The mystery of what Tom Sandoval and Rachel Leviss discussed in the parking lot during the filming of the Season 10 reunion of Vanderpump Rules has been solved!
During part two of the reunion, the Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras frontman snapped at producers that he needed a “break from filming” and to talk to the 28-year-old former reality star alone. Pictures taken by the paparazzi on the day of the reunion taping showed that they did get a chance to have a one-on-one conversation without the cameras.
It was never known what Sandoval and Rachel discussed. But the pageant vet finally spilled the tea about what happened on her new podcast, Rachel Goes Rogue. And apparently, a part of what Sandoval desperately needed to say to Rachel privately was about his best friend and business partner, Tom Schwartz! Why? Here’s the rundown…
Related: Ariana Madix & Katie Maloney Have Poured Nearly $1 MILLION Into Sandwich Shop!
When everyone was speculating whether Schwartz knew about the affair, which began in early August 2022, he gave his side of the story on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. He claimed to have learned about their “one-night stand” shortly after, in “late August” of 2022. However, it wasn’t until last January he found out the pair had a full-fledged “emotional affair.” Then, Schwartz reiterated at the reunion that Sandoval told him he and Rachel hooked up in August.
We’ve now heard Katie Maloney’s ex-husband wasn’t telling the truth. Rachel claimed on this week’s podcast episode that he found out the morning after she and Sandoval hooked up for the first time. So he actually knew all along! Despite Schwartz not being fully honest about the timeline of his involvement, even at the reunion, Sandoval was still PISSED at his bestie! Rachel explained he went off about Schwartz not sticking to the “date” he told him to say! Apparently they’d worked out a date for him to claim he found out about the affair:
“We’re partially acting on this show and the main goal is to not break that fourth wall, and Sandoval I think wanted to maintain that. He was not happy with Schwartz when he said at the reunion that he found out in August [2022].”
During their lunch break, Sandoval decided to talk about the confession from Schwartz with Rachel outside of her trailer — without cameras. He also had another motive to get her alone! Rachel claimed he wanted to check that she would stick to the story they created before she returned to the reunion stage:
“That was part of the conversation that we had when he pulled [me] aside out of the trailer. And the cameras went down. He was like, ‘It’s not cool that Schwartz came clean with his answer,’ or he didn’t come fully clean, but he definitely didn’t stick to the date Sandoval wanted him to.”
What date was Schwartz supposed to say originally?! Hmm. Rachel continued:
“I think he was reinforcing that I would stick to the story to keep me in his grasp, so I wouldn’t go rogue and expose it all. So it was definitely a control tactic and it seemed to have worked for the time being.”
Of course, Rachel is now going rogue and (supposedly) coming clean about it all! Sandoval most likely is even less happy with his ex now. And we bet both he and Schwartz will take a moment to respond to her latest comments on their next podcast episode.
Elsewhere on the podcast, she addressed the romance plotline with Schwartz during Season 10. Remember when the 41-year-old and Rachel kissed on camera in Mexico? That was after Schwartz knew about the affair. So fans guessed the storyline was a way for Schwartz to help cover up the controversial relationship between her and Sandoval — which the former SUR waitress sort of confirmed. However, she claimed producers also “staged” the whole thing! Rachel said:
“It is very strange how the fans’ comments will influence our storyline and how we go about filming. I guess it is part of the producers’ jobs to know what the fans want to see and what they are asking for. A lot of cast members will self-produce and will be thinking about what story line they’re going to be involved in as the season comes up. The comments that the fans will put out there seems to influence [what happens]. If there’s a little seed of, ‘So and so should date so and so.’ It seems to come into fruition.”
When Schwartz initially blew her off, Rachel alleged she was pushed to continue pursuing him anyway. This eventually led to the kiss (and her massive feud with Katie subsequently). Rachel recalled she felt “rewarded” by production for the liplock when her birthday trip became the main focus of another episode:
“I was like, ‘That’s what I’ve been wanting. That’s what I asked for.’ So immediately I was rewarded and we were all celebrating. It just felt like this high. Like I did something right.”
As for Schwartz being a decoy for her and Sandoval? Rachel stated that fake romance eventually became one when they agreed to keep the affair a secret:
“So no, it wasn’t initially a cover to cover up my relationship with Sandoval. It turned into that when we kept the secret and still played into this flirty role that Schwartz and I had. I question whether or not Sandoval strategized that move so that it could be a cover. But I do know that Schwartz was fully aware of the situation.”
Meanwhile, Ariana Madix had no clue all of this was going on behind her back! And we have a feeling Rachel has only scratched the surface of what really happened for all those months they lied to the 38-year-old.
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[Image via Bravo/YouTube]