Raquel Leviss is back.
The “Vanderpump Rules” star has made her first appearance at a Hollywood event following her bombshell interview on Bethenny Frankel’s podcast in August.
Leviss, 29, attended Frankel’s recent star-studded gathering at the Hotel Bel-Air and can be seen smiling wide in a photo shared by the “Real Housewives of New York City” alum on Wednesday.
The former SUR employee, who wore a chic white blazer and shorts combo, was surrounded by former “Beverly Hills, 90210” co-stars Jennie Garth and Tiffani Thiessen, plus reality stars NeNe Leakes, Larsa Pippen, Cheryl Burke, Amanza Smith, and more.
“A dinner JUSTBcuz…” Frankel, 52, captioned the post. “Thanks for a beautiful night ladies…I’m still cleaning up all the spilled tea.”
While Frankel was thrilled to have so many accomplished women in her presence, fans held nothing back in the post’s comment section as they unleashed their disappointment with seeing Leviss — who recently started going by her birth name of Rachel— included.
“Not sure why you give Rachel a platform. She was a victim of Tom, BUT she was part of the crushing of Ariana. She’s not innocent,” one user slammed.
“I wonder if half of these women who are supporting Rachel would be as understanding and kind if she were their best friend sleeping with their partner for months,” another questioned.
“So many icons. Yet “one of these things ….. One of these THINGS DOESN’T BELONG” Rachel. Rachel doesn’t belong!!!!” an emotional commenter added.
Leviss and the Skinnygirl creator became acquainted over the summer after the former spoke out about her shocking affair with Tom Sandoval, who at the time was dating their co-star and one of Leviss’ close friends, Ariana Madix, on iHeart Radio’s “Just B with Bethenny Frankel.”
“I was not careful in my actions and I was not thinking long term,” she acknowledged at the time.
“I was completely wrapped up in heartbreak and wanting to get certain needs met. Looking back now, I can see that I was still healing from a relationship from somebody who I thought I was going to marry. And ending that, I still haven’t healed yet.”
Leviss was speaking about her failed engagement to James Kennedy, whom she split from in December 2021 after five years together.
Although she took responsibility for her actions, fans were not happy when she likened herself to a “punching bag” once the affair news broke and claimed she hasn’t “seen a penny” from the scandal while Sandoval, 41, has.
“To me, that’s kind of gross because … it makes me skeptical … was this really just something that was fabricated for this end result?” she questioned.
Meanwhile, Frankel was criticized by “Vanderpump Rules” star Lala Kent for cashing in on the scandal for her own gain.
“I’m happy that [Raquel] finally got to take advantage of a giant platform to tell her story,” Kent, 32, said on her “Give Them Lala” podcast.
“I only saw clips. And what I gathered from it is, Bethenny completely exploited that girl yet again.”
While the bestselling author brushed off the backlash she received from Kent and “Vanderump Rules” fans, Leviss welcomed it while still standing up for herself.
“I should have had more self respect than that and should have respected the relationship that Ariana had with Tom No excuses,” she said after Jared B of the “Bravo Tea with Jared B” podcast denounced her actions and justification for the affair.
“However, looking back, I see I had low self-worth and Tom kept telling me he was actively breaking up with her ‘amicably’ for her ‘mental health,’ which I can now see was magical thinking,” she added.
“He had a million and one reasons why they hadn’t broken up yet and it was easier to stay in that fantasy then [sic] to face the fact that the social anxiety and isolation was not worth it.”
