There’s still an entire day left of BravoCon festivities But the Vanderpump Rules cast has already taken the top prize for the most tense and cringe-y show panel of the weekend. And as a front-row witness to the group's awkward dynamic, I can tell you this particular panel made me want to crawl out of my skin and bury myself six feet into the ground. (And yes, it was more awkward than listening to 4,000 people boo Lisa Rinna on Friday).
At the SUR’ving It Up with Vanderpump Rules roundtable on Saturday, the group was asked a series of uncomfortable questions by the panel’s host and audience members. Topics included Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz’s divorce that was finalized yesterday, Raquel Leviss’ rumored hookup with Schwartz post-their breakup and other drama surrounding former cast member Stassi Schroeder’s wedding. While charming lovebirds Tom Sandaoval and Ariana Madix did their best to occasionally lighten up the mood, the overall vibe of the afternoon was, um, not good.
The biggest elephant in the room was obviously Maloney and Scwhartz’s chaotic love story coming to an end. Viewers have been desperately waiting for the show’s longest-running couple to spill details about their divorce, ahead of Season 11. And the producers of BravoCon seemingly took note, seating them in separate, white chairs on opposite sides of the host, while their castmates shared couches. The panel’s host took no time asking the two where they stood.
“I feel like for the first two months, I was a sad sack of shit,” said Schwartz, who received plenty of “aws” from the crowd. “I turned emo for a while. I was kind of wallowing in my own little pit party. But I feel good. This is great.”
Maloney, who had plenty of supporters that afternoon, was a lot more terse in her response.
“I’m good,” she said, receiving a loud applause. “I’m great.”
Maloney was fairly quiet throughout most of the panel, avoiding her eye contact with some of her castmates. Most noticeably, her head was turned whenever Leviss spoke. The newest addition on the current cast and ex-fiance of James Kennedy vaguely responded to questions about her allegedly scandalous behavior this upcoming season. (It’s been rumored that the 28-year-old hooked up with Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ cast member Gracelle Beauvais’s son, who’s currently employed at SUR, in addition to Schwartz).
“I’m single, and I’m living my best life,” she shrugged while the audience cheered and groaned.
Schwartz, on the other hand, was only pressed about his alleged mingling with Leviss by a heroic audience member during the Q&A portion, rowling up the audience. But the question was weirdly shut down by the host. (Boo!) Ironically though, when asked during a game, the TomTom owner stated that Leviss would have the most to answer for during season 11’s reunion. (Sure!)
Another brave audience member, the true hosts of the gathering, asked the cast about the drama surrounding former cast members and married couple Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright ditching Scrhoeder’s wedding last-minute. Scheana Shay was quick to explain that Cartwright had issues finding someone to take care of her baby son. While Maloney bluntly stated that she didn’t “think they were ever planning to come,” which the crowd loved.
Among other weird moments, Lala Kent went out of her way to lament the loss of some of her old cast members, presumably Schroeder, Kristen Doute and Taylor, who were all terminated in 2020 for racist incidents. And the crowd seemed to miss them as well. Unfortunately, there was no mention of Kent allegedly chasing her former Black co-star Faith Stowers with a knife while she was being bullied by the cast.
And I would be remiss not to mention Scwartz’s business partner Sandoval being asked whether he felt partially responsible for breaking up the Bubbas (a.k.a Maloney and Schwartz)—to which he somberly responded yes, with no elaborating.
Overall, the crowd and the host’s weird affection for Scwhartz made for the most disorienting moment throughout the panel, considering that many of his plotlines throughout the show have involved cheating and generally being a bad partner to his now ex-wife. Still, it seems like there’s a lot of support out there for Maloney, whose weight loss was awkwardly commented on several times during the panel.
Luckily, James Kennedy was able to relieve some of the tension in the room when he left the stage to relieve himself. In the middle of the host asking another question, the entire auditorium suddenly heard the British DJ tell a staff person “I left because I need to pee!” apparently, forgetting that he was still mic’d. Thank you to the white Kanye West for saving me from having a panic attackQ!
