Tom Schwartz found himself on the receiving end of ex-wife Katie Maloney’s fiery quips during BravoCon’s Vanderpump Rules panel — but Tom Sandoval got most of the heat.
“Hi Katie, you look fabulous,” Schwartz, 41, told Katie, 36, while on the Golden Stage at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas on Friday, November 3. Katie didn’t skip a beat, replying, “You look like a couch.”
While Schwartz — who was wearing a floral jacket — didn’t get any love from Katie, it was his BFF Sandoval, 40, that was in the hot seat the majority of the panel as his affair with Raquel Leviss continued to anger the cast and crowd.
Although the stars previously voiced their issues with Sandoval cheating on Ariana Madix during the season 10 reunion special, which aired in May, it was clear tension still exists between Sandoval and the majority of his friends.
“I feel personally — Sandoval, I know what we filmed [together] — but I’ve been in a room with him for many years when I didn’t want to be, so for me it was normal,” Lala Kent quipped, referring to season 11’s uncomfortable nature. “Nothing changed for me.”
Pump Rules will return to Bravo in January. Scroll down for the biggest revelations from the Vanderpump Rules panel at BravoCon:
Boos All Around for Sandoval
When Sandoval came onto the stage on Friday he was met with boos from the crowd. “It feels good to be here in Vegas with everybody. It’s BravoCon, it’s crazy,” Sandoval said as emcee Karamo Brown tried to quiet the audience.
Sandoval was booed for a second time after a fan claimed he didn’t say enough when asked “what he’d do differently” in regard to his affair with Raquel. Boos rang out for a third time when a fan asked, “Why are you here?” and told Sandoval to “go away.”
Sandoval stood his ground, saying, “I’d rather stand here and face it. I don’t know what you do.”
Lala, 33, then interjected, explaining, “In a weird, weird way, I don’t care if you f—king boo me. … With everyone really hating on Tom, he still went out, he still performed shows. … Life went on. … if I were in his position, I’d tell y’all to go f—k off.”
James Is Now the ‘No. 1 Man’ In the Cast
“It feels phenomenal. I’m just playing, man,” James Kennedy told the audience of his new role as the so-called good guy in the group after Sandoval and Schwartz’s drama. “It comes with a lot of responsibility these days. Sometimes I have to show these two guys how to be a man.”
Lisa Vanderpump chimed in, “When James Kennedy is the voice of reason on Vanderpump Rules, you might have a problem.”
On a serious note, James, 31, revealed that filming this past year was “probably one the hardest” for him despite the negative spotlight being mostly on Sandoval. “Trying to mature and trying to grow up but also being by the people close to me in my life,” James recalled. “There were moments where I wanted to turn around and say something I would regret, but I didn’t. …. It was really interesting to watch and I think this season is going to be one of the craziest yet.”
Where Do Schwartz and Sandoval Stand Now?
Schwartz took a lot of heat after news broke that he knew about Sandoval and Raquel’s affair well before the rest of the cast. While the group turned against Sandoval, Schwartz tried to have his back, especially since they are business partners.
“We went through tough times because of me. He dealt with a lot of residual negativity,” Sandoval confessed on Friday. He told Schwartz, “I really appreciate you sticking by [me],” to which Schwartz joked, “For better or for worse.”
Are Ariana and Sandoval Still Living Together?
“I’m currently staying somewhere while I’m doing Dancing [With the Stars] because of the chaotic schedule,” Ariana said of her living situation. She explained that she’s “actively trying to change the ownership of the house” and move past her split from Sandoval. The exes bought a house in Los Angeles together in 2019 and after their spring 2023 split, they have yet to sell the property.
Is Katie Dating After Divorcing Schwartz?
Katie revealed that she is dating after finalizing her divorce from Schwartz in October 2022. (They announced their split the March prior.) However, she joked that there will be “no more Toms” for her romantically and shared that she’s only seeing men outside their friend group.
Sandoval Is 6 Months Sober
After a fan asked how Sandoval and James got so ripped, the TomTom cofounder revealed he hasn’t had a drink in six months. Sandoval also shared that instead of chain smoking and drinking he has focused on working out. Despite his toned physique, Sandoval lost to James after doing a push-up challenge for the attendees.
Season 11 Is ‘Tumultuous’
The season 11 Pump Rules trailer was unveiled during the panel — and it stirred up a lot of emotions with the cast. Lala and Ally Lewber described the upcoming season as “sad.” James said it was “surprising” while Katie called her reaction “bewildered.” Ariana chose “emo” and Sandoval used “roller-coaster” to explain what transpired on camera.
Lisa picked “tumultuous” to describe the drama, while Schwartz said it is “Shakespearean.” Scheana Shay admitted season 11 was “f-king hard” and her husband, Brock Davies, summed it up as “tough.”
