Lisa Vanderpump is disappointed that Rachel “Raquel” Leviss chose to give Bethenny Frankel her first post-Scandoval interview.
Leviss — who quit “Vanderpump Rules” after her months-long affair with Tom Sandoval was exposed during Season 10 — appeared on the “Just B” podcast in August 2023 to share her side of the story.
“I wish she’d actually come to me instead of sitting in the safety of somebody else’s podcast,” Vanderpump, 63, told Pvnew exclusively at the Season 11 premiere party Wednesday in Los Angeles.
“Had she come to me, I think I would’ve been good to her. Because it’s one thing just saying this out here, just saying that out there. And some of it wasn’t true! Like I was paying her like an intern. I know exactly how much money she made. It was six figures. It was good!”
During her sit-down with Frankel, Leviss, 29, claimed she hadn’t “seen a penny” from the highly publicized fallout of the dalliance while Sandoval “was being rewarded” for his part.
Vanderpump has previously denied the allegation, insisting that Leviss earned more than $350,000 for Season 10.
The restauranteur told us she wished the former SUR server had “come back and really spoken her truth” to her.
“She knows I’m not gonna be judgmental. I’m gonna listen and give her a moment,” Vanderpump said, adding that “all the people that are so involved in the story” simply “wanted to see growth [and] contrition.”
The “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum mentioned that Leviss “went away for a few months” — referencing the 90 days the latter spent at a mental health facility following the “emotional abuse” she endured during the Season 10 reunion — and said she would’ve been interested in hearing about how she “felt” after that.
“I think it would’ve behooved her to come back. I really do,” Vanderpump shared. “But maybe not the whole season because I think they were all pretty kind of reticent.”
Though she wishes things would’ve been different, the series matriarch acknowledged that “maybe it was too much for [Leviss] to come back,” telling us she “understand[s] that, too.”
Vanderpump isn’t the only “Vanderpump Rules” star who criticized the three-part tell-all.
Ariana Madix — on whom Sandoval cheated — previously blasted Frankel, 53, for not “know[ing] what the f–k” she was talking about during the interview, while Scheana Shay felt the “Real Housewives of New York City” alum needed to do “more research.”
Lala Kent thought Frankel “completely exploited” Leviss, and former “Vanderpump Rules” star Stassi Schroeder argued that “Bethenny was trying to make Ariana look bad.”
Meanwhile, Katie Maloney seemingly took aim at Leviss when she wondered, “Why the f–k you lying?”
During the sit-down, Leviss apologized to Madix, 38, but was adamant the two were never best friends. She also claimed Sandoval, 41, told her his relationship with Madix was over.
Additionally, the former beauty pageant queen accused Sandoval of recording an “intimate” video of her — which Madix later discovered — without her consent. Leviss also called out Bravo for capitalizing on the drama at her expense.
“Vanderpump Rules” Season 11 premieres Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.
