NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Andy Cohen defended Tom Sandoval amid cheating allegations as he slammed 'Vanderpump Rules' fans for acting "out of control". The 54-year-old TV show host talked about the actor who dated Ariana Madix for nine years and cheated on her with her best friend Raquel Leviss.
"Tom Sandoval made a mistake he’ll probably regret for the rest of his life," the Bravo executive said on the 'Not Skinny But Not Fat' podcast's episode on Tuesday, May 30, and added, "He is still a person."
'He didn’t kill anyone, he didn’t commit a crime'
Talking about the affair, the Bravo executive told host Amanda Hirsch that the fan reaction to the whole scandal that topped the headlines will eventually calm down. "It’s out of control, I hope it’s kind of dying down for his sake," the 'Watch What Happen Live' boss said. "He’s a real person. He did something really stupid and hurtful and asinine … [but] he didn’t kill anyone, he didn’t commit a crime," Cohen added. "The cast is so incestuous already," said Cohen when the host asked why he thinks the affair became complicated. The scandal was also documented in Season 10 of 'Vanderpump Rules'.
Sandoval's affair with Leviss
On March 1, 2023, Madix discovered Sandoval and Leviss' affair after she saw a sexually explicit video of the former beauty pageant contestant when the band singer's phone fell out of his pocket. "I found a screen recording of them on FaceTime. It was literally from the night before," the 'Buying Back My Daughter' actress told her 'Pump Rules' castmates on the Season finale on May 17. Two days later, the betrayal was exposed that led to the duo's break up after a nearly decade-long relationship, according to Page Six.
Last week, Madix revealed in the first installment of the reality show's highly-anticipated reunion that Leviss sent her only one apology text. As the 28-year-old received a restraining order against her from her ex-friend Scheana Shay, Leviss did not appear for the first part of the reunion which was filmed on March 23.
In the upcoming episode set to air this week, Madix will be addressing Leviss directly after her seven-month relationship with Sandoval. The trailer for the episode showed the 'Something About Her' star calling Leviss "diabolical, demented [and] subhuman." Madix was "heartbroken" and "blindsided" after the betrayal came to light. Leviss and Sandoval broke up after the scandal was filmed and a source told Page Six, "Raquel dipped out. Sandoval is not the one for her."
