Ariana Madix Unloads on Raquel Leviss and Bethenny Frankel: A Powerful Response to the Scandoval Interview
The reverberations of the ‘Scandoval’ – the earth-shattering cheating scandal that sent shockwaves through the world of reality television and beyond – continue to resonate, especially for Ariana Madix. Despite her commendable efforts to reclaim her narrative and prioritize her well-being, the 38-year-old Vanderpump Rules stalwart found herself once again confronting the painful echoes of the betrayal orchestrated by her ex-partner, Tom Sandoval, and her former confidante, Raquel Leviss. A strategic decision on Ariana’s part was to abstain from directly listening to Raquel Leviss’s highly publicized interview with Bethenny Frankel. This conscious choice was aimed at safeguarding her mental peace, preventing a direct re-exposure to the narrative that caused her so much anguish. However, in the hyper-connected digital age, news travels fast, and the provocative details of the conversation quickly permeated her world. It was during an appearance on her *Vanderpump Rules* co-star Scheana Shay’s podcast, “Scheananigans,” recorded on August 25, that Madix offered her raw, unfiltered thoughts. She candidly revealed the profound distress the interview had caused, particularly highlighting how Leviss (now preferring her birth name, Rachel) and Frankel’s discussion about the affair had negatively ‘impacted’ her already fragile mental health. For Ariana, the interview was not just another media appearance; it was a deeply personal assault on her healing journey, forcing her to relive the trauma of the public betrayal and the subsequent emotional fallout that has captivated millions of viewers.
Navigating the complex ethics of public storytelling post-scandal, Ariana Madix maintained a surprisingly nuanced perspective on Rachel Leviss’s right to speak. “I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with or anything bad about Rachel going on anything to do any interview,” Ariana asserted, displaying a mature understanding of the media landscape and the natural progression of a public figure’s attempts to control their own narrative. “As she should. Obviously, she was going to at some point.” This initial acceptance, however, underscored the deeper, more painful issue: not the act of speaking, but the content and implications of Rachel’s words. Ariana’s composure began to fray as she delved into the specifics of what was said. “But some of the things that were said made me really sad, made me really angry,” she confessed, allowing a glimpse into the ongoing emotional battle. These were not mere disagreements; they were direct challenges to her lived experience and her healing process. For Madix, the interview transcended a simple ‘tell-all’ and transformed into another layer of betrayal, a public revision of events that sought to diminish her pain and potentially alter the perception of the egregious actions committed against her. This emotional impact demonstrated that even months after the initial revelation, the wounds of the ‘Scandoval’ remained fresh and vulnerable to careless commentary.
The *Vanderpump Rules* star’s indignation wasn’t solely directed at Rachel; a substantial portion was reserved for Bethenny Frankel, the 52-year-old media personality and former Real Housewives of New York City luminary. Frankel, known for her candidness and often confrontational interviewing style, faced sharp criticism from Ariana for what she perceived as a profound misstep in journalistic responsibility and empathetic engagement during her conversation with the 28-year-old Leviss. “She actually upset me more in the things that were said,” Ariana revealed, pointing to instances where Frankel’s interpretations and assertions felt not only misplaced but actively damaging. The most egregious offense in Ariana’s eyes was Bethenny’s unfounded claim that Ariana had somehow ‘forgiven’ Tom Sandoval for the devastating affair. This statement, utterly false and deeply personal, provoked a powerful and justified reaction from Madix. “I’m like, ‘Why are you speaking for me?’ I don’t know you,” Ariana challenged, conveying a palpable sense of anger and invasion. “You don’t know what the f*** you’re talking about, lady. There were a lot of things said by her that made me more angry. Because I feel like she should know better.” This isn’t just a critique of a celebrity interview; it’s a condemnation of a public figure utilizing her platform to disseminate unverified and hurtful speculation about someone else’s healing journey. Ariana’s frustration stemmed from the expectation that someone with Frankel’s extensive media experience and public presence should possess the discernment to avoid such harmful mischaracterizations, especially concerning sensitive emotional recovery post-Scandoval. The perceived carelessness of Frankel’s remarks only served to compound the existing trauma for Ariana, making her a more potent target for Madix’s critique than even Rachel herself in some respects.
Furthermore, Ariana Madix vehemently pushed back against Bethenny Frankel’s insinuation that her emotional intensity during the Vanderpump Rulesseason 10 reunion was excessive or unduly harsh towards Raquel Leviss. Ariana firmly defended her powerful and unvarnished reaction during that highly charged televised confrontation, arguing that her response was an authentic and proportional expression of the immense pain and betrayal she had experienced. “I believe that my response to what was done to me in that moment was exactly what I would think any person would respond with in that moment,” Ariana articulated, emphasizing that her raw emotions were a natural consequence of the profound shock and heartbreak. The reunion was not a place for polite discourse; it was a crucible of exposed lies and shattered trust, demanding an equally raw and honest reaction. While acknowledging the passage of time and the possibility of a more tempered response today, Ariana made it unequivocally clear that her past behavior was an authentic and justified reflection of her anguish. “If I sat down and had a conversation with her [Raquel] today, would I say the same things? Probably not. But I was only going to speak to her that one time and never again.” This statement not only highlights her personal growth and evolving perspective but also underscores her firm resolve to maintain boundaries and protect her emotional peace. Her definitive declaration – “I didn’t have any other communication with her and I’ll never have any other communication with her” – serves as a powerful testament to her commitment to moving forward and disengaging from a relationship that caused her unimaginable suffering, a clear message to both Rachel and the public that her chapter with the affair’s architects is definitively closed.
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Perhaps the most deeply personal and profoundly hurtful revelation from Rachel Leviss’s interview for Ariana Madix was the shocking assertion that their friendship was never as genuine or robust as Ariana had believed. Rachel’s audacious claim, made during her conversation with Bethenny Frankel, suggested that their bond was merely superficial, certainly not one of close confidantes, particularly during the period she was secretly engaging in an affair with Tom Sandoval. This statement struck at the very core of Ariana’s trust and sense of reality. “That was very hurtful. I thought we were friends,” Ariana expressed with palpable pain, articulating the devastating sting of this revisionist history. For Ariana, their connection extended far beyond mere *Vanderpump Rules* co-stars; it was a deeply personal and cherished friendship cultivated through shared experiences, mutual support, and profound vulnerability over several years. She vehemently dismissed Rachel’s statement as an “obvious lie,” highlighting the sheer implausibility of such a claim in the face of their documented history. “I don’t know if she’s doing it on purpose or she really understands that that statement could be so easily refuted with photographic evidence,” Ariana mused, pointing to undeniable proof of their closeness. She provided a poignant, concrete example: “The Saturday night before the Wednesday night that I found this out was an example of her and I hanging out off-camera.” This intimate detail powerfully illustrates the depth of Rachel’s deception, as these ‘off-camera’ moments typically signify a deeper level of genuine trust and personal connection, away from the curated performances often seen on reality television. Ariana further emphasized the significant emotional investment she had made in their bond. “If she feels otherwise, that sucks because I was very much under the impression that we were, like, really good friends. And I didn’t come to that impression lightly. It takes a lot for me something to really let people into my inner circle. If all of that was fake to her, that really sucks. It wasn’t fake to me.” This heartfelt declaration underscores the profound devastation of realizing that a relationship once considered a pillar of support and genuine affection was, from the other party’s perspective, nothing more than a carefully constructed facade. It speaks to the insidious psychological trauma of gaslighting, where one’s perception of reality and the authenticity of shared experiences are deliberately undermined, leaving Ariana to grapple not just with infidelity but also the shattering of a fundamental trust with someone she considered a true friend.
Rachel Leviss’s highly anticipated interview with Bethenny Frankel wasn’t merely a public reckoning; it marked her definitive return to the public sphere following the ‘Scandoval’ and her subsequent two-month stay in a mental health facility in Arizona. This period of retreat was widely acknowledged as a crucial step for Leviss to contend with the immense emotional and psychological fallout from her actions and the unprecedented public and media scrutiny she endured. However, the chosen timing and the controversial content of her re-entry into the spotlight, particularly through the interview, have elicited a spectrum of polarized reactions, especially from those intimately affected by the scandal. In the wake of the interview’s widespread dissemination, a major development in the *Vanderpump Rules* narrative was confirmed: Entertainment Tonight reported that Rachel Leviss would not be rejoining the cast of *Vanderpump Rules* for season 11, which had already commenced filming in late June. This pivotal decision signifies a dramatic shift for the iconic Bravo series, as one of the central figures responsible for its most explosive and talked-about scandal makes a definitive exit. Simultaneously, Rachel has initiated a noticeable overhaul of her digital footprint and public image. Her Instagram profile underwent a significant transformation, characterized by the deletion of numerous posts related to the show and, perhaps most tellingly, the removal of her original apology to Ariana Madix concerning the affair. Her updated Instagram bio, now bearing the phrase “becoming a better person… one day at a time,” distinctly reflects a public effort to pivot, rebuild, and control her future narrative. Yet, the effectiveness and sincerity of such a rebranding remain subject to intense public and peer scrutiny. The continued absence of Rachel from the *Vanderpump Rules* ensemble, coupled with Ariana’s unwavering and increasingly vocal stance, guarantees that the profound and far-reaching repercussions of the ‘Scandoval’ will indubitably continue to sculpt the intricate dynamics of the show and the intertwined personal and professional lives of its beloved stars for many seasons to come, leaving an indelible mark on the landscape of reality television.