Vanderpump Rules' Tom Sandoval Still Doesn't Understand Why His Affair Was "Such a Big Deal"

Tom Sandoval is still SUR-prised how much public attention his months-long affair with costar Rachel "Raquel" Leviss got.

The Vanderpump Rules star admitted he didn't realize the cheating scandal, which ended his nine-year romance with Ariana Madix in March, would have a ripple effect beyond the Bravo-verse.

"It was a pretty juicy f--king scandal," Sandoval told his fellow celebrity competitors of the controversy in a sneak peek at the Oct. 16 episode of Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, adding, "If you would have opened up Instagram, you would have seen me and Ariana every day."

The 41-year-old noted that after Scandoval "blew up," he received a lot of messages from critics that were "paragraphs of just like vicious, so visceral, like, hatred."

When speed skater Erin Jackson asked him "what made it such a big deal," Sandoval revealed he is still stumped by the whole ordeal. "I honestly don't know," the TomTom co-owner noted. "I'm a f--king stupid reality star. Like, come on man."

In a confessional, the Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras frontman reflected on how the backlash tarnished his reputation.

"Before this whole scandal, I would meet people who had probably seen me on Vanderpump Rules, and they'd be like, ‘Oh my gosh, he's so cool," he explained. "And then now, people think I'm a complete narcissist, creeper vibes. I'm definitely not here to run away. I want to punish myself. I think I deserve it."

Sandoval's latest comments come three weeks after Madix made her debut on Dancing With the Stars. And while he is testing his mental and physical limits on Special Forces, she's waltzing away from the drama in the ballroom.

"My life has been a rollercoaster in the past year," Madix said during the ABC show's Sept. 26 premiere. "Everybody got to watch it all play out and my life blow up on television."

The Bravo star went on to note that Scandoval "does not define" her.

"I just want to do something that is for me and positive," the 38-year-old, who has since moved on with fitness coach Daniel Wai following the March breakup, continued. "It's time for me to stand on my own two feet. Feeling like you were a joke to your partner of nine years is devastating, but I want to show other women that you don't have to let that hold you back."

Special Forces: World's Toughest Test airs Mondays at 9 p.m. on Fox.

Keep reading for everything we know (so far) about Vanderpump Rules' new season post-Scandoval.

Filming for Vanderpump Rules season 11 began in late June just weeks after the explosive three-part season 10 finale finished airing. Ariana Madix was even spotted letting loose while shooting at her ex's restaurant TomTom.

"Dj James Kennedy is playin' a set at tomtom," TikTok user audpen wrote June 30 with a video of Madix dancing inside the West Hollywood eatery. "Ariana is as gorgeous as ever living her best life, and the whole crowd chants for her. The world is good." 

On July 6, Tom Sandoval was seen filming for the first time since Scandoval. The 40-year-old dropped flowers off at Lisa Vanderpump's now-closed West Hollywood hot-spot PUMP, which shut its doors this summer.

 

Season 11 will surely highlight the opening of Madix and Katie Maloney's new West Hollywood sandwich shop Something About Her, which is supposed to open this summer amid filming. The BFFs have shared plenty of sneak peeks inside their latest business venture on social media.

Four months after filming their shocking season 10 reunion showdown, the exes were spotted filming together on July 11 at SUR's weekly See You Next Tuesday event with several of their costars. 

Bravo fans will have to wait and see as to whether Madix and Sandoval actually interacted during the outing.

After checking out of a mental health facility in Wickenburg, Arizona in July, Rachel "Raquel" Leviss confirmed in August she is not returning for season 11. In fact, she stated that she won't be coming back to reality TV at all. 

"Oh, hell no," Raquel told Bethenny Frankel. "No because I refuse to not respect myself on that level where I would endure that emotional abuse any longer."

On July 18, Scheana Shay and husband Brock Davies, James Kennedy and girlfriend Ally Lewber, Tom Schwartz, Sandoval and Lala Kent jetted off to Lake Tahoe for a summer getaway, marking the cast's first post-Scandoval vacation.

Shay and Kent shared Instagram Stories from their luxury lakeside rental. As for where they stand with Sandoval…

Although Shay and Sandoval were photographed posing with a fan alongside their costars in Tahoe, the "Good as Gold" singer clarified she has not totally forgiven the TomTom co-owner for his affair.

Retweeting a video of Sandoval from her Instagram, Shay wrote July 19, "Who said all is forgiven?? We are all here for Lisa."

She added in response to another social media user questioning if they were friends again, "I'm posing in a photo for a fan. I take photos w strangers on the daily and have my arm bent up behind ppl. End of story. Should I look miserable in a group fan photo I got thrown in walking to our car?"

While in town, the cast checked out Vanderpump's new club Wolf at Harrah's, meaning fans will definitely get a look at the restauranteur's new Tahoe business venture next season.

In videos shared to social media, Shay, Davies, Kent, Sandoval, Schwartz, Kennedy and Lewber even helped knock down walls inside the venue during renovations.

Several weeks after Leviss finished her stay at a treatment facility, Kennedy announced their dog Graham, who they rescued in 2018 while still dating, was back in his custody.

"Look who made his way back home, back into my life," the DJ wrote in a July 19 Instagram along with two adorable photos. "I'll take care of you forever and I love you."

As it was announced in early July that Madix is officially joining season 32 of Dancing With the Stars, we can only hope we'll get a behind-the-scenes look at her ballroom prep.

While the cast was filming their Tahoe trip, Madix flew to Fiji to make a special appearance on her favorite show Love Island USA.

On Aug. 6, the whole cast (minus Sandoval) was pictured enjoying a tasting at Something About Her ahead of the shop's opening.

While they made sure to keep their distance from one another, Madix and Sandoval were photographed together for the first time since the explosive season 10 reunion.

The exes reunited for an Aug. 8 water tasting with the rest of their season 11 castmates.

Schwartz debuted bleach-blond hair in August.

Season 11 culminates with a group vacation in San Francisco. Madix, Sandoval, Schwartz, Maloney, Kent, Shay, Kennedy and Lewber were all in attendance according to their Instagram Stories touring the Golden Gate bridge and other landmarks.

Madix's man joined the cast on their season 11 trip to San Francisco and it seems he's set to make his debut on the show.

Madix and Wait coordinated for a night out in SF.

On Aug. 3, Kennedy announced "that's a wrap" on season 11 with a cute pic with Lewber in San Francisco.

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