Breaking his silence? Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval seemingly addressed his split from Ariana Madix — and his affair with costar Raquel Leviss — at his Tom Sandoval & the Most Extras concert.
An eyewitness exclusively told Us Weekly that after Sandoval, 39, took the stage for his Friday, March 3, show — which was held at the City National Grove in Anaheim, California — he asked the crowd: “Have you ever been one of the most hated people in America?” The insider added that when fans began to yell “Ariana!” the Missouri native replied, “We love her.”
The TomTom co-owener’s question comes just hours after Us confirmed that he and Madix, 37 — who began dating in 2014 — called it quits on after nine years together. The Florida native pulled the plug on the romance when she discovered the musician with Leviss, 28.
“They were having problems for a while,” a source told Us of the Schwartz & Sandy’s cofounder and the Paradise City actress on Friday, adding that things “only came to a breaking point” on Thursday, March 2 — the same night Madix was spotted supporting her former beau at the release party for his band’s latest single, “Superstars.”
Sandoval’s affair with Leviss marks the second time he’s faced cheating allegations since Vanderpump Rules premiered in 2013. Rumors swirled that the restaurateur hooked up with Madix while he was still with ex-girlfriend Kristen Doute during season 2 of the Bravo series. While both bartenders denied any infidelity at the time, they began dating later that year after Sandoval called it quits for good with Doute, 40.
Leviss, for her part, experienced her own breakup from ex-fiancé James Kennedy in December 2021 after more than five years of dating. The twosome shared the news via social media later that month head of filming the Bravo series’ season 9 reunion special.
In August 2022, the California native then made headlines when she made out with Tom Schwartz at Scheana Shay’s wedding following his split from ex-wife Katie Maloney.
Madix and Sandoval, meanwhile, went on to become a staple couple in the Bravo franchise amid countless breakups over the years. However, the duo often raised eyebrows when discussing their hesitancy to tie the knot despite being in such a long-term relationship.
During an interview with Us in December 2018, Sandoval hinted that he and Madix will “probably never” get engaged. The DFH founder, for her part, agreed about not having plans to explore that relationship milestone.
“It’s not on the agenda for us,” Madix told Us at the time. “I feel like I have way too much stuff I’ve got to do, you know? I’ve got to travel the world, I’ve got to be a successful businesswoman, I’ve got to put out a series of cocktail books.”
Expanding their family also wasn’t in the cards for the former couple. Sandoval revealed to Us last month that he and Madix don’t feel pressure to start a family because they aren’t interested in “keep[ing] up with anybody else’s” expectations. “If we do anything, it’s gonna be like on our time and our terms type thing,” he said, adding that the Florida native is an “awesome human being.”
Despite their nine-year relationship, not all of their VPR costars always supported the Fancy AF Cocktails authors’ union. Lala Kent rallied for the Paradise City actress to move on during an episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in February.
“I love Ariana. We just have to get her out next,” Kent, 32, told host Andy Cohen at the time, referring to her and Katie [Maloney] both ending their longtime romances ahead of VPR’s 10th season, when premiered last month.
The “Give them Lala” podcast host then took to social media following news of Sandoval’s cheating scandal with Leviss to slam him for his affair — and telling fans to taunt him at his concert.
“Anyone going to Tom Sandoval’s show tonight, here is the drill. I obviously will not be there but I want you all to bust into a chant of, ‘ARIANA! ARIANA!’” she wrote via her Instagram Stories, adding that Madix gave her “content” to “torch” her ex.
“I’m feeling so hungry, I’m feeling like a lion who needs to feast on a little gazelle,” she continued. “I’m eating good tonight. Stupid little f—ks. My mom’s telling me to calm down. I will not.”
Kennedy, 31, meanwhile, shared a screenshot of an article about the breakup via his Instagram account. “Hope you all feel as sick as I do. This explains everything,” he wrote in the comments section.
When one social media user called Sandoval and Leviss the “most vile subhumans I’ve ever met,” the DJ replied, “CORRECT.”
