Credit: Bravo
Ariana Madix doesn’t feel that her living situation with Tom Sandoval is comparable to what Lala Kent went through with her ex-fiance, Randall Emmett, following their October 2021 breakup.
After Lala, 33, made it clear that she felt Ariana, 38, should vacate her shared home with Sandoval, 41, on the latest episode of Vanderpump Rules, citing her past decisions with Randall, 52, Ariana explained why their situations are not the same as James Kennedy, 32, took up for her and Lala explained her stance.
“Again, I own the house,” Ariana noted on the February 6 episode of the Vanderpump Rules: After Show.
“The housing thing is complicated,” James agreed.
But according to Lala, “It ain’t that complicated.”
As Scheana Shay, 38, explained, Lala vacated the home she previously shared with Randall immediately after their breakup.
“Lala was in a situation where she got out the next day with the baby,” Scheana revealed.
Still, since Lala wasn’t a co-owner of her former home with Randall, Ariana believes their situations were much different.
“Lala didn’t own that house, like at all, she was able to pack up her stuff and say goodbye,” Ariana stated as James said “that changes things.”
“It doesn’t change anything actually,” Lala argued.
“Yes, it does because she owns it with Tom. So they were trying to figure that out,” James replied. “I think she was standing her ground. Like, she had Mya there.”
Lala went on to say that if Ariana were to move out of the home, it wouldn’t mean that she was forfeiting her rights to the property.
“She doesn’t lose the home because she decided to move out. That’s not how it works,” Lala explained.
Continuing on about how her and Lala’s situations differ, Ariana said that she doesn’t have the help that Lala does at her home.
“My mom and my brother don’t live here as people who are gonna help me out day to day. She also had a baby that was involved in the situation so I understand why she should want to get Ocean out of there. I’m good. I can take care of myself. I always have. I always will,” Ariana added.
When James then said that Sandoval should’ve moved out, Lala said he would not have left, which prompted James to ask why Ariana should’ve been expected to.
“She doesn’t have to but don’t [say] you’re not leaving cuz you can’t afford it,” Lala responded.
And when James suggested Ariana’s money was tied up in the house and the deals that she was making after “Scandoval” erupted in March 2023, Lala slammed the idea as “bullsh*t.” Meanwhile, Ariana signaled to the high cost of renting in Los Angeles.
“This is a very large investment that I’ve made that I saved essentially my entire adult life for. I don’t know if anyone’s heard of Los Angeles rent lately, but if I’m gonna be with a dog who’s 50 pounds and a cat in an apartment, I’m going to be looking at paying at least [what Katie pays],” Ariana explained, not giving an exact figure.
And Katie added, “You’re paying a mortgage, and then for a long time, we were also paying the rent for [our sandwich shop] Something About Her.”
“I don’t know what kind of money Lala also thinks I have, but it’s not really an option,” Ariana replied.
In closing, Lala said that she just wants to see Ariana at peace.
“At the end of the day, I want to see my friend Ariana be in a good headspace and she is but a good headspace also means that you get to go home and that’s like your safest space to regroup and revive yourself from everything that she’s been doing,” she explained. “You come home to a place that has his energy and his stuff or his dirty dishes and it’s like, I just wanted to know why, and every time I asked that question it was like ‘How dare you?’”
Also on the Pump Rules: After Show, Tom Schwartz, 40, applauded Ariana and Sandoval for playing nice during the time they shared a home.
“I think it shows some maturity on both of their behalf to be able to do that. When it’s just you two in there, you guys are super respectful and mindful of each other’s spaces,” he noted.
Vanderpump Rules season 11 airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.
