A polarizing hot take. Meghan McCain weighed in on Scandoval and revealed she feels “more compassion” for Raquel Leviss than Ariana Madix.
In an op-ed for the Daily Mail published on Wednesday, June 14, the former View cohost, 38 — who is known for her love of reality TV — shared her thoughts on the Vanderpump Rules scandal, in which longtime couple Tom Sandoval and Madix, 37, split after the Florida native discovered that the TomTom cofounder, 40, had been cheating on her for months with Leviss, 28.
McCain recounted all of the drama that led up to Madix’s discovery of the affair in March, referring to Leviss as “an emotionally muted brunette bombshell” who “pumped Ariana – on camera – for the nitty-gritty on her and Tom’s relationship and sex life” prior to the affair coming to light. The former ABC personality acknowledged that the beauty queen “pretended to be a concerned friend” to Madix and put on “an act” while she and Sandoval were sleeping together behind Madix’s back.
“This was TV gold,” McCain penned. “It was the kind of real-life car crash that any connoisseur of unscripted slop relishes.”
Then “something went terribly wrong,” the daughter of the late John McCain wrote. “Tom and Raquel were smothered in hate – real hate. As Scandoval played out in the media for months, I found myself feeling more compassion for Raquel than Ariana.”
The Arizona native elaborated: “Yes, she and Tom had behaved terribly. But she took responsibility for what she did, and she was clearly suffering. Raquel checked herself into a mental health facility and had been in hiding — until the reunion finale.”
In April, Leviss’ rep told Us Weekly that Leviss “enter[ed] a voluntary facility for mental health counseling” after the Vanderpump Rules season 10 reunion was filmed in March. (“Raquel had planned to admit herself before the VPR reunion was taped on March 23. She was scheduled to go in pre-reunion but decided she wanted to finish her filming commitment,” the statement read at the time.)
As Meghan recalled the “bloodbath” that was the three-part Pump Rules reunion — which aired on Bravo throughout May and June — she recalled the hate hurled at Leviss (and Sandoval) throughout the night from Madix, Lala Kent and the rest of the Pump Rules cast.
“Reality television is meant to be escapism, not sadism. Yet that’s what this became.” the My Dad: John McCain author wrote for the Daily Mail. “Raquel was shaking and crying. And it all may have taken a terrifying toll. … At what point is enough — enough?”
While the cast continues to talk about and profit off the scandal, Madix and Kent, are among the stars who have recently acknowledged their own compassion for Leviss.
“In the moment during the reunion, after I left, I felt dirty,” the “Give Them Lala” podcast host, 32, told TMZ on Thursday, June 8.
Kent went on to reference the last five minutes of the final reunion episode, during which Leviss sobbed on camera and confessed to multiple lies she had been keeping for Sandoval.
“After watching last night when she finally had the breakdown, just as a human, because for me, it’s a reality TV show. I feel like we’re all, kind of, playing the same game, but when I watched that, I was like, ‘Oh, we may be dealing with someone who maybe shouldn’t be on this type of platform,’” Kent said.
The end of the episode also slightly shifted Madix’s perspective, she admitted after a Backgrid photographer asked her if she “feel[s] a little bit” for Leviss after watching her break down in the final moments. “Sure, yeah,” the former bartender replied.
As for Meghan’s final thoughts on the topic, she wants to see Leviss’ story line “be resolved.”
“Bravo shouldn’t forget about Raquel – they should be thanking her,” the former talk show host wrote. “’Scandoval’ brought the show and the network a degree of cultural significance that they have never achieved before. And from here now on out, they should proceed with a level of sensitivity that this debacle deserves. I, for one, want to watch how her story plays out.”
Earlier this month, a source exclusively confirmed to Us that Leviss still remains in a “voluntary inpatient behavioral health and trauma facility.” The insider noted that the California native has been in treatment for “68 days and counting,” explaining that the therapy “is helping her learn the basis of her decisions and to grow from her mistakes with the hope of making better choices and becoming a better person.”
Madix, meanwhile, is gearing up to open her sandwich shop, Something About Her, with costar Katie Maloney and is starring in the upcoming Lifetime movie Buying Back My Daughter. She has also been dating New York-based fitness trainer Daniel Wai, traveling with him to multiple music festivals together.
Sandoval, for his part, has been on tour with his cover band, Sandoval & The Most Extras. He told Howie Mandel in April that he and Leviss are currently “taking a break” amid the drama.
