Lala Kent Spotted Hugging Tom Sandoval After Months Of Getting Press For Comparing Him To Her ‘Narcissistic’ Ex Amid The Vanderpump Rules Scandal
If things weren’t already messy, they just got messier.
Ovidiu Hrubaru / Shutterstock; @pumprules / Instagram Back in March, it was reported that Tom Sandoval from the reality TV show “Vanderpump Rules” allegedly had an affair with costar Raquel Leviss amidst his nine-year relationship with Ariana Madix. News of the affair made headlines that consequently led die-hard fans to boycott Sandoval’s new bar while also inciting reactions from other stars of the Bravo series, including Lala Kent, who expressed unrelenting support for Madix.
At least that’s what we thought.
Lala Kent was seen hugging costar Tom Sandoval despite calling him ‘dangerous’ and comparing him to her ‘narcissistic’ ex.
When the news broke about Sandoval's affair, Madix’s costars were not shy to express their reactions online. According to People, 31-year-old James Kennedy, Raquel Leviss’ ex-fiancé, wrote on a since-deleted post on Instagram, “Hope you all feel as sick as I do. This explains everything.”
In the post’s comment section, Lala Kent, 32, replied, “I’ve been telling y’all! Everyone said I was a ‘bully’. It’s called YOU TRIGGER ME AND I SEE YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE! I’ve known these two are disgusting from the jump.”
Photo: Instagram / @lalakent
Her rant didn’t end there as Kent quickly took to her Instagram story, condemning the musician’s infidelity with Leviss. “I’ve seen you for who you [are] for a long time, and you just don’t like that,” she said. “But, I think now is the time for you to shut the f–k up. I’m eating good the next time I see you.” She then addressed Leviss, writing, “I suggest you get some energy for me. You’re gonna need it.”
Photo: Instagram / @lalakent
Now, some people speculate that the entire ordeal was just a means to boost the show’s ratings.
As most of us are aware, reality TV isn’t exactly, well, real. This is especially true for shows that are scripted, where producers write or manipulate certain scenarios to incite a dramatic response from both cast members and viewers alike.
Knowing all of this, why do people continue to watch reality shows? This is likely due to the allure of celebrity culture when TV personalities expose themselves in an emotionally tangible way that allows viewers to relate and engage with, and some suspect that the “Scandoval” ordeal may be a prime example of this.
Although “Vanderpump Rules” has been receiving much traction as of late and will surely persist as the new season airs, there is something to be said about how the show’s ratings had previously been on the decline until news of the scandal broke out. According to the Insider, podcaster Lara Schoenhals says, “They needed something to get shaken up, to get people’s interest back.”
It's also possible Lala Kent wants to be ‘a little more forgiving’ while working with costar Tom Sandoval.
Despite the heated uproar and speculation, the show must go on, which means cast members must adjust to working alongside Sandoval after the cheating scandal with Leviss. However, some might argue that certain members are being a little too forgiving, all things considered.
A recent photo surfaced on the @pumprules Instagram meme page, revealing Kent playfully embracing Sandoval on the beach with costars James Kennedy and Brock Davies, presumably while filming Season 11, and fans are fuming.
TikToker Stephanie Tleiji (@stephwithdadeets) uploaded a video and did not hesitate to share her thoughts on the situation.
“So I woke up to photos of a Lala Kent hugging Sandoval,” she said. The user then added an older clip of Kent publicly dissing the musician and comparing him to her “narcissistic” ex, Randall Emmett, whom she shares a child with.
“Please don’t tell me they are filming; they are not going to force [Lala] to hug him,” said Tleiji. “I usually, like, love Lala, but this is such a bad look.”
Similarly, another instance involving Scheana Shay had been a point of contention among the public when a photo surfaced on social media featuring Shay standing next to Sandoval and other cast members while posing for the camera.
“We’re in a group. We’re all here. We hopped in a photo, you know what? I happened to be standing where I’m standing,” Shay remarked via Instagram Stories in response to the backlash.
In spite of everything, Kent disclosed during a recent Amazon Live that upon filming the show’s latest season, she has been learning new things about herself in her effort to become more understanding of others.
She says, “It is a strange dynamic. I’m also in a very strange place where I am trying to heal and not project my experience onto everybody that I see,” adding, “I am trying to [be] proactive [and be] a little bit more forgiving, light-hearted, and understanding.”
Many folks have grown alarmed by Kent’s recent change of heart, but that’s show business for you. And as the 32-year-old wisely puts it, “There will be a day where the dust settles. People move on.” Though, that doesn’t necessarily mean all is forgiven, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction towards healing.
Xiomara Demarchi is a writer and frequent contributor to YourTango’s news and entertainment team. Keep up with them on Instagram.