She’s a broke Bambi.
Raquel Leviss is taking aim at Bravo for profiting off Scandoval, claiming she has yet to see any of the money herself.
“The network is running to the bank — like, laughing, running to the bank with this scandal — and I haven’t seen a single penny,” the “Vanderpump Rules” star said on Bethenny Frankel’s “Just B” podcast Wednesday.
Leviss described her situation as “exploitation” as she began to tear up during her first sit-down interview since the reality show’s explosive Season 10 reunion, which filmed in March.
“It’s not fair,” she continued. “And I feel like a toddler saying, ‘It’s not fair!’ But it really isn’t. And I feel like I’ve been portrayed as the ultimate villain. My mistakes that I’ve made on-camera live on forever.”
Reps for Bravo did not immediately respond to Pvnew’s request for comment.
Leviss, 28, faced intense backlash from “Pump Rules” fans after news broke in March that she and her co-star Tom Sandoval had been having a months-long affair while he was in a nearly 10-year relationship with Ariana Madix.
Madix, 38, promptly dumped Sandoval, 41, as producers picked up cameras to capture the fallout.
Follow Pvnew’s coverage of ‘Scandoval‘
- Tom Sandoval, Raquel Leviss, Ariana Madix drama, explained
- How Ariana Madix found out about Tom Sandoval, Raquel Leviss’ affair
- Ariana Madix rips ‘subhuman’ Raquel, ‘rat’ Sandoval in ‘Pump Rules’ reunion trailer
After the Emmy-nominated series‘ reunion taping, Leviss checked into a mental health facility to seek long-term treatment. Meanwhile, many of her co-stars saw the scandal as a business opportunity.
Madix, in particular, landed a Lifetime movie role and numerous sponsorships in addition to releasing merchandise and opening a West Hollywood sandwich shop called Something about Her. The Daily Mail estimated that she has raked in over $1 million from the various deals.
Cast member Lala Kent, who publicly bashed Leviss multiple times over the dalliance, also dropped merch — and made enough money from it to cover a down payment on her $1.35 million home.
“Vanderpump Rules” began filming Season 11 in July, though Leviss’ role remains up in the air.
n" >A source previously told Pvnew exclusively that the former beauty pageant queen — who has started using her real name, Rachel, again — “wants to get as much money as she possibly can, so she is playing hardball” with executives.
Frankel, 52, has been one of Leviss’ most vocal supporters through it all, encouraging the embattled reality TV star last month to “get paid” and not be a “punching bag.”
More recently, the “Real Housewives of New York City” alum made headlines for recruiting “over 80 people” in her war against Bravo and NBC, claiming the networks have subjected their reality stars to “grotesque and depraved mistreatment” including “deliberate attempts” to “manufacture mental instability.”
