Already have an account?
Get back to the

Tom Schwartz Reveals Where He Stands With Friend Tom Sandoval Following Scandoval Drama

Taking time apart? Tom Schwartz got candid about how the aftermath of Tom Sandoval’s cheating scandal has impacted their friendship.

“He made a big mess and he left it for us to clean up back at the businesses,” the Schwartz & Sandy’s cofounder, 40, said to Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright during the Wednesday, June 7, episode of the couple’s “When Reality Hits with Jax and Brittany” podcast. “It’s hard for me not to be resentful of him, I’m definitely taking a break from Tom right now. I haven’t seen him in a while.”

Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval's Friendship Over the Years

Related: An Epic Bromance! Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval’s Friendship Over the Years

When news first broke that Sandoval and Ariana Madix called it quits after nearly a decade of dating amid his affair with Raquel Leviss, Schwartz publicly showed his support for the Tom Sandoval and the Most Extras frontman, 40, and faced backlash for it. While chatting with his former Vanderpump Rules costars on Wednesday, the Minnesota native revealed he felt “used” and “exploited” by Sandoval in the aftermath of the drama.

“I do love Tom. I took to heart everything he told me about Ariana,” he confessed. “Now that I’ve heard her side of the story … she [has] vehemently denied all this stuff.”

Tom Schwartz Reveals Where He Stands With Friend Tom Sandoval Following Scandoval Drama
Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval. Stephanie Augello/Shutterstock

While Schwartz didn’t get into specifics about what his business partner told him about his relationship with Madix, 37, Sandoval has been candid about his side of the story in a series of interviews.

The Stars on Mars star revealed his pal had “apologized” to him “a lot” following the drama of the cheating scandal. The twosome have been close friends since before the start of Pump Rules and their bromance grew as they became business partners over the years.

A Guide to Where Raquel Leviss and Tom Sandoval Now Stand With Each of Their 'Vanderpump Rules' Costars Amid Cheating Scandal

Related: Where Raquel Leviss, Tom Sandoval Stand With 'Pump Rules' Costars Amid Drama

While appearing on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in April, Schwartz confessed he learned about Sandoval’s romance with Leviss, 28, in August 2022. In that same interview, he asked fans to be more empathetic toward Sandoval.

“First of all, Ariana, love you. I know you don’t love me right now, but I still love you. And also, Tom, I know the whole world hates you. But I’m not going to abandon you, old buddy. I’m not going to abandon you,” he said at the time. “He knows he’s a monster for what he did. If you see him, maybe give him a hug. Even if he doesn’t deserve it, give him a hug. He’s down bad.”

Vanderpump Rules Costars Ariana Madix and Tom Schwartz Ups and Downs Through the Years Feature

Related: Ariana Madix and Tom Schwartz's Ups and Downs Through the Years

Following the appearance, Cohen, 55, gave some advice to Schwartz on how to handle the scandal in the public eye.

“Now what I told him was, ‘Here’s how this works in an interview,’ and ‘This is difficult when you’re being interviewed.’ I am a talk show host who likes to fill dead air,” the host explained. “However, I am also someone who has said too much, many, many times. … When there is a topic I am not looking to make trouble for myself over or I think maybe I want to be concise here or I don’t want to get in trouble. I don’t want to get anyone else in any trouble. I need to be careful with my words that would have been the Tom Schwartz moment on Wednesday.”

In this article

Got a Tip form close button
Got a tip for US?
We're All Ears for Celebrity Buzz!