Scheana Shay explained why she isn’t in touch with Tom Sandoval during Friday’s episode of her podcast.
After being criticized throughout the 11th season of Vanderpump Rules for the compassion she sometimes showed to her castmate following his sordid affair with Rachel “Raquel” Leviss, 29, Scheana, 39, revealed where they stand today as she also addressed Sandoval’s rumored “redemption arc” and potential manipulations, explained the cast’s bio drama, and shared what fans didn’t see on the season.
“Sandoval and I haven’t talked much in over a year, since pre-‘Scandoval.’ So nothing really has changed,” Scheana said of their relationship on the May 17 episode of Scheananigans.
Although Sandoval suggested that season 11 allowed him to be re-humanized with viewers following his cheating scandal, which saw Ariana Madix, 38, getting cheated on amid their nine-year relationship, Scheana felt he did not get the redemption he was hoping for.
“Whatever it is I think he is probably blew it,” she stated. “Even just watching him on Watch What Happens Live this season, it’s like, you really haven’t changed, buddy. I did try to do what Scheana always does and see a tiny bit of good still left and the soul still there but you know, whatever.”
Although some accused Scheana of looking “dumb” for extending an olive branch to Sandoval, she said she has no regrets about her season 11 behavior.
“I don’t regret any of my actions. I don’t regret trying to still see some good in someone who had been a very good friend to me for many years,” she confirmed.
As for whether she felt manipulated by Sandoval, Scheana admitted that her perspective changed on various people and relationships in her life.
“Tom and I were friends for so many years and years before [Pump Rules] and it’s like, viewers have only seen a small fragment of that friendship on the show … Tom and I are always going to be tied together through this show and our long history but we’re never going to have a friendship like we had before. It’s impossible to go back when so much has been broken — not just the friendship broken but the trust shattered. And I haven’t really necessarily seen the growth in him that would merit my energy being fully put back into rekindling a full friendship with him,” she stated. “So I’m not going to try and build that back up if I’m not seeing that from him.”
Earlier this month, after it was revealed that Pump Rules was being put on pause ahead of its 12th season, cancelation rumors began to swirl after it was reported that the entire cast had removed the show from their Instagram bios. But, according to Scheana, her removal of the mention happened several months ago.
“My sister does all of my links and that stuff on Instagram for me. I didn’t even notice that it was taken out of my bio until everyone else did. I think maybe when she put the ‘Sweet and Sour’ song in, she took out [Pump Rules] because there were too many things in my bio,” Scheana explained. “Also, for 11 years, I’ve never had anything [Pump, Rules] in my bio.”
According to Scheana, she and James Kennedy, 32, added the show to their bios after they learned the series had been nominated for an Emmy. Then, after they didn’t win, it was removed.
“Emmy-nominated [Pump Rules] was in my bio for, I think, just around the Emmy time and then my sister took it out,” she revealed. “So literally, no other rhyme or reason. Nothing else going on there. Too many things in the bio just make it too cluttered-looking and I’m OCD so I guess she wanted to just keep it clean.”
When Scheana was then asked what she would say to Raquel if her former castmate ever reached out to her, she admitted, “I don’t think I’m ever gonna hear from that girl so I don’t know what I would say.”
She also reacted to claims of Sandoval grooming Raquel.
“That part of their dynamic was nowhere near me so I wouldn’t be able to answer that,” she replied.
Also on the episode, Scheana revealed that her sister Cortney’s birthday was filmed but not seen on the main episodes of the season. That said, she expects it will air on the series’ upcoming “Secrets Revealed” episode.
“That was a really fun day. Almost the entire cast was there. [Katie Maloney] and Tori were there and I’m excited to see that,” she told listeners. “I haven’t seen it yet but I know that’s one of the scenes we should be seeing. Stay tuned.”
Part two of the Vanderpump Rules season 11 reunion airs Tuesday, May 21, at 8/7c on Bravo.
