The Untold Truth Of Lisa Vanderpump

So, you're a diehard fan of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and "Vanderpump Rules." Perhaps you've dined at one of her many establishments. Maybe you've even purchased some of her pet brand's accessories for your own dog. All in all, you think you know Lisa Vanderpump pretty dang well. You can hit all the big points: her unbridled love of animals, her unrelenting drama with Kristen Doute, her seemingly endless supply of silk blouses, her devotion to her partially hairless dog Giggy (RIP), and so on.

Given that she's shared multiple facets of her life on reality TV since 2010, it's easy to think you know everything there is to know about Vanderpump, but some of her colleagues may tell you there's a lot more to her than meets the eye. As Erika Girardi famously once said, "I think she's a sniper from the side." 

Of course, her former costars are biased to some degree, and there's even more to the Queen of SUR's story. Without further ado, let us dig into the untold truth of Lisa Vanderpump.

On "Vanderpump Rules," Lisa Vanderpump is all business. Sure, she occasionally butts heads with her staff but overall they for the most part seem to get along relatively well. The same, unfortunately, cannot be said for Vanderpump's working relationship with her "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" costars. Vanderpump left the series in the middle of Season 9, when Kyle Richards (along with a few others) accused her of selling a defamatory story to the tabloids. "Puppygate," as it was later called, involved a murky narrative regarding whether or not Dorit Kemsley abandoned a dog she adopted from Vanderpump's rescue after it allegedly bit one of her children, per Us Weekly. 

This wasn't the first time Vanderpump was believed to have her hand in a defamatory story that'd made its way to the tabloids. As "RHOBH" alum Teddi Mellencamp claimed in Dave Quinn's "Not All Diamonds and Rosé," "There was definitely a pattern where LVP would go to the press in order to get the storylines there ... so that people would look bad and she could continue to look good."

Alas, this behavior sank some longtime friendships. Take, for example, when Andy Cohen asked Richards' daughters on a 2022 episode of "Watch What Happens Live" to say, on a scale from one to 10, how much their mom misses former BFF Vanderpump. Richards and her kids all estimated she was at a paltry three. 

As far as Ken Todd is concerned, meeting Lisa Vanderpump was the best thing to ever happen to him, and not just because she's the love of his life. Since the day they said "I do," Todd and Vanderpump have been devoted business partners as well as husband and wife.

With Vanderpump on his team, Todd extended his restaurant empire from the UK into the States, and upwards of 30 establishments at its peak. As Vanderpump put it when speaking to the Evening Standard in 2002, they balance each other out. "I tend to look after the aesthetic side of things," she said. "Ken deals with licenses and so on."

Vanderpump knows a good deal when she sees it, which is how she came to be on reality TV. According to The Cut, she was reluctant at first but ultimately chose to give "RHOBH" a go after she concluded that it could be a boon for her family's empire. Through her position on Bravo, Vanderpump (along with Todd, as always) began executive producing "Vanderpump Rules," which became an instant hit. As her popularity grew, she capitalized on that recognition with a host of products including a wine label, sangria, and pet apparel. If you thought COVID would slow her down, you'd be wrong again: In April 2022, Vanderpump opened yet another restaurant, Las Vegas eatery Vanderpump à Paris. 

If you've watched "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" or "Vanderpump Rules," then you're already familiar with Lisa Vanderpump's two children, Pandora Vanderpump Sabo and Max Todd. What you may not have known though is that her husband, Ken Todd, has another son from a previous marriage, Warren Todd, to whom Vanderpump shares a very strange connection.

One thing led to another and a few years later, Warren met and fell in love with Vanderpump's friend Sue Vanner — who happens to be 16 years his senior. However, neither Vanderpump nor Ken were huge fans of the match at first, which is somewhat ironic given their own 16-year age gap. "When Warren first met Sue, the 16 year age difference, the secrecy that had transpired, was not something we supported," Vanderpump wrote in a Bravo blog after an episode introducing Warren aired. "It took a while," she continued, admitting that eventually she and Ken came around. "And now 26 years and a lovely grandson for Ken later, we would have to admit we were wrong."

Though the marriage lasted for nearly three decades, it eventually ran its course. In 2019, Warren and Verner split following some rumblings of infidelity, per the Daily Mail. 

This will come as no surprise, but Lisa Vanderpump is wicked rich. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the reality star/restaurateur/executive producer is worth approximately $90 million, thanks to her empire that includes restaurants, shows, products — the list goes on.

When it comes to how Vanderpump likes to spend her money, property sure seems to be near the top of the list. Take Villa Rosa, her home that features enviable views of the Los Angeles skyline, horses, swans, a moat, and an infinity pool. In 2019, Zillow told Refinery29 that the house is worth nearly $13 million; Celebrity Net Worth's estimate hits $20 million. If Villa Rosa is indeed worth $20 million, then it's proven to be an incredibly wise investment, given that Vanderpump and Todd reportedly bought the place for $12 million in 2011. 

Don't go thinking that Vanderpump hoards her wealth or that she spends it all on herself. The reality star balances out her lavish lifestyle with her various charitable initiatives. She's been known to host events for LA-based non profits at SUR, per TMZ. Of course, there's also the Vanderpump Dog Foundation, her no-kill dog rescue.

Yes, Lisa Vanderpump stepped away from "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" in the thick of the Puppygate debacle, and yes, she did end up burning bridges with her castmates. But behind the scenes, Vanderpump was struggling with her mental health. 

Just a few months before filming began, Vanderpump's brother died. The grief took a toll on her while the season was still in production, and she had to make the painful decision to walk away from the franchise. As she said in "Not All Diamonds and Rosé," "I left at a very low point in my life. It was a sad ending at what could have been an amazing experience." 

In a 2021 interview with Hollywood Life, Vanderpump spoke about her exit. "[My depression] was circumstantial grief really because of something that happened," she said. "So for me, I really needed to be proactive with it." Even though Vanderpump quit "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills," the day-to-day stress of her jam-packed life didn't stop. "I was running on four cylinders. I wasn't really where I should be," she explained. The reality star shared that she sought treatment for her mental health and made life changes that proved helpful. "We have to take responsibility for our own happiness," she said. "If it's really negative in your life, step away from it."

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.