Stassi Schroeder Defends Tom Sandoval From ‘Online Vitriol’ Amid Raquel Leviss Cheating Scandal: ‘Emotionally Beheading’

usmagazine.com:

A change of heart? Stassi Schroeder is weighing in on the continued backlash directed toward former Vanderpump Rules costar Tom Sandoval in the wake of his affair with Raquel Leviss.The Bravo alum, 34, spoke about the lasting impact of Scandoval during the Wednesday, June 14, episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, explaining that she isn’t a fan of the way Sandoval, 40, has been treated online due to her own experience in the public eye.“I’ve been in a position where I’ve received so much hate before,” she said. “I don’t like where we’re at, like, in society where, like, that’s how we punish people. … It’s like emotionally beheading people.”Schroeder expressed her distaste for the extreme level of negativity spewed via social media. “Who’s to decide what the punishment should be?

Like, who makes someone the authority on that?” she wondered. “What makes this person on their computer the authority on what they think is enough hate for him to receive?

I don’t get down with that. … I don’t like it.”The New Orleans native — who was an original member of the Pump Rules cast before being fired from the show in 2020 — clarified that her feelings toward Sandoval and his “disgusting behavior” have not changed, but she doesn’t always believe “the online vitriol” is warranted.Sandoval has been the target of fans’ contempt since news broke in March that he split from Ariana Madix after she learned of his affair with Leviss, 28.

The former couple were together for nearly a decade before calling it quits.As details continued to emerge about the scandal, Bravo cameras picked up to capture new footage for an emotional season 10 finale.