The mere fact of Scandoval and then all the subsequent, awful little revelations were obviously very shocking. But the thing that shocks me most of all is another break-up it has caused: apparently Tom Sandoval and Tom Schwartz are now over too. Schwartz is currently appearing on another reality show called Stars on Mars in which celebrities of varying levels compete at… something I don’t quite understand. But anyway, Schwartz has been opening up about Scandoval in confessionals and to other contestants and he said he’s stepping away from his other Tom BFF and business partner permanently.
Tom Schwartz is moving forward on his own amid the fallout from #Scandoval.
On Monday’s episode of Stars on Mars, the 40-year-old Vanderpump Rules star revealed he is stepping back from his friendship with business partner Tom Sandoval after his “incredibly messed up” affair with Raquel Leviss.
“It seems each time I try to weigh in or talk about, ramble on about it, drivel on, I inevitably sound like I’m somehow justifying it or making excuses for it, and I’m not,” Schwartz shared. “There’s just no excuse for it.”
“Any sort of version of his side of the story has become obsolete because of the way he handled it. Ultimately, that’s his life. That is his life,” he added. “I did not have an affair. I am not him. It’s just so strange that I’ve been absolutely mired in this. It’s taken on almost a life of its own.”
Schwartz concluded that he is now “stepping away from it permanently.”
During the episode, the reality star also opened up to his costar Natasha Leggero about the “torrid affair” between Sandoval and Leviss, adding, “It’s horrible and I feel complicit.”
After Sandoval’s ex Ariana Madix recently said Schwartz “actively participated in my downfall” by hiding the affair, he shared his own side of the story.
“I didn’t cover for him, but I had his back,” he explained. “He came to me, confided in me that he was in love with someone else.”
“My friend had an affair that just happened to swipe the nation and it’s incredibly messed up but the thing is I’ve become mired in it,” he added. “That’s been a huge source of just angst in my life. I’ve been in this extended funk.”
On PodcastOne’s When Reality Hits with Jax and Brittany last week, the TomTom bar co-owner revealed that he was “taking a break” from Sandoval.
“He made a big mess. And then you know, he left it for us to clean up back at the businesses,” he told hosts Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright. “And it’s hard for me not to be resentful of him.”
The television personality added that he feels Sandoval “exploited me because, you know, I do love Tom and I took to heart everything he told me” about Madix, who he said “vehemently” denied her ex’s version of their split.
Schwartz added that his friend needs to “lose the ego,” adding, “he needs a change of heart, humility and to say ‘I’m sorry’ — not ‘I’m sorry, but…” (Both Sandoval and Leviss issued public apologies to Madix on Instagram back in March when news of the affair broke.)
So I actually can’t stand Schwartz because I think he’s just as bad as Sandoval, but knows how to say the right thing sometimes and has also tricked everyone into thinking he’s better with his “gee whizz” hapless vibes. Schwartz recently told Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright that he was stepping back from Sandoval because he felt resentful of the mess the affair created for their shared business. But now he’s trying to play it like he’s done with Sandoval because he’s so horrified by the affair. Uh, no, I think Schwartz is horrified at what will happen to his bottom line as he goes down with Sandoval. He feels complicit in the affair because he was, in fact, complicit in the affair. Ariana was quite clear that the incriminating video was taken at Schwartz’s house and when she would check Sandoval’s location it always showed him being at Schwartz’s — so either Sandoval and Raquel would meet at his buddy’s place or he’d leave his phone there as cover. And Schwartz went on that couples’ trip with the cheaters to Big Bear. And was helping with the break-up and blame Ariana plan. Yeah, complicit. The boys have spent years covering for each other and I think the bro break-up is about the money and reputation and, not some newly realized moral code. And it won’t last — Schwartz will make up with his problematic friend, as bros always do.
“I’m done with it permanently.” #PumpRules pic.twitter.com/y0bshKioOw
— BravoBabe (@thebravobabe_) June 11, 2023
photos credit: Robin Platzer / Twin Images / Avalon, Getty and via Instagram
Schwartzy is trying to disavow his friendship with Sandavol, for the sake of not being looked as if he is a villain/co-conspirator in this scandal. But he’ll more than likely become friends with the guy again–even if the friendship is not as close as it was before. Besides, they work with each other as partners in their businesses anyways. As the old saying/adage states: “BROS BEFORE HOS”.
I think the picture of them in their dumb and dumber tuxes is appropriate. That is all.
I’m going to sound awful but….. as much covering as Tom Sandoval has done for Schwartz this sounds weird. Unless they are playing “good cop, bad cop”.
I still don’t feel bad for Arianna because she did the same to Kristen. She even called Kristen crazy. The only difference is ari and raquel are friend. Ari just occasionally hung out with Kristen. Scheana also helped ari snare Tom. Ari can’t be mad at Schwartz.
Cheating with someone once when you’re told the couple is breaking up, verses your best friend who comes to your house, vacations with you as a couple & asks you about your sex life during the months long affair…is a huge difference.
+1
He is one awful manipulative person even apart from his complicity in Tom’s betrayal.
He used his ex over the years for a storyline and he was quite good at it. He managed to paint himself as the hapless good guy and her as the angry horrible nagging wife. This despite repeatedly cheating on her and never respecting her or backing her up.
Then, after she divorced him and stopped allowing herself to be used and triggered, he turned vicious at several points last season.
It’s only because his bro’s behavior was so very bad that he didn’t get more heat. I suspect if they film next season, his true colors will be even more apparent.
He happily mooched off keeping Sandoval’s ego intact for how long? He covered to keep the TomTom image at the detriment of how many women? Hope he enjoyed the ride up, cuz he’ll see the same faces on the way down to rot with his buddy.
Astounding lack of self-awareness. I don’t watch Vanderpump but I’ve heard/read a bunch of Scandoval coverage and every “character” speaks as if they are delivering profound truths, malapropisms and all. I hate giving them my attention but I’m not fed good gossip in my real life.
Like Sandoval, Schwartz is just covered in smarminess. They always have been, for a long time I thought that they were actually secret lovers. Maybe they should be so that they don’t trash anyone else’s lives.
These people are terrible actors