Secrets The Cast Of Vanderpump Rules Tried To Hide
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The following article mentions domestic violence and addiction.
Clearly, viewers cannot get enough of the TV show "Vanderpump Rules." The reality series about a group of servers in West Hollywood has been a hit for Bravo since it premiered in 2013 as a spinoff of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," and in May 2022, the network announced "Pump Rules" will be back for a 10th season.
Of course, over the years the cast has changed; some of the original stars decided to leave the show and a few have gotten fired (more on that later). While we do not yet know who will take part in Season 10, Season 1 alums Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix, Scheana Shay, Tom Schwartz, and Katie Maloney all appeared on Season 9 so it's likely they'll return. The tenth round of episodes will likely address Schwartz and Katie's shocking divorce, as well as Lala Kent's messy breakup with her former fiancé Randall Emmett, both of which happened after Season 9 wrapped.
The stars of the series are probably used to putting their personal lives in front of the camera at this point, but that's not to say they're necessarily thrilled about sharing everything with the world. Let's dive into the secrets that the cast of "Vanderpump Rules" tried to hide.
The many cheating scandals of Vanderpump Rules
When the stars of "Vanderpump Rules" try to cover up their infidelities, the affairs still come to light. Jax Taylor seems to know this best, considering he's been caught cheating multiple times, beginning when he dated Stassi Schroeder in the early seasons. One of the show's earliest big scandals arrived when Stassi's friend Kristen Doute confessed to sleeping with Jax while he was with Stassi and she was dating Tom Sandoval. Yet, what may have been worse was when Jax later cheated on his now-wife Brittany Cartwright after she moved to be with him. Jax told ET that was his rock bottom though, explaining, "I was like...'I'm gonna turn a new leaf... I'm going to do it for my future wife and for myself.'"
Speaking of Kristen, she accused Sandoval of cheating on her with his now-girlfriend Ariana Madix, and then would later accuse Sandoval of cheating on Ariana with a woman in Miami. Oh, and after Kristen's other ex-boyfriend James Kennedy moved on with Raquel Leviss, a new batch of infidelity rumors surfaced. While Raquel originally defended him, she eventually confessed during the Season 7 reunion, "I think that James wasn't completely faithful to me."
Then there's Tom Schwartz, who was told he drunkenly cheated on his now-ex Katie Maloney while they were married. While Maloney forgave him, telling to Us Weekly in 2018 that it was nothing more than an alcohol-related dalliance, Schwartz admitted, "It's still completely unacceptable."
Jax and Brittany hired an anti-LGBTQ pastor
Former "Vanderpump Rules" stars Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright were not happy when word got out that the pastor they had hired to perform their 2019 wedding had made homophobic comments on social media. The situation was extra uncomfortable for Brittany, considering that the pastor was a family friend from her native Kentucky. Per People, she said on the show, "Whenever I go back home, there are people who believe all kinds of different things... So whenever something like this gets brought up, it makes it very difficult, because I don't want to disappoint anybody in my life."
The couple eventually fired the pastor, but Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix were disappointed with how long they waited to make the call. "It just pissed me off that he just sort of turned a blind eye and then, like, only when Lisa [Vanderpump] said something to him, decided to do something," Sandoval said on the series, per OK! Jax and Brittany were less than thrilled with Sandoval's remarks, with Brittany maintaining that they never did anything wrong.
The pastor's anti-LGBTQ remarks had hit close to home for Ariana. As she said on the reality series, "It's... a topic that's very sensitive to me, as a bisexual woman." Previously, Jax made disrespectful comments about her sexuality, and Ariana called him out. "i DO like women AND men," she tweeted (via Us Weekly). "it's called being bisexual. ever heard of it?"
Stassi and Kristen's racist behavior
In 2020, Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute were fired from "Vanderpump Rules" following the revelation that the pair called the police on co-star Faith Stowers for a crime she didn't commit. The 2018 incident was brought to light during an Instagram Live (via Twitter) when Faith discussed how it felt being the only Black cast member and what made her want to quit. She recalled, "There was an African American lady, I guess this woman was robbing people. And they called the cops and said it was me." Faith revealed that she had even learned of that off-camera incident from Stassi, who bragged about it on "The B**** Bible" podcast. Although it took a couple years for the network to take action, Faith was happy to finally be heard, telling Page Six, "I feel so vindicated studios and production are able to see blatant racism."
Kristen and Stassi both apologized on Instagram. Stassi also addressed the incident on "The Tamron Hall Show," where she stated that she'd worked with a teacher who helped her understand how harmful her actions were. Two years later, Stassi released a book about her transgressions and mistakes called "Off With My Head." After the book became a New York Times bestseller, Faith wrote in an Instagram Story (via Us Weekly), "It's a sad, sad time for our community when someone can use white privilege to try and destroy you and then use that same privilege to make money off of you."
Jax and Brittany's trouble with the law
Although Jax Taylor's actual 2015 felony arrest wasn't caught by the "Vanderpump Rules" cameras, the fallout from it was, which is probably something that Jax would have liked to stay private. The SUR bartender had gotten busted for stealing $300 sunglasses during a Season 4 cast trip to Hawaii. E! News reports he later accepted a plea deal in the case, telling a judge, "I had too many drinks... I made a mistake." He added, "I understand this is going to follow me the rest of my life due to the fact that I'm on television."
While Jax sure seemed embarrassed, he told The Daily Dish that he found a positive side. "I kind of needed to be knocked down a little bit... my ego was getting a little out of control," he said. Yet, that wasn't the first time Jax had been in handcuffs. Per Star, Jax had been arrested multiple times before, beginning in 2001 for retail fraud. He was then charged with a DUI and reckless driving in 2005, and with another DUI and driving with a suspended license in 2008. Jax was even sentenced to eight days in jail in 2010 for violating his probation.
Jax's wife, Brittany Cartwright, has been behind bars too. According to Starcasm, she was taken into police custody back in 2012 after getting into a bar brawl in her native Kentucky.
The plastic surgery fact and fiction
Fans who've watched "Vanderpump Rules" over the years have surely noticed the changes in the stars' appearances, and many of the stars would be the first to acknowledge that they've gone under the knife. Stassi Schroeder, for example, not only shared that she got a chin implant when she turned 18, but also was open about getting breast reduction surgery. She explained to People, "If we're open and honest with each other about what it takes for us to feel good about ourselves, it's only going to help everybody else."
Of course, there is no shame in getting plastic surgery. Regardless, there's still a great deal of conjecture about the elective cosmetic procedures public figures may or may not have gotten done. The "Vanderpump Rules" cast knows this all too well. Time and time again, Scheana Shay has been asked if she's had plastic surgery, but she maintains she hasn't gone beyond Botox and fillers. In a 2018 Glamour interview, Brittany Cartwright shared that she hadn't gone beyond Kybella and Botox, contrary to what viewers believe. "I hate when people say I got a nose job or my lips done, because I lose weight in my face," she told the magazine. And after fellow "RHOBH" star Lisa Rinna claimed Lisa Vanderpump got a face lift, the "Pump Rules" matriarch denied the story. The rumor mill may churn out a lot of speculation about their elective work journeys, but all we can do is take their word for it.
Lala and Randall's feud with 50 Cent
Lala Kent may be done with her ex-fiancé Randall Emmett these days, but the legend of their 2019 feud with rapper 50 Cent lives on. According to TMZ, the beef started because Randall owed 50 Cent money and apparently had been dodging paying him back. Because of that, 50 Cent decided to take their drama to social media, posting a clip of Lala talking about Randall on "Vanderpump Rules," and mocking them in the caption. True to Lala's nature, she fired back, commenting on the post, "She swears she's a thug from south side Jamaica, Queens and she's up in here watching Bravo."
Yet, 50 Cent continued to humiliate the couple, posting screenshots of a text conversation where Randall was apologizing and begging him to stop. 50 Cent even threatened him, writing, "Keep playing with me and get ya f***ing head cracked in front of everybody." Randall didn't take the drama well, and claimed he had to go to the emergency room for chest pains.
50 Cent continued to publicly ridicule Randall until he received the money he was owed. He then wrote in a now-deleted post (via Us Weekly), "I got my money, so I have no problem with @randallemmettfilms." While Lala defended her man at the time, since her split with Randall, things have apparently changed. As Us Weekly reported in February 2022, the "Pump Rules" star posted an Instagram Story dancing to 50 Cent's Super Bowl halftime performance, making it clear whose side she'd be on now.
Brock's domestic violence charge
Brock Davies presumedly tried to keep his pre-"Vanderpump Rules" life a secret, but his co-star Lala Kent apparently wasn't going to let that happen. That's because in Season 9, she revealed he had once been charged with domestic violence. Per Page Six, the story got out after Lala tried to get to the bottom of why Scheana Shay's beau was more or less estranged from his kids from a previous relationship.
As Brock told Lisa Vanderpump, "The situation between me and my ex was toxic. .. There was an instance one time, and I did slap my partner." However, according to Brock, it was another altercation that led to the restraining order. He recalled, "We separated. And then we found out we were pregnant with my little girl. That led to an argument with me and [my ex's] dad, and they pressed the domestic violence order on me."
While the order was eventually lifted, Brock and his ex still weren't on the best of terms. Scheana told Us Weekly that she set up a FaceTime with them to make plans to reconcile. And although Brock probably didn't want to air his family drama, he admitted, "I didn't really understand much of it until I actually talked about it." He added, "As long as it keeps me accountable, then I know I am not going back [to] that way ever again."
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.
The behind-the-scenes drug and alcohol use
You could say that the "Vanderpump Rules" cast's drug use has been one of the show's worst kept secrets, considering all the rumors that they were under the influence during filming. On an episode of her former podcast, Stassi Schroeder alleged that multiple members of the cast used Adderall while making the series. "[On an episode of Brandi Glanville's podcast] I referenced Adderall a million times ... it was a big part of my life," she dished. Of course, there were drawbacks, with Stassi revealing on camera that she had blacked out after mixing it with alcohol at her 29th birthday party.
Jax Taylor denied the rumors that he used cocaine despite many suggesting otherwise. Tom Sandoval even made a joke about it during Jax's birthday roast, and later, a screen grab of what looked to be Jax cutting lines circulated on Twitter. It didn't help that former cast member Billie Lee alleged on the "2 Servings of Fruit" podcast that producers knew Jax was on drugs, claiming, "They would dance around that behavior."
Lala Kent has been open about struggling with alcohol, revealing that she got sober after a family trip to Disney World. James Kennedy also stopped drinking after openly dealing with alcohol addiction on the show, and he's pursued a "Cali sober" lifestyle. As he said on a 2021 episode of "Watch What Happens Live," "I will quit weed also when the time comes."
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Stassi's various offensive comments
Stassi Schroeder's racist behavior toward Faith Stowers in 2018 wasn't the only off-camera misconduct that got the "Vanderpump Rules" star into trouble. In 2017, Stassi came under fire for criticizing women involved in the #MeToo movement on her now-defunct "Straight Up with Stassi" podcast. According to Us Weekly, Stassi not only suggested that sexual harassment victims willingly put themselves in compromising situations, but that they were only speaking out because it was trendy. She later apologized, tweeting, "It was irresponsible for me to make generalized statements about a very serious topic ... as it is not my place to speak about anyone else's experiences."
That same year, Stassi ended up back in the hot seat for labeling an outfit as "Nazi chic" on her Instagram Story. While People reported she quickly deleted and reposted the photo as #Elsa-IndianaJones Chic," clarifying it as an "Appropriate Redo," the damage was done and it stuck. As she said on a 2020 episode of "The Tamron Hall Show," "I've been embarrassed about that for three years. It was a poor joke ... and it was so wrong."
And then there was when Stassi complained about the #OscarsSoWhite campaign. On a since-deleted 2017 episode of her podcast, she stated, (via TMZ), "I'm really sick of everyone making everything about race." Stassi also apologized for that remark, telling Tamron Hall, "I've never felt like I was a racist. ... but I recognize I wasn't anti-racist. That's something I've been learning throughout all of this."
Some Vanderpump Rules stars aren't friends
When "Vanderpump Rules" began, it was about a bunch of buddies working together at a restaurant. However, not only has most of the cast stopped waiting tables at SUR, but the behind-the-scenes drama over the years has impacted the group's dynamic. Take Jax Taylor and Tom Sandoval. Apparently, they drifted apart for good after Jax didn't return for Season 9. So much so, Jax felt compelled to not only return a gift from Sandoval, but leave said gift on Sandoval's doorstep without warning. (The moment was caught by a home security camera and the footage was used in the show.) Per Reality Blurb, when Sandoval and Tom Schwartz appeared on a January 2022 episode of "Watch What Happens Live," they confirmed Sandoval and Jax weren't exactly itching to hang out. "It's amicable but the dynamic is kinda dead," Schwartz said.
Stassi Schroeder and Scheana Shay have had their fair share of ups and downs, too. As of 2022, it seemed as if the two had reached a better place — or at least the photos they've posted on Instagram make it seem that way. Alas, according to Page Six, Scheana was apparently supposed to attend Stassi's May 2022 wedding in Italy, but according to an insider, "At some point she got disinvited."
Clearly, a handful of "Pump Rules" friendships hit the skids once SUR-tain stars were no longer a part of the cast. Perhaps the original foundation wasn't as strong was we wanted to believe.