Andy Cohen Supports Tom Sandoval Amidst Intense 'Pump Rules' Fan Backlash: Emphasizes His Humanity

Andy Cohen is defending Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval amidst ongoing fan backlash after cheating on his girlfriend of nine years, Ariana Madix, with co-star Raquel Leviss for seven months. Speaking on the “Not Skinny But Not Fat” podcast on May 30, Cohen, 54, said "Tom Sandoval made a mistake he’ll probably regret for the rest of his life. He is still a person." The Watch What Happens Live host commented on the outrage around Sandoval's actions, saying "It’s out of control, I hope it’s kind of dying down for his sake." Despite the infidelity, Cohen reminded everyone that Sandoval did not commit a crime or harm anyone.

It was a shock for Ariana as she was close friends with Leviss and in a committed relationship with Sandoval, even buying a house together for $2.2 million in 2019, and getting her eggs frozen for the future. Lisa Vanderpump, Sandoval’s employer and business partner, also defended him after critical comments from Ariana and other cast members regarding his behavior. At the Vanderpump Dogs Gala on May 18, Vanderpump, 62, told Us Weekly that she didn’t want to pile on criticism for Sandoval as she had known him for a long time. Vanderpump acknowledges that what Sandoval did was wrong, but she believes he is not a bad person, he made a bad decision and was a broken man when he sat in her living room.