On Vanderpump Rules, it often feels like there are at least three major scandals vying for attention in each episode. The Bravo series always delivers the drama and we’re here for it.
While the scandals on the hit Bravo series may be stressful for the Sur staff, we must admit it makes for pretty great reality TV. From Nasty catfights to the notorious “Scandoval,” let’s take a look back at some of the most shocking bombshell moments throughout VPR.
Jax tells Stassi he got a woman pregnant in Vegas
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right? Wrong! At least not for Jax Taylor. The SUR bartender ended up breaking Stassi Schroeder’s heart after he confessed to his then-girlfriend that he had relations with another woman while on his trip.
Not only did he cheat on Stassi during his Vegas trip, but he ended up getting the woman pregnant. This moment led to Stassi and Jax’s official breakup and changed the show’s dynamic forever.
But Jax, who was still madly in love with Stassi long after their split, did everything he could to win her back.
Which leads to our next VPR scandal…
Jax gets tattoos of Stassi
Jax was so eager to win Stassi back, that he got a tattoo with her name. Eek! While Stassi admitted during the Season 3 Reunion that she was happy to see her ex groveling and pining for her, she knew in her heart that she’d never get back with him.
The Season 3 Reunion continued to shock audiences when Jax revealed yet another tattoo dedicated to his ex-beau. On his upper arm- and it’s still there! – is a tat of Stassi’s face. Well, at least part of her face. According to Jax, the tattoo melds Stassi’s face and Carmen – his girlfriend at the time.
Hmm… to each their own, I guess?
Stassi slaps Kristen over her affair with Jax
Another outrageous moment in Vanderpump history was when we learned about Kristen’s affair with Jax. It was a major bombshell since Kristen was so good at lying to both Sandoval, Stassi, and the audience, all while insisting it never happened.
To add fuel to the fire, Stassi and Kristen were best friends at the time. Due to their insanely close friendship, it felt like the ultimate betrayal. And when Stassi and Kristen finally sat down to talk things out, it exploded into a vicious catfight.
Tom and Ariana get together, leaving Kristen in the dark
Before the notorious Scandoval occurred, Tom was caught up in another scandal that involved Ariana. Long-long ago, in a kingdom far-away called Season 1 and Season 2, Tom was in a long-term relationship with Kristen. While dating Kristen, he began spending more and more time with his “buddy” Ariana.
Because Tom and Ariana were so close, Kristen grew rather jealous. After confronting Tom about his relationship with Ariana, he insisted over and over again that they were merely friends. Yet, after Tom left Kristen to be in a relationship with Ariana, Kristen was devastated by such treachery.
She warned the pair that their relationship would end badly, because of how it began!
(Sips tea, side-eyeing Tom and Ariana.)
James and Kristen’s wedding confrontation
Shortly after Kristen’s Sandoval heartbreak, she hopped into a relationship with DJ sensation, James Kennedy. Although they seemed like an odd match – considering their age gap and mismatched personalities – it’s safe to say James was smitten. When Kristen began to neglect this relationship, all hell broke loose. The final straw occurred at Scheana and Shay’s wedding when Kristen…wait-wait. You guessed it: Kristen went off with another guy. This led to a horrible fight between the couple, with Kristen ending it by outright punching James.
Tequila Katie
When she’s not drunk, Katie comes across as the sweetest staff member at SUR. But as soon as she starts downing the tequila shots, the seemingly “innocent” one morphs into another person completely. She even has an alter ego for her drunken persona, whom she calls “Tequila Katie.”
Tequila Katie has done some malicious things in her day, from picking fights at birthday gatherings to verbally attacking Scheana merely for having some harmless fun.
Yet, the Tequila Katie persona recently landed her a nationwide commercial for Chili’s new Espresso Martini! Incidentally, in the ad, Katie emphasizes her love of tequila. Yep, that’s fitting!
Katie and Tom Divorce
Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz – aka TomKat – were a fan-favorite for many VPR fans. Sure, they’ve had their ups and downs (too many to count). But at the end of the day, there was a certain charm to their relationship which eventually led to marriage.
But according to Katie, she felt neglected, like she wasn’t a priority to Schwartz. In one heated argument, she emphasized how Tom defended his friends, but not his wife.
Fortunately, it seems like they’re on friendly terms now.
Jax cheats on Brittany with Faith
On Vanderpump Rules, Jax Taylor needs to cheat like fish need to swim. It’s just who he is. The SUR bartender cheats on every single woman he’s been in a relationship with. So it’s not exactly shocking when we learn he’s cheated on Brittany.
Only problem is he cheated on Brittany with her co-worker, Faith. While Brittany swore she was going to leave Jax after learning he’d cheated on her multiple times, the two worked it out. They even had a baby!
In 2024, after five years of marriage and nearly 10 years together, Jax and Brittany are separated.
Too sad.
Scandoval
And of course, we can’t include a list of Vanderpump Rules scandals without adding the infamous, legendary “Scandoval” to the list.
One of the most truly egregious moments in Vanderpump (or TV) history, was when fans learned of the affair between Tom Sandoval and Rachel Leviss. It came as such a surprise to audiences because Tom had been in a committed relationship with Ariana Madix for close to a decade. Viewers, who’d witnessed them evolve as a couple for years, felt a sense of second-hand betrayal.
To make matters worse, Sandoval had been cheating on Madix with Leviss for over six months.
While speaking on Hot Mic, the reality star spoke of what ignited his affair with Leviss. “I was lacking so much love,” Sandoval admitted. “I was yearning for it. ..I was yearning for that admiration in my life that I wasn’t getting. And so when I got it, it became intoxicating to me.”