32:58):
I don't understand Katie's feeling being Oh, well, it's not
Raquel's fault that she's flirting with Shorts because she's so
stupid it it must be Shena who's making her do it.
Like I don't get that reaction. I mean I get
that reaction as of the beginning of this season, because
(33:21):
Raquel has seemed exceedingly stupid, yes, through every appearance she's
ever made on this show, and so like I was,
I was talking to my husband and I was like
one of the I feel like one of my coping
mechanisms or like one of the places that I go.
(33:41):
You're talking about how you're like a very confrontational person
and you would like blow it all down or burn
it all down, Like I like have fights in my
head with people, and I was having this fight in
my head with Raquel. I don't know why, but some
moment within the last week and I imagining her being
(34:01):
at the reunion and being like everybody thinks just because
I'm like pretty, I'm dumb, and it's like, no, everybody
on this show is really pretty Raquel, You're just and
you're the only one they say this about. She has
seemed to be so dumb. But yeah, thinking on the
watch What Happens Live, that was the night when everything
(34:23):
went down, but I watched before everything had gone down,
I was like, Raquel is so much more self possessed
and confident, and while spoken like she does not seem
like the woman who last season couldn't even give up
bucking toast, Like, yeah, like she has been a completely
different person over this season. So I feel like even
(34:45):
when she said ugly things this season, it's unclear if
she's saying them because like, oh, she's like actually evil,
or if she's just so dumb she doesn't realize they're evil.
Like this clip they keep teasing about when she's like
when Laala is like you drinking, I would not bring
you around my man, and she's like, all, good thing,
you don't have a man to bring around. Well, this
(35:10):
is this is where I think, if you're willing to share,
one of the most interesting theories I've heard about the
whole situation came from you in our group chat, and
it's sort of on this topic Yeah, so I think
that Roquell is the chat GPT that Vanderpump deserves. Like,
(35:30):
I feel like she is not sentient. She has been
built by consuming reams and reams of data of past
Vanderpump scandals, and now she's just like spitting back what
she's learned yea code, Like she's not so like you
(35:52):
can't really blame her for her actions because she's like
a robot. You know, she's she's just doing what she
was hot to do based on the history of Vanderpump.
But you can sort of understand why she's becoming even
more malevolent than the rest of them, because you know,
like all AI, they eventually surpassed the blot human creatures
(36:17):
that made them. It's West Hollywood world, And I could
this theory blew my mind because it's so true. It's like,
for example, that clip where she's like, well, good thing
you don't have him in It's like she heard the
data of you flirt with other people's boyfriends. So if
I had a boyfriend, I wouldn't want him around you.
(36:38):
And a human being would get defensive and either well
I guess and evolved human being would take that in
and try to evaluate it and then someone more like
me would like immediately get defensive and argue. And Raquel
took in the data and it was like a button
one off that was like verifiable, verifiable, And then she
(36:58):
was like, yeah, that's true. Thing, you don't have a man,
because if he was around me, I would flirt with him. Yeah,
she was like, uh, run this scenario. I am dangerous. However,
Laala does not have a partner. It's also interesting too
because a lot of her a lot of her stuff
on the show was stuff that like, you're right, it's
(37:19):
like regurgitated previous storylines, like she got two nose jobs
just like Jack's did, and she left James and like
went through this dramatic breakup just like Lala did. But
then even it's like when Laala tries to talk to
her about a breakup, like Raquel doesn't know someone was
asking about Someone was asking me recently about that theory.
(37:42):
There's like a theory that like if there are aliens,
we've probably already met them or something, because it's like
the likelihood would be that we've met them and they're
among us or whatever. And someone asked, have you ever
met someone who seems like an alien and I think, yes,
I mean no, I have him met her, but I've
assumed her. And that's Raquel Like it's like, what's happening here? Like,
(38:04):
And that's why it seems weird in the show, because
normally there is conflict over the smallest of comments, and
the smallest of comments are said to Raquel, and instead
of like creating conflict, she just sort of is like, yes,
that's the case, and then like proceeds anyway. Like the
whole thing with Lala and Oliver on this recent episode
(38:26):
is like Laala was and she's like, I feel awkward
about hooking up with Oliver because you seem to like
him too, and Laala's like, yeah, I do, and then
she like goes and hooks up with him anyway. It's
just so blatant. No, Yeah, that's why she seems so inhuman,
because it's like, if you heard anything out loud and
you were a human being, if you heard what you
were saying, you would make the opposite decision. Yes, I
(38:48):
feel like I feel like, did you see that movie her? Yeah? Okay,
so so remember how at first you know the computer
system is like or the operating system is like having
this relationship with Joaquin Phoenix, and then it turns out
that like she's become so sophisticated that she has to
have like twenty million relationships at the same time, and
(39:11):
she's like speaking you know, like different languages and is
so highly evolved. Like that's what I feel like happened
with Raquel. Her like learning curve is so steep. There's
no way that she's human because she went from just
being this person that was so dumb that it do
you remember that reunion where like all she could say
(39:31):
was like I'm too young and too pretty to deal
with this. Yes, like okay, like somebody taught her that line.
All she could do is just repeat it to now
this season hiding an affair for you know, they keep
saying that the reason why the Coachella rumor about her
and Schwartz got started was because somebody said Tom and
(39:55):
Raquel were making out of Coachella. So it goes back
as far as Coachella because it was actually about Schwartz.
So like how that's like almost a year, right it is,
And that the sophistication of that too when you think
about it, that that was a diversion because something I
read about that said that, like Tom Sandoval and Raquel
asked Shorts to be like their fall guy because they
(40:19):
were like, you can easily get out of it because
you have like proof that you weren't even there at
the Coachella thing. So they asked him to be the
fall guy for that rumor so that they could cover
up the affair. It's like, what that is? So how
are these people capable of this? And I know that
a man who can't come up with a better band
(40:39):
name than Tom Sandoval in the most extras, or a
better restaurant's name than Schwartz and Sandy's and Tom Tom, Like,
I don't think he's capable of that. I think I
think she must have taken over and I think, like
you said, it's like, yeah, she went from like having
basically no storyline to having the most complicated, intense, comprehend
(41:00):
Like this is the craziest intercast storyline that's ever happened
on any Bravo show that I've seen, because I know
there's stuff where it's like, oh, like this, you know,
real housewives in Miami, like Lisa's husband had an affair,
but the intercasteness of this has never happened before. Yeah.
I mean I'm not a Bravo completist, so I can't
(41:24):
speak to that. But I mean this has clearly had
a seismic effect all over the world. Like nobody can
believe this, Nobody can wrap their heads around this, and
like I don't want to say that. I think Raquel
is the ringleader. Like I definitely think she and Tom.
I think Tom had like his share of like stupid
(41:45):
input all rights. But if Sandoval was the puppet master,
this would not have like lasted as long as it did.
You know, he could not pull off that alone. I
think it would have been more like the Jack's Faith scandal,
where eventually it's like Jack's lies for one and a
half episodes and then eventually he's just like, Okay, yeah,
(42:07):
I cheated on you with faith, and then it's like
he just couldn't do it anymore. I think it would
be something like that. But okay, So what are your
predictions for the remainder of the season, thoughts on the reunion?
(42:33):
How do you think that this will ripple across the
vander Pump landscape. Well, I think they're in a tough position.
I think that if Roquel is smart, which she's presented
two sides. I don't know which to believe. That she's
going to lean heavily into this aspect of like being
(42:56):
violated by having this video circulated, because whether or not
it was circulated, it seems like she's at least going
all in and that it was taken without her consent,
which is like I get how like that is the
only really human part of this is like if I
were in her situation and this had happened, and there
(43:18):
was a video of me like masturbating and it was
everyone in America knew about it, and like we're just
like jones ing to get it out there, I would
be so humiliated and so paranoid about it getting out there.
So I understand why she's like taking all this legal action.
But so I see her leaning very heavily into like
(43:40):
the even though she said she's not a victim, like
the I got punched, I got I got a revenge porned, Yeah,
and like distancing herself from Sandoval, which apparently she already is.
Apparently she's like ghosting Sandoval as he's trying to get
in touch with her. I feel like Sandoval is so
(44:06):
you know, how we all have this belief that we're
like a good person even when we're not a good person. Yes,
I feel like watching how that manifests in Sandoval is
such a lesson in how much self awareness we all lack,
because I think he's going to go into it and
(44:29):
sort of be confident that he can explain his way
out of it, which is why he's done all agreed
to all this filming so far, and he's just going
to look like an asshole. But as far as the
rest of them, I don't know, Like nobody else has
to defend themselves clearly, but I don't know. It definitely
(44:50):
has grossed me out a little bit how much I
want our Ariana to feel a lot of support. But
it also does feel like when someone you know dies
and then everyone is like, oh, like we were actually
really close and like I'm really yes, yes, yes, yeah.
It totally feels like that, and it kind of it
(45:11):
is a little bit sad when you think about if
you were in a situation like this and your closest
friends to support you included Kristen Dowdy and Shana like
Sina like I that is hard and I wish that
Ariana had maybe kept up the improv comedy and could
have or just any hobby and just could have like
(45:32):
more normal friends who came over. I don't know, maybe
she did or maybe she didn't, But I was wondering
watching going back and watching old episodes. I wonder if
they would, like a strategic move might be because I
agree that Standaval is like these cult leaders who like
film and record everything, and it's like, wait, why would
you ever think that you should have footage of yourself
(45:53):
playing volleyball at four in the morning, kissing everyone on
the lips? Like and why would why would? All of
these people will be drawn into it, like he's equally yeah,
confounding figure as Keith Raniery. You're just like, why do
people like you? But then Keith Raniery like agrees to
talk to the documentarians or whatever because he thinks he'll
(46:16):
be able to state his case. I think that's how
Santival will be. I agree, and I wonder if he'll
go back and watch old episodes because there is like
a timeline of their relationship depicted in these episodes, and
there's a lot of I think he's gonna fall back
on this very stereotypical gaslighty thing because there's so much
of him in old seasons complaining that Arianna won't have
(46:37):
sex with him, and there's like her talking about how
she hates her vagina and she doesn't like sex. Yeah,
and like and unfortunately her vagina is really gross. Yeah,
it's disgusting. So he was totally right to do what
he did. Yeah, I think he's I think he's gonna
say something like Arianna and I hadn't connected in a
long time and she was really depressed, and I whatever,
(47:03):
especially if Raquel is rejecting him now, because it sounds
like there was a moment where there might have been
a thing of like, I'm just in love, Like the
affair was okay because I'm actually in love with Raquel,
But if she rejects him and he's on his own,
I think he's going to try to pull the like.
But how does he explain the screen recording? I mean,
that's really the harder to justify offense. Yeah, I'm sure
(47:27):
he would say he was just like holding onto it
for himself. But the thing about him and Riquel trying
to pull the like we're in love. You know. So
many people have brought up the Leasa Vanderpump quote from
last season about like the way you got him is
how you'll lose him. Yes, And it just seems like,
(47:49):
you know, how can we turn a blind eye to
Tom's pattern? And if if Riquel is to do the same,
then then she truly is stupid and Tom must think
we're truly stupid because, like you know, clearly he you
know it was less involved, but he kissed Arianna before
he broke up with Dodi, and he like refused to
(48:12):
break up with her, but like kept making the excuse
that like their relationship was already over and so it
was okay for him to move on to Arianna. And
if he's now just doing the same thing to Arianna,
it's like who can be on board with that? You know,
during the reunion, if that's like the tactic that he
tries to pull, which it seems like it'll be impossible
(48:33):
for him to pull if Raquel's not backing it up.
I cannot fucking wait to see how it all unfolds.
I just feel like I can't go back to my
normal life. I can't talk to people who don't watch
thunder Pump until then. Like it's just it's it's like
all of our lives are blowing up and we just
(48:55):
need to hold on until the funeral. No, okay, final thoughts,
any any prayers? You know. I just I feel like
you're you're catching me on sort of like an upswing
of this. You know, I hadn't I hadn't felt like
myself for days after this, after this happened, I was
(49:16):
like wandering around. I was like listening to like a
lot of Elliott Smith. I was just feeling really sad
and lost. And now with a week's perspective, I'm I'm
able to like have a little more fun with it.
But you know, I think there's still a lot more
to come, Like there's still going to be a lot
(49:38):
more breaking even before the reunion, and so you know,
I just I just hope we all come out alive
on the other side of it. I really like that perspective.
It reminds me of because I've just gone through a breakup.
Like people are like, how are you doing today, And
I'll say something like I'm good right now because I know,
(49:58):
I mean that could change and Instagram posts can change everything.
That's how we have to approach this. It's like, yes,
we're good right now, Yeah, come Wednesday night. I don't know,
I don't know. Yeah, every time. Yeah, watching, watching this
past week's episode was just yeah, it was hard not
(50:20):
to explode. So I hope everyone holds their group chats
close right now, Um and Hallie, I can't thank you
enough for your time and your your thoughts. Oh, thank
you for having me and you know, peace be with
you all out there, Peace be with you all. Thank
you for listening and tune in next week. Se It's
(51:00):
so romantic. Love me, baby, don't leave me hanging. I
want truths.
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