In a tell-all interview with US Weekly, Lisa Vanderpump opened up about her years in reality TV and where she stands now with the cast of Vanderpump Rules.
The former model/actress and now restaurateur found fame on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills before starring in her own spin-off, Vanderpump Rules, and now Vanderpump Villa.
She admitted the show was difficult to continue after Scandoval, but that doesn't mean she has totally blocked that cast out of her life.
“It didn’t make sense anymore. I’d always said I would rather quit when we’re on top,” Vanderpump told Us about the show’s mass-firing. “I do not want to go down on a sinking ship. The group was splintered -- it was done.”
Lisa Vanderpump shares an update on her relationship with the Vanderpump Rules cast
Although Vanderpump Rules is currently being rebooted with a new cast, Lisa Vanderpump is still talking to some of the former stars.
She has bonded with Stassi Schoeder, who was fired from VPR, and asked her to join the cast of Vanderpump Villa. There was a definite feel-good factor about her coming onto the show. We had a lot of fun together,” Lisa stated. “It felt right.”
" She’s definitely still Stassi, which separates her from most people and says things that most people wouldn’t even think of. But there’s an essence of responsibility for sure – that continually growth and responsibility."
Another cast member she still talks “quite a lot” with is Tom Schwartz. “[Before the VPR overhaul], most of them had been smart and built something on their own. It was hard to see the boys go through the whole thing with Schwartz and Sandy’s [closing]. That was very, very difficult to see them go through that.”
Lisa Vanderpump says she doesn't talk to some Vanderpump Rules cast members
It’s not all roses between Lisa and her former employees. People like Scheana Shay, Lisa admits she isn’t in personal contact with but still wishes them well. The British reality star clarified that she “can’t talk” to everyone from the show “all the time.”
“Remember, I have 700 people that work for me,” she told the outlet in the exclusive interview. “As long as they know I’m always there if they need me.”
There is no love lost between her and The Valley star Jax Taylor. “When they had Cruz [in 2021], I sent them all gifts — even though they were gone from the show. But no, I’m not really close to Jax.”
"I think Jax kind of shot himself in the foot when he left. I looked at him and he was like, ‘This is my show.’ And I was just like, ‘No, this is my show. Bye.'"
Her relationship with OG Kristen Doute is also complicated. Lisa admits she “never really got along with her.” Early seasons of VPR often depicted the ups and downs of the relationship between Lisa and Kristen.
“She always made things complicated -- even as a waitress [at SUR]. That’s probably why she was there in that group in the first place and she was intrinsically entwined with them,” Vanderpump explained to the outlet.
While Lisa was still in touch with James Kennedy, someone who she has known since he was a young man, she has admitted his recent domestic violence arrest was “frustrating.”
“I know [addiction is] a disease, and we talk about that, and you just at some point I had to say, ‘I cannot support this anymore’ with some people when they keep making the same mistakes,” Lisa explained.
When it comes to Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval, Lisa isn’t in touch but wishes the former couple the best. “But I hope that he is doing well and I always wish them well,” she said about Tom, before admitting she did not watch his recent season of The Traitors.
Even through the highs and lows, Lisa Vanderpump wouldn't change it for the world. "But I love all of them. They’re frustrating. But over the years I’ve had an incredible time. Even through the downtimes of reality, I still would hardly change anything about it.”