It almost seems pointless to write this in light of the latest news that Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute, Max Boyens, and Brett Caprioni were fired from Vanderpump Rules for racist remarks and behaviors.
Honestly watching part 2 of the Vanderpump Rules reunion was like watching a zoom full of ghosts.
This firing is long overdue in the case of Stassi who has a history of awful statements. I also think it’s time for Jax Taylor to face those same consequences for his rampant misogyny and disgusting homophobic and transphobic statements. Statements he has made in front of Andy Cohen on WWHL. While Vanderpump Rules may be ‘Jax’s show’ (in his own hubristic mind!), WWHL is Andy’s show. And Andy, like Lisa Vanderpump, has let this crap go completely unchecked for way too long.
Bravo has a long history of ignoring the controversial so long as their so-called Bravolebrities churn out the chaos and drama. This past year alone has been one of nonstop social justice controversy for the network. Below Deck was a toxic masculinity cesspool that showcased physical and verbal aggression from male castmates towards female ones. Of course, that show had controversy before when Kate Chastain, the primary recipient of this misogyny, was seen berating and harassing a woman having a mental breakdown, who was also her employee. Kate didn’t deserve the treatment she got from the guys this season. I’m just pointing out the legacy of dysfunction Bravo allows.
Related – Vanderpump Rules Stars Stassi Schroeder & Kristen Doute Never Reached Out To Faith Stowers To Apologize; They Only Apologized Publicly
Real Housewives Of Dallas‘s most scandalous cast member, LeeAnne Locken, has been allowed to perpetuate aggressive and harmful behavior, going so far as to so-called ‘out’ another castmember’s husband. This season she pushed things too far with her racist comments against Mexican castmate Kary Brittingham. I was personally shocked when LeeAnne was actually fired for this behavior as I was 100% certain the network would let it go due to LeeAnne’s <cough> star power.
And on Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills (a few seasons back) Brandi Glanville made multiple racist comments to Joyce Giraud, who was at the time the only Latina person on Bravo – and certainly the first Latina Housewife. Joyce, a perfectly lovely and wealthy woman with an aspirational life (and perfect hair) was fired for not connecting with the fans. Meanwhile, Brandi, a rampant trainwreck with a reckless mouth full of lies and a history of physically assaulting her castmates, has been brought back time and time again. Only because there is no limit to the lows she’ll go in harming people to get attention and a paycheck.
RELATED: Brittany Cartwright Says She “Had Nothing To Do” With Racist Treatment Of Faith Stowers When She Was On Vanderpump Rules
But we’re not here to talk about those other examples of Bravo perpetuating bad behavior. We’re here to talk specifically about Vanderpump Rules. Honestly though do we really need to debrief how Scheana Marie gave Max a blowjob in Palm Springs, when he was supposedly dating Dayna Kathan, then lied about it? I mean what is the point when we know these are the last moments we’ll see Max on TV. Do we need to discuss Kristen calling James Kennedy a bad person? (again)? And hearing about Carter? Not really.
RELATED – Scheana Marie Says Kristen Doute “Got A Lot Of Sh*t” She Didn’t Deserve At The Vanderpump Rules Reunion
I almost refuse to discuss Jax. He is a literal litter box of a human specimen and I want a room full of feral cats to pee on him. He is the dumpster behind SUR. And that dumpster is on fire. I really never have cared about anything Stassi had to say because she’s fake and full of word vomit, and I’m sick of Vanderpump Rules trying to present her as some moral authority and sensible narrator. Didn’t Stassi also, at one point, mock rape victims? How’s that ‘galvanizing’ career going for her these days?
This show, with this cast, is done and dusted. I’m certain this is not the last of the firings. I’m certain this is the last we’ll see of Jax, who I hope is finally publicly shamed. Lala Kent with her own history of cultural appropriation and mockery will pretend to leave on her own accord to take a different path in life because the show is too negative, and due to her connection to Rand, Bravo will allow her some sort of dignity. Seriously Lala is just horrendously mean and hypocritical, with no redeeming benefits shown on Vanderpump Rules. Plus PJs are bad for the environment and a BJ for PJ movement as the 20th wave of feminism isn’t gonna happen – even amongst girls like Scheana.
RELATED – Scheana Marie Thinks Lala Kent Let Vanderpump Rules Fame Go To Her Head; Wishes Lala Appreciated Her Fans As Much As Stassi Schroeder Does
Brittany Cartwright hitched her cart to the wrong horse, and will have to go with Jax. Maybe they’ll finally move to Kentucky and milk their own cows to make beer cheese with?
Tom and Tom will persist. They will continue to TomTom, and Tom 1 will continue to have a happy life with Ariana Madix, and Tom 2 will continue to pretend he didn’t burn his own marriage license. Twice. I bet when he held it near the dumpster fire that is Jax, it ignited instantly.
I actually feel this is vindication for Tom 1. Who has often been villainized for taking a stand against injustice and unfair treatment. He’s always stood up for what he thinks is right, and was literally shamed as fake and condemned by Jax for speaking out against his homophobic preacher.
If the show is smart they will bring back Charli Burnett, who has earned her keep on the reunion. She’s fun, sassy, interesting, and unafraid to be herself or stand up to the bullies. What Lala thinks she is! Scheana, who has embarrassed herself timelessly and tirelessly, deserves a Vanderpump Rules redemption storyline out from underneath the shameful ‘hero edit’ they’ve been giving Stassi for the last few seasons. Scheana for all her cluelessness and self-absorption, for all her rather sad desperation, is harmless and sweet. She’s also possibly smarter than she looks.
How will Lisa spin her obvious complacency in the face of knowing these behaviors were taking place? Faith Stowers revealed that she was actually working with Vanderpump’s lawyers in a lawsuit against Stassi and Kristen. So clearly Lisa was aware that her ‘stars’ were out there behaving beyond heinously.
RELATED – Vanderpump Rules Alum Faith Stowers Says Lisa Vanderpump Would Have Protested If George Floyd Was A Dog
I don’t think Lisa will personally face any sanctions from the network. Other than having to seriously rejigger her show. And probably work overtime to demonstrate that she’s changed her perspective and is no longer playing blind. Instead of Lisa worrying so much about who is sleeping with whom, and meddling in the gossip with her 20… erm 30-something non-waitresses, or making old lady sex jokes and purring like a cougar, she should be attending to the very real issues happening right under her nose!
The other question I have is Katie Maloney. So Katie is the sole witch of WeHo to survive. Katie, for as awful as she’s been on a personal level, has reserved her vitriol for her husband and on-camera issues. Other than coming after Lala on twitter (who we now know is so awful she deserves it), Katie has kept it fairly composed. She’s either smarter than Stassi and Kristen (and smarter than we’re aware) and supported her besties in hanging themselves out to dry, or she’s too lazy to engage.
Whatever the case, Katie has thus far been spared. Yet how – HOW – will she defend her friendship with Stassi? Will she cut Stassi off in the wake of this scandal? Or will she double down and defend Stassi? Will she ever open up about it on Vanderpump Rules? I am salivating over this!
RELATED: Vanderpump Rules Star Stassi Schroeder Dropped By Public Relations Team After Faith Stowers Controversy
So where do we think the show will go from here? My bets are a TomTom spinoff, and Max being slowly worked into the fold because he’s there. Or kept permanently on the periphery but never made a cast member (ala Peter)? Unless he’s also fired from TomTom? While I do think Max’s social media comments were disgusting, he was also a teenager at the time. Am I totally off-base? Unlike Stassi and Kristen who were full-grown adults in their late twenties, early-thirties running around trying to tear down Faith because …? Because…? Why, is not even really clear. Was Britt–naaaaay really worth your careers?
As for Vanderpump Rules, I think next season will finally be the rise of James and Raquel Leviss anchoring the show. I love sober James! This season James was overshadowed by the disgraceful Kentucky krap wedding, and Stassi’s whining meltdowns and Scheana pretending she’s just having a good time sleeping with all her best guy friends. And her best guy friends’ best guy friends…
RELATED – Vanderpump Rules Newbie Max Boyens Explains Why He Didn’t Reveal He Was Biracial During Racist Tweets Scandal; Says He’s “Proud To Be African-American”
I’d like to see more of James succeeding and how his relationship with Raquel evolves. Raquel is the underdog of this show and her goodness shines through. I truly hope fame doesn’t go to her head. Although her humbleness, a humbleness built out of failure at fractions and being the only little girl watching Winnie The Pooh without ice cream, seems genuine.
Maybe Pump Rules was headed this way already? It seemed like the old guard was definitely being phased out this season. I’d like to see more of Danica Dow and her simmering crazy. I’d like to see more Charli. Dayna was way too desperate for me. I’m just not interested in her pseudo feminism and boy craziness. Scheana is right – Dayna is way too much like Stassi and Lala. Which means the fame will immediately go to her head. She’ll go from annoying but sort of palatable under the right circumstances, to intolerable.
So where do you think Vanderpump Rules will go from here? What do you want to see?
RELATED – Vanderpump Rules Reunion Part 1 Recap: Awful Awards
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[Photo credits: Bravo]
