What did Tom Sandoval do that made everyone suddenly turn on him?

Tom Sandoval, a cast member on the Bravo reality television series Vanderpump Rules, became the center of a massive public scandal in early 2023 when it was revealed that he had been carrying on a secret affair with his costar Raquel Leviss for approximately seven months. What made this particularly shocking and devastating was the context surrounding it. Sandoval had been in a relationship with Ariana Madix, also a costar on the show, for nearly a decade. The two were considered one of the most stable and beloved couples on the series, and many fans and cast members viewed their relationship as a genuine love story that had developed authentically on camera over the years. The affair came to light when Ariana discovered explicit messages and videos on Sandoval's phone, and the news broke publicly in March 2023, quickly becoming one of the biggest celebrity gossip stories of that year. The betrayal was seen as especially cruel because Ariana had recently experienced significant personal hardship, including the death of a close friend, and Sandoval had reportedly been conducting the affair during some of those difficult moments. Raquel Leviss, who had been considered a close friend of Ariana's and was also fresh off a broken engagement to another cast member, James Kennedy, was seen as doubly complicit in the betrayal of someone who trusted her. What amplified public outrage was the timing and the way events unfolded. The affair became known just as the new season of Vanderpump Rules was about to air, and Bravo made the unusual decision to allow cameras to continue filming as the fallout happened in real time. Viewers watched Ariana process her heartbreak while Sandoval gave interviews and made public statements that many people found tone-deaf and self-serving. He was criticized heavily for appearing to minimize the affair, for continuing to perform with his band Tom Tom during the scandal, and for various comments he made that seemed more focused on his own feelings and reputation than on the pain he had caused Ariana. One particularly mocked moment involved him giving an interview while wearing sunglasses indoors, which became a symbol of his perceived lack of genuine remorse. The cultural moment took on a life of its own partly because the story touched on themes that resonated broadly, including betrayal by a long-term partner, the specific pain of being cheated on with a close friend, and the way women are often expected to remain composed while men face fewer social consequences for infidelity. Ariana Madix became something of a cultural hero, with fans rallying around her intensely. She went on to compete on Dancing with the Stars and landed numerous brand deals and opportunities, while Sandoval faced widespread mockery and condemnation. The term Scandoval was coined by the internet to describe the whole situation, and it dominated entertainment news and social media for months. Sandoval also faced criticism for how he handled the aftermath publicly, including a widely panned interview on a podcast where he discussed his feelings about the affair in ways that struck many listeners as narcissistic and lacking in accountability. His friendship with Tom Schwartz, his longtime business partner and fellow cast member, also came under scrutiny as people questioned what Schwartz knew and when. The entire situation fundamentally changed the dynamic of Vanderpump Rules and the public perception of Sandoval, who had previously been a relatively popular cast member known for his bartending skills, his band, and his seemingly solid relationship with Ariana.