Tom Schwartz Says Fame Went to Ariana Madix’s Head, Slams Her

Credit: Bravo

Tom Schwartz has no regrets when it comes to ego-checking Ariana Madix on the latest episode of Vanderpump Rules.

After butting heads with Ariana, 38, amid his efforts to mend the divide between the group, Schwartz, 40, took aim at Ariana’s “egotistical,” “diva” behavior as he recalled what he described as one of her “lower moments” and Tom Sandoval, 41, suggested the behavior was reminiscent of what he dealt with throughout their nine-year relationship.

“It was very important for me to go to individuals and speak to them one on one and present them with this idea [about going on a trip] because I knew if I did it in a group setting, especially with Ariana present, that it was going to turn into a dumpster fire,” Schwartz noted on the February 13 episode of the Pump Rules: After Show.

Then, after Sandoval compared the reaction to “a public stoning,” Schwartz agreed.

“That’s kind of what happened. She started going in on me and belittling me, and honestly, I think it was one of her lower moments,” he noted. “First of all, you’re not my queen. I was annoyed that she took it upon herself to speak on behalf of the other girls who I hadn’t even really addressed it with yet.”

Although Schwartz admitted that he became synonymous with Sandoval’s affair with Rachel “Raquel” Leviss, 29, due to his knowledge about their secret romance, he felt Ariana was holding too much against him.

“All the rage she had pent up with Tom she took out on me in that moment, which I still think is absurd,” he stated. “Also, when people start yelling at me, my mind just shuts down, so I don’t remember exactly how it played out. That was one of the first moments where I just, something about that moment, just really rubbed me the wrong way.”

As Pump Rules fans may know, Ariana cut Schwartz out of her life following the reveal of Sandoval’s affair and hasn’t looked back.

“Him saying sh*t like that is exactly why I’m not friends with him,” she noted. “If anyone is going to be able to speak to who I am as a person, it’s not someone I haven’t spoken to since we were filming the reunion in mid-March. So that right there is the type of sh*t that just proves me right. No sh*t. I’m not queen of anything, but I will do what I want to do, which is not go on this dumb f*cking trip.”

According to Katie Maloney, 37, she didn’t understand how Ariana not wanting to go on Schwartz’s trip translated into her thinking she was the queen of the group. And, according to Lala Kent, 33, she doesn’t see why it would matter if Ariana did think that.

“I think she deserves to act like queen of the group right now. It’s never really been Ariana, and she’s finally, in my opinion, standing out,” Lala reasoned. “Before she was just like the cool chick with no opinion. She was very Switzerland. It was like, ‘Allow her to have this moment. She had a really f*cking tough year. Let her go out and kill the game and be the queen B for a minute. What’s the f*cking problem?’”

“There’s a queen every year, and Ariana’s the queen this year,” agreed James Kennedy, 32.

Meanwhile, Scheana Shay, 38, said that although there is always a queen, it’s never been her.

“It’s never been me,” Scheana noted. “I support the queens because they’re all my friends. I’ve never had a good season on this show. I’ve never been the most liked on this show, ever. I’ve accepted it. So, whoever the new queen is, I support them. They’re my friends. And [Ariana] had a tough year.”

During another segment of the Pump Rules: After Show, Schwartz said that while he does have “great reverence” for the humiliation Ariana endured due to Sandoval’s affair, he reached a breaking point with her behavior.

“At that point, I had seen her sort of becoming a little egotistical. I had seen little glimmers of it going to her head,” Schwartz explained. I think I played it cool for the most part, but I did have to ego-check her there.”

“I think that for a short period of time, she might not even be aware of it, but I think it went to her head, and I think she became a diva a little bit,” he added.

After Katie then said that Schwartz “[sounded] like Tom Sandoval” amid his rant against Ariana, Sandoval said Ariana’s response showed her true colors.

“I just want to point out like, this does not excuse what the f*ck I did. What the f*ck I did was so messed up. But on a separate note, that is what I dealt with a lot behind closed doors,” Sandoval shared. “This is what drove the wedge between us. My intelligence and her intelligence, her point of view and my point of view were never equal. She kept it at bay more, behind closed doors, it was like that. And that’s more of the real Ariana. I guess, is what I’m saying”

Vanderpump Rules season 11 airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Bravo.