Tom Schwartz, 40, is ready to move on from his friendship with Tom Sandoval, 39. The Vanderpump Rules star appeared on the latest episode of Stars on Mars on Monday, and admitted he’s “stepping away permanently” from being Tom’s friend after his headline-making affair with costar Raquel Leviss. He also called the affair “incredibly messy.”
“I’m done with it permanently.” #PumpRules pic.twitter.com/y0bshKioOw
— BravoBabe (@thebravobabe_) June 11, 2023
“It seems each time I try to weigh in or talk about, ramble on about it, drivel on, I inevitably sound like I’m somehow justifying it or making excuses for it, and I’m not,” Tom explained on the show. “There’s just no excuse for it.”
“Any sort of version of his side of the story has become obsolete because of the way he handled it. Ultimately, that’s his life. That is his life,” he continued. “I did not have an affair. I am not him. It’s just so strange that I’ve been absolutely mired in this. It’s taken on almost a life of its own.”
In addition to commenting on his friendship with Tom, the former friend opened up about the “torrid affair” to costar Natasha Leggero. “It’s horrible and I feel complicit,” he said before addressing the comments Ariana Madix, who was dating Tom when the affair happened, made about him “actively participating” in her “downfall” by not taking action. “I didn’t cover for him, but I had his back,” he explained. “He came to me, confided in me that he was in love with someone else.”
“My friend had an affair that just happened to swipe the nation and it’s incredibly messed up but the thing is I’ve become mired in it,” he added. “That’s been a huge source of just angst in my life. I’ve been in this extended funk.”
Tom’s latest comments come after he said something similar on the podcast When Reality Hits with Jax and Brittany on June 7. “It’s hard not to be resentful of him. I’m taking a break from Tom right now, I haven’t seen him in awhile,” he confirmed.