Reality television fans were stunned when Vanderpump Rules alum Rachel Leviss spoke with Bethenny Frankel on her Just B podcast. Rachel made some shocking claims about Scandoval. And about Bravo.
After the Season 10 reunion, Rachel entered a mental health facility to heal and work on herself. I’m not sure if stirring up the Scandoval drama by talking to Bethenny was the best choice for her. But here we are.
Rachel revealed that she is not returning to Pump Rules. Still, some of the bombs that Rachel dropped seem a bit far-fetched. Let’s take a look at the questionable claims that Rachel made.
Rachel Was Never Friends With Ariana Madix
Rachel claimed that the narrative that she slept with her friend, Ariana Madix’s boyfriend, Tom Sandoval, was false. She did have a seven-month-long affair with Sandoval. But she claimed that she wasn’t friends with Ariana.
Rachel explained, “Ariana and I were not best friends. We were acquaintances who became friends through the show. She would stand up for me and encourage me to pursue whatever I was pursuing, and that was all great,” the former VPR star added.
Look, I’m not sure how Rachel defined friendship. But Ariana seemed to whole-heartedly support and defend Rachel. And would you consider entering “a throuple” with your lover and his girlfriend if you weren’t friends with her? I call B.S. on Rachel’s claim that Ariana wasn’t her friend.
Tom Sandoval Had Producing Rights
Sandoval’s former side chick claimed that Tom refused to film amid the Scandoval fallout until a scene was cut from the show. In that scene, Rachel confronted Sandoval about filming her in an intimate moment without her permission.
According to Rachel, Sandoval was upset that she mentioned it on camera. “He ended up boycotting filming the rest of Scandoval so that he could have editing rights to that scene to take out that specific piece,” Rachel shared.
Rachel also claimed that Sandoval was offered a producer credit for Season 11. Sandoval may have told Rachel that, but Bravo shut down any further speculation about Sandoval’s new title.
A Bravo rep told Entertainment Tonight, “Tom Sandoval was never offered a producer credit on Season 11 and had absolutely no creative control over editing during any season of Vanderpump Rules.” Sorry, Sandoval!
Kristen Doute Was Offered a Spin off as Hush Money
This was a doozy. Kristen Doute, who was fired from Pump Rules in 2020 for alleged racist behavior, dated James Kennedy. Later on, Rachel met James. After five years together, James and Rachel became engaged before they split in December 2021.
Rachel told Bethenny that Kristen was going to reveal a big secret about James. “Kristen was just starting to talk about her tumultuous relationship with James and what happened behind closed doors, and then all of a sudden she’s presented with this spinoff, which I believe is a way to silence her—to keep that under wraps—so that the longevity of Vanderpump Rules can continue,” Rachel explained. She added, “I’ve seen him be a violent person, so I have no doubt that what she’s saying is true.”
Once again, Bravo tossed cold water on the fire that Rachel started. A Bravo spokesperson stated to US Weekly, “Kristen Doute was one of the people approached for an upcoming spinoff because she is part of the friend group that is featured on a new show.” So, Kristen wasn’t getting a new show to keep her quiet about James.
James Kennedy Taught Their Dog, Graham, To Bite
When it came to her dog, Graham, Rachel put James in the doghouse. She explained Graham’s history of biting. “James would encourage Graham to bite his hands hard, and he liked that sensation, so of course that trained Graham to be a biter,” Rachel said.
While Rachel was receiving care at the facility, she decided to give Graham to a rescue. He couldn’t be rehomed because of his biting.
Rachel was shocked to see photos of Graham reunited with James in Lake Tahoe. The rescue reportedly reached out to Lisa Vanderpump, who adopted him. And then James adopted Graham.
The model also accused the VPR producers of using the pup as a “pawn” to convince Rachel to film again. I don’t know if James taught Graham, now called Hippie, to bite. But something in this dog tale seems off.
Bravo Removed Rachel’s Mental Health Advocate
Rachel told Bethenny in the third part of their interview that a mental health advocate was supposed to be there during the tension-filled reunion. “It was promised that I would have a mental health advocate in my trailer as I watched the first two parts and behind the scenes just in case, and that was taken away from me the night/day before the reunion,” Rachel said.
She felt that it was retaliation because she spoke to a paparazzi before the reunion was filmed. If this is true, it is despicable. I hope this didn’t happen. But with all the lies that Rachel has told, and no receipts, it’s hard to call out Bravo.
What Was Rachel Paid?
Bethenny claimed on her podcast that poor Rachel made less in a year than one of Bethenny’s interns. Of course, Bethenny didn’t provide a figure for us.
But Lisa confirmed to TMZ that Rachel pocketed $361K for Season 10 of the show. Basically, I need to apply to be one of Bethenny’s interns. Or Bethenny didn’t know how much Rachel was raking in.
TELL US – DO YOU BELIEVE ANY OF RACHEL’S CLAIMS FROM HER INTERVIEW WITH BETHENNY?
