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The ‘Vanderpump Rules’ star’s remark to The New York Times Magazine quickly went viral.
By Tatiana Tenreyro
Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval has apologized for comparing Scandoval to O.J. Simpson and George Floyd in a New York Times Magazine interview, quotes that quickly went viral.
In the profile published Tuesday, the Vanderpump Rules star was asked by interviewer Irina Aleksander why he thought Scandoval became such a massive pop culture phenomenon. He responded, “I’m not a pop culture historian really, but I witnessed the O.J. Simpson thing and George Floyd and all these big things, which is really weird to compare this to that, I think, but do you think in a weird way it’s a little bit of the same?”
Aleksander attempted to provide context for Sandoval’s train of thought, noting, “He was trying to express the oddity of becoming the symbolic center of a nationwide discussion and a major news story; what he communicated instead was something more honest, which is just how much the experience had made him lose perspective.”
The Vanderpump Rules star apologized later Tuesday, releasing the following statement: “My intentions behind the comments I made in New York Times magazine were to explain the level of national media attention my affair received. The comparison was inappropriate and ignorant. I’m incredibly sorry and embarrassed.”
In the Times profile, the writer also mentioned that Sandoval’s publicist, who has a background in crisis PR, was “typing furiously on her phone.” Aleksander then explained that, on the day following their initial chat, she received a call from a Bravo publicist asking about Sandoval’s comment. “Some of what Sandoval had said had gotten back to Bravo, and everyone was concerned. What was it that he said about O.J. Simpson and George Floyd exactly?” she wrote.
Reps for the Bravo series have not yet responded to The Hollywood Reporter‘s request for comment.
The profile coincides with the fourth episode of Vanderpump Rules‘ 11th season, which airs Tuesday evening on Bravo. In a sneak peek from the episode released last week, Lisa Vanderpump told Lala Kent and Scheana Shay that Sandoval is in “a really dark place.” She added, “I’ve seen depression. I know he’s depressed.”
Feb. 20, 3:09 p.m. This story has been updated with Sandoval’s apology.
This story was first published on Feb. 20 at 11:27 a.m.
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