Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss Go Missing During Scheana Shay’s Wedding Reception
Reality TV stars Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss were caught sharing a kiss at Scheana Shay’s wedding in Mexico. According to Shay’s wedding dress designers, Patrik Simpson and Pol’ Atteu, the two "Vanderpump Rules" cast members were caught in the act when no one else was around, right after the ceremony. Although the show's producers were present, they're unsure if they saw the steamy moment.
Simpson admitted that he couldn't tell Sandoval and Tom Schwartz apart, making it difficult to discern which of the best friends Leviss had kissed until Scandoval broke in early March. Representatives for Leviss, Sandoval, and Shay have not responded to requests for comment.
During the same interview, Simpson and Atteu claimed that the kiss between Leviss and Tom Schwartz, which had happened the previous night, was fake because show producers asked them to move so they could capture the moment on camera. "We knew it was fake because hello, we got kicked out of our seats," Atteu noted. Atteu also expressed his dislike for Leviss, stating that he didn't like her even after getting to know her on a more personal level, saying she was "very removed" from what they were doing. He said, "Her motives were so skewed that when you're in it, you're not going to see it."
News of Sandoval’s affair with Leviss broke in March 2023, revealing that the two had been having an affair since July 2022, one month before the wedding. Ariana Madix found a sexually explicit video of Leviss on Sandoval’s cellphone on March 1, leading to their breakup after almost a decade of dating.
According to PageSix, Sandoval later claimed that he had broken up with Madix two weeks before she found the video but that she had been in denial. The news caused heated exchanges among the "VPR" cast, with Shay initially defending Leviss before allegedly punching the former beauty queen.
Following the fallout, Leviss checked herself into a mental facility for mental health and trauma therapy. Her representative stated that she and her family had decided months before the affair was discovered that she needed mental health treatment and ultimately decided to enter a voluntary facility for mental health counseling.
Reality TV shows often blur the lines between reality and fiction, and it’s challenging to discern what’s real and what’s staged for the cameras. While the kiss between Leviss and Sandoval appears to be genuine, the fake kiss between Leviss and Tom Schwartz shows that even reality TV is not entirely real.
The fallout from Sandoval and Leviss’ affair highlights the impact of infidelity on relationships and how it can lead to mental health issues. Leviss’ decision to enter a voluntary facility for mental health counseling is a positive step in addressing any trauma caused by the affair and shows the importance of prioritizing mental health during difficult times.
