‘Vanderpump Rules’ Star Raquel Leviss Bashes Bravo for Cashing in On Scandal: They’re ‘Running To The Bank’
Courtesy @bethennyfrankel on Instagram
Raquel Leviss became a household name earlier this summer when her love life, featured on Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules, spiraled into scandal.
The reality show focuses on the lives of current and former employees of one of Hollywood’s biggest restaurants, SUR.
Leviss first appeared on the show in season five and by season 10 has become a familiar face. Earlier this summer, it was revealed that Leviss had a secret fling with co-star Tom Sandoval who had been dating another figure on the show, Ariana Madix.
The story took viewers and social media by storm as many picked sides and quickly made Leviss out to be the villain. Soon after, the term “Scandoval” began trendy as a catchy mixture of Tom’s last name and the drama that was set to unfold. Soon, the term would be a scarlet letter for both Sandoval and Leviss.
Bravo produced three separate reunion episodes with the cast after the season ended where the timeline of the affair, key moments, and mistakes were raked over for the whole world to see. Clips went viral on TikTok and Twitter and merchandise began to pop up on independent store allowing fans to publicly display whose team they were on.
Meanwhile, several members of the cast and Bravo itself began jumping on the “Scandoval” train by selling their own merchandise and further publicizing brutal takedowns directed at Sandoval and Leviss from various other cast members.
Now, after a stint in a health facility, Leviss is making her first public statements since the reunions to none other than fellow Bravo talent, Bethenny Frankel.
In recent weeks, Frankel has called for a reality star strike in the wake of both the actors and writers strikes in Hollywood. Frankel has stressed that reality stars lives are often times exploited by networks, something Leviss said she knows all too well.
“Reality television exploits affairs, bankruptcy, falling off the wagon, not really having what you say you have, saying something inappropriate,” Frankel recently said on TikTok.
Leviss opened up about her experience and frustration toward the network cashing in on the demise of her personal life on Frankel’s podcast, Just B, that was released Wednesday.
“I just heard what you were saying on TikTok and using my — case as an example of exploitation and the way that the network is running to the bank, like laughing, running to the bank with this scandal and I haven’t seen a single penny,” Leviss told Frankel. “I feel like — it’s not fair and I feel like a toddler saying, ‘It’s not fair,’ but it really isn’t.”
In the wake of the scandal, Madix, Sandoval’s ex-girlfriend whom he cheated on with Leviss, was offered numerous sponsorships and even a spot on the next season of Dancing with the Stars.
“And I feel like I’ve been portrayed as the ultimate villain. My mistakes, that I’ve made on camera, live on forever. And you mentioned something about the addiction of doing reality TV and the way they always dangle that carrot in front of you telling you, like well ‘You need to tell your side of the story, otherwise it’s going to be written for you.’ And that’s terrifying. So, I almost went back just because of that.”
Frankel elaborated on the “addiction” of reality tv by explaining that some people featured on the shows have their reputations ruined and can’t make a life for themselves outside of the show and are forced to return. “Someone is always winning, someone is always losing,” Frankel said.
