Vanderpump Rules Tom Sandoval’s popularity sunk following “Scandoval” and his subsequent behavior, but it seems he hit rock bottom with viewers on July 16th. That day, his attorneys filed a lawsuit against his ex-girlfriend, Ariana Madix, accusing her of invading his privacy and unauthorized computer access when she discovered his infidelity through his phone. On July 17, a user named VPR Fan launched the petition “Discontinue Tom Sandoval’s Participation in all of Bravo’s Programming” on Change.org. While Sandoval quickly dropped the lawsuit and issued a public statement that he had been ill-advised by one of his attorneys, the damage was done.
The Change.org petition, which has amassed over 4,000 signatures in four days, reads:
“Tom Sandoval, one of the participants in Bravo’s shows, unfortunately, has been a continuous cause of disappointment for the audience. Reasons cited include offensive comments, disrespectful behavior and filing the lawsuit in order to harass Ariana. The viewers believe that keeping him on the network sends a wrong message and contributes towards normalizing such behavior, which is not what reality television should promote. Based on collective viewer feedback, we urge Bravo to terminate Tom Sandoval’s involvement in its current and future shows to maintain the network’s integrity and respect in the eyes of its dedicated audience.”
Sandoval has been a fixture on Vanderpump Rules, which follows the lives of Lisa Vanderpump’s SUR staff, since its first season in 2013. Madix first appeared during the second season, and she and Sandoval confirmed their relationship during that season’s reunion. She joined the show’s main cast during its third season.
The Rise and Fall of Scandoval
VPR’s popularity soared to new heights after news broke that Sandoval had been cheating on Madix (his partner of 10 years) with friend and co-star Raquel Leviss (who now goes by Rachel). While filming for the show’s tenth season had wrapped, Bravo acted quickly to catch the fallout. The final episode of VPR’s tenth season included the cast’s reaction to Sandoval’s infidelity and a heated exchange between Madix and Sandoval. A reunion special, held just weeks later, saw the VPR crew rally around Madix and slam Leviss and Sandoval (who can forget James Kennedy’s “worm with a mustache line”?). The scandal, cleverly coined “Scandoval,” ushered in high viewership numbers for Bravo and the first Emmy nominations for VPR.
Leviss would not return for the show’s 11th season, and instead checked herself into a mental health facility and later sued Sandoval and Madix. Despite ardent support for Madix right after Scandoval, the series’ eleventh season proved to be more divisive, with cast and viewers flip-flopping on Madix as some felt her anger towards Sandoval lingered too long. For reference, Madix discovered Sandoval and Leviss’ affair in March 2023, and season 11 was filmed from June to September of that same year.
Following Season 11, Bravo announced that VPR would take a filming break, leading many to question whether the show would be back. VPR executive producer Alex Baskin told the Hollywood Reporter that a break was needed as “everyone needs time to reset.” When asked about the possibility of a cast shakeup, Baskin shared:
“I think that’s definitely possible. I think all things are possible. There’s still a strong core there. So I could totally see some version of the bulk of the cast returning and then some notable additions. I think there’s plenty of life. What form that takes, I don’t exactly know. But that’s certainly very possible.”
Given that information, a petition to oust Sandoval from Bravo might not even be necessary. More importantly, VPR, in its current form, might be nearing an end. Of course, a shakeup could push some of its stars to Bravo’s The Valley, which features former VPR castmates and some new faces. It’s clear that many fans are not willing to risk witnessing any more of Sandoval’s behavior, regardless of the show. So has VPR run its course? That remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: with Broadway now on her resume, Madix has likely outgrown it.