Stassi Schroeder Slams ‘Narcissistic’ Tom Sandoval for Affair Scandal, Calls It ‘4 Trillion Times Worse’ Than Jax Taylor and Kristen Doute Cheating Drama

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Stassi Schroeder Slams 'Narcissistic' Tom Sandoval for Affair Scandal, Calls It '4 Trillion Times Worse' Than Jax Taylor and Kristen Doute Cheating Drama

Spilling the tea. Stassi Schroeder has entered the chat with candid thoughts on Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss' affair scandal. "I think it goes without saying that I'm Team Ariana. There shouldn't even be a choice. It's not up for debate," Schroeder, 34, said during her "Straight Up With Stassi" podcast, which was posted on Wednesday, March 8. "I hate that Tom Sandoval ended up having a hand in her book and now they share Fancy AF Cocktails. I think that's the most s—tty." The Vanderpump Rules alum, who appeared on the show from 2013 to 2020, called Sandoval's infidelity "so f—king shocking" for her. "You can't even compare it to the whole Kristen [Doute] and Jax [Taylor] situation because this is four trillion times worse," she shared, referring to the season 2 revelation that her ex-boyfriend, 43, hooked with Doute, 40. "A 10-year relationship where you own a home together — they are married." Schroeder went on to slam the TomTom co-owner, 39, for his decisions, adding, "We all knew that Sandoval was an incredibly selfish, narcissistic and egotistical person who spent ten years trying to convince everyone he was the good guy. You have to be a new level of evil to do this to someone who has been nothing but a wonderful partner to you." She added: "That was my first text to my producers, 'I'm not going to lie, this good guy act that he has gotten away with for 10 years too long.'" [jwplayer hsy4KecX-zhNYySv2] Us Weekly confirmed on Friday, March 3, that Sandoval and Ariana Madix called it quits after nearly a decade of dating. "They were having problems for a while," a source revealed to Us, noting that things "only came to a breaking point" when the Florida native, 37, was made aware that the businessman was unfaithful with Leviss, 28. Before the news broke, Madix deleted all of her social media platforms. The restaurant owner, however, issued a statement after his bars received hateful reviews in response to the controversy. Sandoval went on to post a second apology after fans questioned why he didn't mention his ex-girlfriend in the public message. "I want to first and foremost apologize to everyone I've hurt through this process. Most of all, I want to apologize to Ariana," Sandoval wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, March 7. "I made mistakes, I was selfish and made reckless decisions that hurt somebody I love. No one deserves to feel that pain so traumatically and publicly." He added: "I can only imagine how devastating this has been for Ariana and everyone around us. I feel really horrible about that. My biggest regret is that I dishonored Ariana. I never meant to disappoint so many people, including our loving families and friends." Leviss, for her part, also addressed the controversy in a statement. "I want to apologize for my actions and my choices foremost to Ariana, and to my friends and the fans so invested in our relationships,” the beauty pageant contestant told Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday. “There is no excuse, I am not a victim and I must own my actions and I deeply regret hurting Ariana.” The California native said she was "speaking to a counselor" about her personal issues, adding, “I have sought emotional validation through intimate connections that are not healthy without regard for my own well-being, sometimes negatively affecting others and often prioritizing the intimate connection over my friendships. I am taking steps to understand my behavior and make healthier choices.” Scroll down for Schroeder's insight on the Vanderpump Rules drama:

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Reflecting on Her 'Vanderpump Rules' Past

"Not to make it about me but I feel a little triggered. I'm trying not to be selfish, but I have been out of this situation and this environment for three years now. That's a really long time. I didn't ask for this. That choice was made for me," Schroeder explained, referring to her 2020 firing. "In order to cope and move on and be a healthy person, I had to put some distance between me and the show."

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Why Stassi Didn't Want to Address the Scandal

During the podcast, the Louisiana native revealed she initially didn't want to comment on the drama.

"For the most part, this world is not my life anymore. Drama isn't my life anymore. I don't know how to digest it and I don't know how to talk about it," she detailed. "I feel weird talking about it because I know them and 'Pop Culture Hour' for me is gossiping about people I don't know."

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Comparing It to the Jax and Kristen Cheating Scandal

While addressing the controversy, Schroeder discussed how Sandoval's infidelity compared to Taylor's past hookup with Doute.

"What Jax and Kristen did was absolutely horrible. That was two times," she said about the 2014 incident. "They did lie and cover [it] up, but this feels completely worse. Sandoval is an adult, and I don't even have the words to explain how much worse this is. I'm so worried for Ariana because I know what that did to me. ... I don't know how Ariana is ever going to get over this."

The podcast host called Sandoval and Leviss' scandal the "worst thing" to happen in Bravo history.

"I think the only way they could have some sort of redemption is if they got married and had a baby and started a journey together for the rest of their lives," she quipped. 

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Getting Network Protection

Schroeder recalled her own issues with Sandoval from their time on the hit Bravo series.

"One of the things Tom hated about me is that he thought I was protected [by the show]. I always felt that way about him. I was like, 'But you are protected. I know you are doing all this shady s—t and no one ever bothers to look into it,'" she said. "Andy Cohen loves him. I wonder if Andy Cohen still does."

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Denies Staged Rumors

In response to fan speculation about the scandal being fake, Schroeder discussed behind-the-scenes details about the show.

"The thing about Vanderpump Rules and what made it so great — and at times so bad — is that it is so real. So, when people say last season sucked so bad, that is because that is what was really going on. It happened to not be that interesting," she explained. "They are not making s—t up for story lines. I know for a fact that Tom Sandoval would never go through with something that made him look bad just to make the show look bad."

According to Schroeder, the Missouri native "would plan" ahead of the Vanderpump Rules reunions. "He was so good at pointing at things each of us had said or done five years prior that had nothing to do with anything. He would never go along with anything to make himself look bad," she noted.

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The Raquel of It All

The Amazing Race alum admitted she felt "fooled" by Leviss over the years.

"I don't know if she was always this person or if she became this person through all the attention and fame she got. A show where bad behavior is rewarded with attention and you're talked about more when you're bad," Schroeder shared. "She didn't mind getting into that area of the show and she saw she was getting more attention. Did she turn into this person? I don't feel like this is who she was."

She continued: "Knowing what she has been doing for over half a year and to be able to lie like that is an evil that I haven't met before. Both her and Tom. Everything I thought I knew of evil wasn't."

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Addressing the 'Vanderpump Rules' Season 10 Story Lines

In the episode, Schroeder questioned whether Sandoval and Leviss planned her onscreen hookup with Tom Schwartz.

"This sounds like something Sandoval would come up with," she noted. "Schwartz wasn't into Raquel and I even remember in real time Katie [Maloney] telling me, 'What hurts the most is that Schwartz isn't interested in Raquel and Raquel isn't interested in him. They are doing this for a story. This doesn't feel real.'"

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Stassi's Message to Ariana

"Despite Ariana at times not liking me, I have always thought that we both had a lot in common. I admire her and I think she's a really good person to the core. We all have our faults but she's a good person. She's also been a good girlfriend to Sandoval. I have never once heard of her being anything less than a standard great girlfriend," Schroeder said. "He did this to somebody who has been his best friend."

The former Bravo star noted that she was excited for the next chapter of Madix's life. Schroeder also showed support for Doute's rumored return to the show.

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Stassi Teases the Scheana and Raquel Confrontation

"I will not confirm nor deny," Schroeder said in response to rumors that Scheana Shay got physical with Leviss after she heard the news. Leviss has since filed for a restraining order against Shay, 37, amid the speculation.