Tom Sandoval, the star of Bravo’s reality show ‘Vanderpump Rules’, has issued an apology for his controversial remarks in a recent interview with the New York Times Magazine, where he compared the media attention he received for his cheating scandal, dubbed Scandoval, to the cases of George Floyd and O.J. Simpson.
Sandoval, who cheated on his longtime partner Ariana Madix with her close friend Raquel Leviss last year, said in the interview that he felt like he was receiving a lot of hate and that his situation was “a little bit the same” as the two high-profile cases that sparked national outrage and protests.
“My intentions behind the comments I made in New York Times Magazine were to explain the level of national media attention my affair received. The comparison was inappropriate and ignorant. I’m incredibly sorry and embarrassed,” Tom Sandoval wrote on his Instagram story on Tuesday.
His apology came after his comments received a whole lot of backlash online, with many people calling him out for his ‘insensitive’ and ‘tone-deaf’ comparison.
Katie Maloney, his former co-star and ex-wife of his best friend Tom Schwartz, slammed him on social media, saying:
“Hey Tom Schwartz you wanna come explain what he was really trying to say? … the f–k?”
Guerdy Abraira, a star of ‘Real Housewives of Miami’, also criticized Sandoval, writing:
“PLEASE reflect on this repulsive statement you made (regarding GEORGE FLOYD r.i.p) especially on black history month and take it back!!”
Tom Sandoval’s scandal, which was revealed during the tenth season of ‘Vanderpump Rules’, has been one of the main sources of drama and conflict on the show.
The co-owner of TomTom admitted to having a one-night stand with Leviss, who was also dating another cast member, James Kennedy, at the time. The affair caused a rift between Sandoval and Madix, who had been together for nine years, and between Leviss and Kennedy, who had been dating for five years. Both couples eventually broke up.
‘Vanderpump Rules’ is currently airing its eleventh season on Bravo, and Tom Sandoval’s scandal is expected to continue to play a major role in the storyline. The show follows the lives and drama of a group of friends who work at a restaurant owned by Lisa Vanderpump, a former star of ‘Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’.
