Vanderpump Rules

Andy Cohen says the reason the "Vanderpump Rules" cheating scandal is such a big story two months after the fact is because lots of people are curious about infidelity ... and without a doubt, this affair has it all.

We got Andy at LAX Thursday and our photog asked him why "Scandoval" is still captivating the public, even those folks who don't watch the reality TV show religiously.

Andy says infidelity is just one of those topics that draw lots of eyeballs and interest ... plus it doesn't hurt that the women involved, Ariana Madix and Raquel Leviss, used to be close friends.

Plus, for hardcore Bravo fans, Andy says those folks felt like they knew Tom Sandoval, Ariana, and Raquel ... which makes the affair all the more shocking and dramatic.

We broke the story back in early March ... when Ariana went through Tom's phone and found out he had been hooking up with Raquel for months behind her back.

Of course, this isn't the first time the 'VPR' cast has been caught cheating ... but Andy says this affair checks all the boxes ... and he thinks there must be something in the water in West Hollywood because everyone on the show is super horny.

Ariana Madix isn't buying the whole idea her ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval and their costar Raquel Leviss called it quits ... insisting it's all part of a PR stunt.

Ariana opened up during Wednesday's episode of "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen”, shortly after the explosive finale of "Vanderpump Rules" aired ... and following news reports Tom and Ariana pulled the plug on their relationship.

Ariana tells Andy, "I don’t buy that at all. She was sending letters to my house like four days ago.” When asked if the letters were sent from Raquel's "treatment facility" AM responded, "I guess. I don’t know."

AM, who still lives with her ex, insists she never opened the letters because, after all, that would be illegal, but she's certain they are Raquel's handwriting.

The 'Scandoval' played out on-and-off screen during Wednesday's final episode ... and some think not coincidentally, reports surfaced that very same day Tom and Raquel broke up.

Ariana makes it really clear she and Tom are not communicating, but sees RL's letters to Tom as a clear sign the two are still together.

There's still a 3-part reunion in the can to unpack all the drama ... as far as if Tom and Raquel are really dunzo, only time will tell.

The season finale of "Vanderpump Rules" delivered the long-awaited showdown between Tom Sandoval and his ex Ariana Madix over Tom's affair with Raquel Leviss ... and the scene was every bit as dramatic as everyone predicted -- and then some!!!

Wednesday's epic show was actually filmed back in March after news broke in the press about Tom and Raquel's romance, blowing up Tom's 9-year relationship with Ariana.

Ariana confronted Tom about the media reports and the two got into a tense -- and at times nasty -- back and forth while sitting across from one another in their L.A. apartment.

Gazing at Tom, Ariana remarked, "Still haven't said sorry for what you actually did." Tom responded, "Every time I tried to apologize to you, it just makes you more angry."

Ariana snapped, "Good! Let me be angry. You should still f***ing apologize."

At that moment, Tom apologized, saying he didn't mean to hurt Ariana. But, Ariana wasn't buying it, pointing out that Tom continued to sleep with Raquel over and over again.

Not true, says Tom, insisting that he hadn't been cheating with Raquel "for a while."

Of course, Ariana didn't believe Tom and blamed Raquel for becoming enamored with him. She then accused Raquel of looking to "f*** one of her best friend's life partners," i.e. Tom.

Tom explained that he and Raquel became "really good friends" before admitting that he was "seeking something that I wasn't getting here." He added, "And that's selfish. That's really selfish."

Suddenly, Ariana hit the roof, screaming, "I don't give a f*** about f***ing Raquel! Your friendship is f***ing bulls***!"

The conversation only got worse as Tom and Ariana drilled down on their deteriorating relationship before the affair. Tom admitted, "We had no sex life. I lost all my mojo."

Ariana mocked Tom, saying, "So f*** my friend then, get your mojo back." Tom answered, "Once I turned 40, I was like, 'This can't be the rest of my life.'"

More angry words were exchanged between the two before the discussion came to a close with all their emotions pouring out.

Ariana said, "I regret every moment that I stood up for you, defended you, supported you. You're worth nothing. And I want you to feel that deep in your soul."

She continued, "I want you to hear those words coming from the mouth of the woman that f***ing stood by you and loved you and was ready to build the rest of my life around you. Hear my words and know that that's how I feel about you. I regret ever loving you."

Defeated, with tears in his eyes, Tom could barely bring himself to say, "I never thought this would happen. I thought we'd be together forever."

Ariana, also crying, ended with this..."I would have followed you anywhere. I would have changed any part of whatever you weren't happy with. I was 100% committed to you as of literally two days ago."

All that was just the opening for the show. The rest of the episode dealt with the fallout from Tom and Ariana's break up with the other cast members getting involved and gossiping about it.

But, you'll have to sit down and watch it for yourself. Bring the popcorn.

Ariana Madix is not keeping quiet about how ugly the cheating scandal with her ex-Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss went down -- revealing the cheaters first had sex in the car, while she was mourning the death of her dog.

In a preview clip of the season 10 finale of "Vanderpump Rules," Ariana opens up about how she found out about the whole 'Scandoval' for the very first time ... and how the call went when she first confronted Raquel.

If you already thought things were bad, the story gets worse.

Ariana says, she first found a screen recording of them on FaceTime, and, "That's when I called Raquel and I started, like, making her, like, f***ing tell me, 'What the f***? When did this start?'"

To her surprise, Raquel explained it had all started after a girls' trip to Vegas last August -- a trip Ariana left early because her dog Charlotte died.

To make matters worse, Ariana says Raquel still didn't tell the whole truth -- only confessing to kissing -- but later Tom Schwartz revealed Sandoval and Raquel banged in the car.

She adds, "And he didn't have a key to get in so he had to ring the doorbell and I had to let him in" ... yikes!

As you know, it's been a whole lot of drama involving the entire cast after TMZ broke the news Ariana had discovered the cheating was going on ... blowing up her 10-year relationship with Sandoval.

Scheana Shay's looks over the years are "Good As Gold!"

Here is a 28-year-old version of the reality television star shining in her go-to crop top in Hollywood back in 2013 (left). This was the same year she started her run on "Vanderpump Rules" in addition to releasing her song "Good As Gold!"

And, a decade later ... the birthday girl -- who turns 38 today -- recently hit a pre-Coachella party in Beverly Hills, wearing a lingerie-esque top. To say "Scheana Shay came to slay" would be an understatement!

With a new hubby and her precious little Summer, "It's all happening" for this golden girl, but the question is...

Tom Sandoval says it's been a month since he had a sip of booze ...  he's now fully into drinking non-alcoholic beer.

The "Vanderpump Rules" star celebrated the sobriety milestone Thursday during his band's concert at The Space at Westbury on Long Island, NY ... telling the crowd he's taking a break from liquor.

Tom was drinking a Heineken 0.0 onstage, and it sounds like his fans support his sobriety ... his announcement was met with cheers and applause.

Staying away from alcohol is a big move for Tom ... he certainly has plenty of reasons to drink these days, considering all the fallout he's dealing with as a result of the "Scandoval" ... not to mention the temptations that come with going on tour.

Tom's band, the aptly named Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras, also performed a remix of Fountains of Wayne's hit "Stacy's Mom" ... and he found a way to name-drop Raquel Leviss in the song.

Ariana Madix and her Coachella bae Daniel Wai are lookin' more and more official ... because the 2 were spotted getting some high-end shopping done in the Big Apple.

AM and DW were out and about in NYC Thursday -- hitting up stores like Louis Vuitton while sharing a smooch -- all on Daniel's birthday, no less!

They seemed to be in great spirits during their stroll ... her shirt is a pretty timely one, too -- it reads, "Boys Lie Goodbye." The Boys Lie brand is one she's pulled out of her closet a couple of times since Scandoval started, so she's got clear intentions with her fits these days.

As we reported, Ariana and Daniel were first linked when they were spotted suckin' faces at Coachella last month ... as Tom Sandoval was jamming out at a separate music showcase that same weekend.

Some thought Ariana and Daniel were just having fun in the sun, but she ended up sharing some more PDA after she drove him to LAX -- true commitment if ya ask the locals.

Lisa Vanderpump's famous Pump Restaurant Lounge in West Hollywood is closing up shop.

The Pump Family tells TMZ ... "It's with heavy hearts that we announce that the lease at Pump Restaurant is expiring, and we will be closing its doors on July 5th, after 10 years of beautiful evenings under our olive trees."

While the flagship location at the corner of Santa Monica and Robertson in the heart of WeHo is closing, we're told Lisa is opening two more restaurants at Caesars in Las Vegas.

It appears a dramatic increase in rent is to blame, the Pump Family tells us ... "While we have loved our time operating Pump, to take on another 10-year lease with a huge increase in rent by the landlords, is not something we are ready to commit to. After successfully running 37+ establishments for many years, this type of rent is untenable."

Sources close to the family tell TMZ  … Lisa and her husband Ken Todd refused to commit to paying nearly $1 million in yearly rent, with the couple considering the figure to be ridiculous.

Our sources say high rent is also to blame for Lisa and Ken's former Beverly Hills restaurant, Villa Blanca remaining empty 3 years after the couple closed the restaurant because of a rent increase in 2020.

We're told Lisa wanted to keep Pump open through June, because it's Pride Month and she wants to "support the local community with one last hurrah."

Lisa and Ken still have a couple other restaurants in the area ... Sur and TomTom ... and the Pump Family says, "We look forward to welcoming you all to TomTom & Sur in the months following! Thank you for the past decade of support, we have loved our staff, our patrons and our time together."

Pump's been featured in many scenes on "Vanderpump Rules" over the years, and it's hosted tons of celebs ... including Lance Bass and Lady Gaga.

Ariana Madix ripping into her now-ex-BF Tom Sandoval about major sex life problems ... and, ironically, discussing those concerns with Raquel Leviss is the ultimate foreshadowing -- and that's about to play out for viewers.

The ill-timed convos were revealed in Wednesday night's "Vanderpump Rules" teaser -- where Tom tells Ariana he'd love to have more sex, and she bluntly responds, "I cannot have sex with somebody that feels like a stranger."

The real stunner is Ariana then telling Raquel about that argument -- a bad idea knowing what we know now! And, Raquel's response is wild ... telling Ariana that people who are dating "should want to have sex."

All shocking stuff ... considering how the Scandoval played out -- Tom having an affair with Raquel behind Ariana's back.

Unclear when exactly these scenes were shot, but we know Tom and Raquel's affair was already hot and heavy by this past January -- so, it's possible they were already banging when Ariana was confiding in Raquel.

As we reported, a deleted scene from 'VR' had all signs pointing to an affair with all 3 sharing a hot tub together ... joking about being a throuple while Tom couldn't seem to take his eyes off Raquel.

Ariana Madix took her road show to D.C. Saturday night ... and she had to get a boatload of satisfaction when someone hurled a joke into the crowd ... comparing her ex to Tucker Carlson!!!

Ariana and boss woman Lisa Vanderpump were invited guests of DailyMail.com at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. M.C. Roy Wood Jr. dropped the comparison in the middle of his roast ... "The untouchable Tucker Carlson is out of a job… but to Tucker’s staff, I want you to know that I know what you’re feeling. I work at The Daily Show, so I too have been blindsided by the sudden departure of the host of a fake news program. Tucker got caught up. Got caught up like that dude from Vanderpump Rules."

Of course, Roy was referring to the Scandoval ... specifically Tom Sandoval.

Ariana's been on a world tour lately ... doing karaoke in Europe and getting tight with a dude at Coachella. She's movin' on ... so where's that reunion show!

D.C. was lit Saturday night at an after-party following the White House Correspondents' Dinner, and apparently so were some of the correspondents!!!

MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle was yukking it up and feelin' the beat with fellow anchor Symone Sanders-Townsend ... posing for pics when she just collapsed. No harm, no foul ... Ruhle bounced back up, with a little help, and was back at it.

The party went down at the French Ambassador's residence in D.C. People were dancing and, we're guessing, drinking some as the shindig blazed on. Stephanie hit the ground at 1 AM. No word on how long the party lasted.

The event's a big deal in D.C. Ariana Madix and Lisa Vanderpump were guests at the Dinner and A.M. had to love it when host Roy Wood Jr. compared her ex, Tom Sandoval, to Tucker Carlson.

Ariana Madix is singing her way through any lingering breakup blues she might have -- letting her hair down to belt out some karaoke overseas, and her song choice is an interesting one!!!

The "Vanderpump Rules" star was at The Banshee Labyrinth early Wednesday morning in Edinburgh, Scotland ... and witnesses tell us she was having a good ol' time, even before grabbing the mic.

Ariana got up and sang "Hand in My Pocket" by Alanis Morissette ... which, of course, is all about staying afloat and looking at the bright side in the midst of pain. Sounds familiar.

You can see she really got into the performance, putting a little extra on the line, "Everything's gonna be fine, fine, fine" ... and, at one point, high-fiving a woman in the crowd.

We're told she was there with 2 unknown pals, male and female, and everyone was in a great mood as they chatted before Ariana put on a show.

The generous, and/or drunk, patrons ate it up and showered her with applause.

As you know, she's been going through it since finding out her ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval was cheating with their costar, Raquel Leviss ... putting an end to their 9-year relationship.

Of course, AM has seemingly moved on with her Coachella bae, Daniel Wai -- and now, she's sending a "fine, fine, fine" message.

Tom Sandoval is ripping anyone doubting the sincerity of Raquel Leviss' mental health treatments ... he says she's really getting help and isn't in some swanky resort.

The "Vanderpump Rules" star called out a couple former castmates by name Tuesday, tearing into Peter Madrigal and Dayna Kathan for casting doubt on Raquel's whereabouts.

Tom was in Van Nuys and grew agitated when paparazzi asked him if he had seen Raquel in Arizona ... Tom says she's in a mental health facility that doesn't allow visitors or phones.

There's been speculation online Raquel is really at a Miraval Resort and & Spa location in Arizona ... but Tom says that's all BS and he seems peeved by all the rumors.

Tom says he went to a resort for some R&R and solo time in the wake of the "Scandoval," but he's adamant Raquel isn't living it up in a posh resort and is truly getting the help she needs.

Remember ... Tom blasted Miraval last week after the resort's social media team played into the speculation that he was going to be there, possibly to see Raquel.

Tom and Raquel have been getting tons of backlash since their cheating scandal rocked the show and blew up his 9-year relationship with Ariana Madix ... and they've both been struggling to keep their sanity, with Raquel seeking treatment as a result of the fallout.

Here's some awkward foreshadowing of 'Scandoval' ... a "Vanderpump Rules" scene off the editing room floor showing Ariana Madix, Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss joking about being in a ménage à trois!

It's a wild vid, knowing what we know now ... it shows all 3 of 'em posing for pics together in a hot tub before Raquel says these photos must stay on Tom's phone, and can't be shared with anyone.

Ariana's reaction is pretty eye-opening -- "It looks like we're in a throuple." 👀

Tom and Raquel didn't have any visible reaction after she said that, but the timing of this scene is pretty shocking. Bravo aired the previously deleted clip ... which was shot last August in Mexico, where they were all attending Scheana Shay's wedding.

Twitter's having a field day with the clip -- some point out he couldn't keep his eyes off Raquel in the hot tub, while another called it "Beyond gross."

As we all know, Ariana later found out her words had some truth. We broke the story ... Tom and Ariana broke up after she discovered sexual texts between Tom and Raquel ... who'd been using code names on each other's phones to hide their affair.

We spoke to Tom this week, and he said he's happy Ariana's moving on ... referring to her hookup with a new guy at Coachella.

Raquel Leviss had an awkward first encounter with Tom Sandoval's mom, who knew all about their secret affair ... and we're told the meeting wasn't even supposed to go down.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Raquel took another trip to St. Louis -- Tom's hometown -- in January, following her first outing the month before. They were at a bar with his friends when the place abruptly had to close due to an ice storm warning in the area.

The group decided to take shelter at Tom's mom's house, which was nearby ... making it the first time Raquel had ever met her -- and yes, his mom Terri knew all about their affair.

We're told Terri wasn't cool with their situation but was cordial during the quick exchange. Tom didn't introduce Raquel as his GF, despite the fact Terri already knew.

The group ended up spending the night ... and Tom and Raquel ended up in the same room.

TMZ broke the story, Raquel made her first St. Louis trek at the end of December, with Tom giving her a tour of the city ... but we were told his family had no interest in meeting her, especially knowing what was going on behind the scenes.

Things between Ariana Madix and her Coachella boo are lookin' like more than just a festival hookup ... because nothing screams "serious" quite like taking someone to the airport.

Ariana was spotted once again with Daniel Wai Monday after their fun in the Indio sun ... and, again, they were making out -- curbside at LAX -- before he headed inside to jet off.

The pics, at least, make it seem like Ariana is really into this guy.

Setting aside the super-public PDA, Ariana drove him through infamous L.A. traffic to one of the busiest airports on the west coast -- talk about commitment!!!

As we reported, the "Vanderpump Rules" star was in full rebound mode over the weekend ... video obtained by TMZ showed Ari and the fitness coach lockin' lips pretty passionately while dancing the night away.

While some speculated this could've just been a fling, the LAX trip might be a sign it's a lot more legit ... 'cause gas ain't cheap!