Stassi Schroeder’s penultimate episode of Vanderpump Rules is causing even more controversy. The former SURver is under fire for casually suggesting that her costar Lala Kent is bipolar during part two of the season 8 reunion, which aired on Tuesday, June 9.
Stassi, 31, made the remark to her fiancé, Beau Clark, after Lala, 29, apologized to Scheana Shay for comments she made weeks earlier on the Vanderpump Rules aftershow.
“It isn’t interesting to watch a 34-year-old woman in a crop top and a slutty JoJo Siwa pony doing the same thing over and over again,” Lala said on an April episode of the aftershow.
On Tuesday’s reunion, which taped on April 30, Lala got visibly emotional after Scheana, 35, confronted her.
“I need to do better, and I need to be better,” the Give Them Lala Beauty CEO said at the reunion.
Stassi then whispered to Beau, 40, “I think Lala might be bipolar.”
Viewers subsequently accused Stassi of contributing to the stigmatization of mental health.
“Hey @stassi calling Lala bipolar isn’t cool. Bipolar disorder is a real disorder that many people, including myself, struggle with,” one person tweeted. “To throw out an accusation so casually diminishes the disorder and it isn’t cool. Reflect on that along with your ignorant beliefs.”
A second viewer wrote, “I guess Stassi made a flippant remark about Lala being bipolar when they were talking about her attacking people & I’m just … tired. Sick of these people throwing serious diagnoses around to explain s—tty behavior. I’m bipolar, I don’t scream at people for no reason. #PumpRules.”
“I love how Stassi called Lala bipolar when she was supposed to be in her cancelled wedding,” a third user pointed out. “Friends, am I right?! #VanderpumpRules.”
Neither Stassi nor Lala have publicly commented on part two of the reunion, which aired hours after Bravo cut ties with Stassi, Kristen Doute, Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni for racially insensitive comments they made in the past. An insider told Us Weekly that the cast was “shocked” by the network’s decision to fire Stassi, Kristen, 37, Max, 27, and Brett, 32.
“The rest of the cast is just finding out the news about the firings. They are shocked,” the source said on Tuesday. “There was still no word to the cast about the plans for starting up filming for next season.”
A second source noted that Stassi was “not expecting” the move, which came after her former Bravo costar Faith Stowers revealed the Next Level Basic author and Kristen reported her to the police for a 2018 robbery, which she didn’t commit.
“[Stassi] is surprised and upset,” the second source said, noting that she has “become a major piece of the Bravo puzzle over the years, and the network truly enjoyed working with her.”
The source added, “That said, racism and discrimination have no place on Bravo, so Stassi, Kristen, Max and Brett left the powers that be with no other option. The people behind the decision are now discussing ways that Bravo can publicly and more thoroughly address the situation.”
Part three of the Vanderpump Rules reunion airs on Bravo Tuesday, June 16, at 9 p.m. ET.
