On September 14, 2025, the glitz and glamour of Hollywood descended on a series of Emmy pre-party celebrations, drawing together some of television’s most recognizable faces. Among the revelers was Tom Sandoval, a figure whose presence at NBCUniversal’s celebration of Emmy nominees and the special toast to SNL50 was as notable for his reality TV legacy as for his recent, headline-grabbing controversies. The event, part of a broader series of gatherings leading up to the 2025 Emmy Awards, saw stars from across the entertainment spectrum—Kristen Bell, Adam Brody, Phaedra Parks, Seth Rogen, and more—mingling at exclusive venues like the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills and the Gersh 2025 Emmy Party, according to reporting from People.
But as Sandoval posed for cameras and toasted the achievements of his peers, the shadow of his reality TV past loomed large. For more than a decade, Sandoval was a central figure on Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules, a show that began as a spin-off of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and quickly became a cornerstone of pop culture thanks to its wild cast and relentless drama. The series, centered around Lisa Vanderpump’s West Hollywood restaurant SUR, was infamous for its cast’s off-the-rails antics—fighting, cheating, and the kind of interpersonal chaos that made for can’t-miss television. As Vulture wryly observed, “the fact that Vanderpump seems to exclusively employ hard-drinking lunatics seems pretty bad for her bottom line, business wise... but for audiences? It’s a gift!”
Yet, as Sandoval smiled for photographers at the Emmy festivities, fans of Vanderpump Rules were still reeling from the seismic shift that had recently rocked the show—one so significant it ended an era. The so-called “Scandoval” scandal, which erupted in early March 2023, saw Sandoval exposed for a months-long affair with castmate Raquel Leviss. The betrayal shattered the group’s fragile alliances and, according to Vulture, “proved that the show was broken beyond repair.” Ariana Madix, Sandoval’s longtime girlfriend and the woman most hurt by the affair, set clear boundaries: she would not associate with Sandoval or anyone defending him, such as his close friend Tom Schwartz. This left the cast fractured, with friendships and loyalties splintered in ways that made the show’s future uncertain.
Season 11 of Vanderpump Rules documented the fallout in excruciating detail. Madix’s pain and anger were palpable, and the show’s attempts to redeem Sandoval—along with the willingness of some cast members, like Lala Kent and Scheana Shay, to forgive him—only deepened the divisions. Vulture described the season as “the end of Vanderpump Rules, and we all knew it.” The drama culminated in a bizarre and fascinating fourth wall break during the finale, but by then, it was clear the magic was gone. The group of “friends” that viewers had watched since 2013 was simply too damaged to continue as before.
In the wake of the scandal, Bravo made a bold move: after season 11, every remaining main cast member was let go, and the show was fully rebooted with a new cast. As Vulture noted, “no new cast members on Vanderpump Rules can possibly ever recapture the ‘lightning in a bottle’ makeup of the original show.” The decision marked the end of an era—not just for Sandoval, but for reality television itself, which had rarely seen a cast so perfectly suited for chaos and entertainment.
Looking back, Sandoval’s journey on Vanderpump Rules was defined by more than just scandal. During season 6, he and Tom Schwartz collaborated with Lisa Vanderpump to launch the restaurant TomTom, a professional partnership that became a recurring storyline. The show’s appeal, however, always lay in its combustible mix of personalities and the never-ending cycle of betrayal, forgiveness, and renewal. Season after season, viewers were treated to weddings, breakups, wild parties, and the kind of interpersonal drama that only reality TV can deliver.
The show’s earlier seasons were marked by unforgettable moments and characters. Stassi Schroeder’s infamous outbursts (“it’s my f***ing birthday!”), Jax Taylor’s endless cheating scandals, and the revolving door of new cast members kept things fresh, even as the core group’s dysfunction became increasingly apparent. Some seasons, like the much-maligned season 9, struggled after the firing of key cast members for off-screen controversies. Others, such as season 10, found new life in the wake of “Scandoval,” with Ariana Madix’s raw and powerful response to betrayal earning acclaim and helping the show secure its first Emmy nominations.
But as Vulture’s exhaustive season ranking makes clear, the heart of Vanderpump Rules was always in its messiest, most chaotic moments. Who could forget the jaw-dropping revelation in season 2 that Kristen Doute had slept with Jax Taylor—her best friend’s boyfriend—while her own boyfriend, Sandoval, slept in the next room? Or the notorious “pasta” fight of season 6, a dispute so absurd it became a meme in its own right? These were the moments that made the show a cultural phenomenon and kept audiences coming back, season after season.
Yet, the show was not without its serious moments. Lala Kent’s decision to pursue sobriety, documented in season 7, offered a rare glimpse of vulnerability and growth amid the chaos. The series also did not shy away from addressing addiction, as seen in Scheana Shay’s revelations about her ex-husband’s struggles. For viewers facing similar challenges, the show’s frankness was both refreshing and important, a reminder that reality TV can sometimes offer more than just escapism.
As the dust settles on the “Scandoval” era, Sandoval’s appearance at the 2025 Emmy pre-parties serves as a reminder of both the heights and pitfalls of reality TV fame. The rebooted Vanderpump Rules faces the daunting task of recapturing the show’s original magic with an entirely new cast—a challenge that, as Vulture points out, may prove insurmountable. For fans, the end of the original cast marks the close of a uniquely wild chapter in television history.
Still, the legacy of Vanderpump Rules endures, not just in the annals of reality TV, but in the pop culture consciousness. As the Emmy celebrations continue and new stars rise, the story of Sandoval and his castmates is a potent reminder of the unpredictable, often messy, but always fascinating nature of fame in the age of reality television.
Sometimes, the most unforgettable stories are the ones that unravel in the spotlight, leaving viewers—and the stars themselves—wondering what might come next.
