In August, ET exclusively revealed that Leviss would be leaving 'Vanderpump Rules' ahead of season 11.
Rachel Leviss' publicist is breaking her silence on her strategy in navigating Scandoval, while also casting doubt on the actions of Ariana Madix.
In a recent episode of the Rachel Goes Rogue podcast, hosted by former Vanderpump Rules star Leviss, her publicist Juliette Harris stirred up controversy by accusing Madix of orchestrating the reveal of the affair between Tom Sandoval and Leviss, branding it a "set up" for ratings.
Harris, a seasoned PR professional with 24 years of experience, stepped in for Leviss to be interviewed by entertainment journalist Lanae Brody on the podcast episode. She shed light on her involvement during the scandal, highlighting a calculated approach to media engagement aimed at protecting Leviss during her mental health struggles.
Harris said their strategy during the scandal was to remain discreet, opting for less media exposure. She expressed skepticism regarding the timing of the scandal, insinuating that Madix might have been aware of the situation beforehand, suggesting a premeditated setup.
"My theory is not going to be a popular one but I stand by it, and I will go to my grave believing it. The Bravo sleuths are super sleuths, but women as a whole, pretty good at sleuthing. If I think my husband is cheating and I can walk right over to his side of the bed when he’s asleep and can check his phone because clearly she had his password. When you drop your phone it doesn’t unlock, so she had to unlock it. She unlocked it, if the story is true, to check it at that moment, why, if you suspect anything at any time," said Harris.
She continued, "I don’t believe that, I don’t believe that’s how it happened. I believe that was propped and sent, I don’t know maybe she thought the day before and she told production and off they went. If you think your partner is cheating and you have access to their phone 24 hours a day, wait until they are asleep, wait until they go to the bathroom, go look at the phone, she had his password. So I don’t buy it fell out of his pocket and I look at it, I think it was set up for the whole thing."
ET has reached out to Sandoval and Madix for comment on Harris' allegations.
Reflecting on her interactions with Sandoval during the scandal, Harris portrayed him as overly focused on his and Leviss’ "brand," neglecting the human aspect of Leviss' struggles with mental health. She emphasized power dynamics and manipulation, alleging that Sandoval exhibited controlling behavior.
Harris discusses having a call with Leviss, Sandoval, and his publicist. "Immediately talking to him and listening to him and all he kept saying is 'my brand, our brand' and I was like 'Excuse me, you’re thinking of a brand and I am thinking of a human that’s about to go into a mental health facility, but you do you,'" said Harris.
Harris claimed that Sandoval attempted to dissuade Leviss from seeking help and pursuing her own path, illustrating a possessive attitude towards her. She recalled a pivotal moment when Sandoval’s frustration with Leviss entering a mental health facility and his lack of access to her led him to sever ties with her.
"He got so frustrated and he blew a gasket and was like ‘I’m not going to protect her anymore, I’m out here by myself, it’s them against me, I’m not going to do this anymore, I’m going to do what I have to do,' then hung up the phone," said Harris.
Discussing Leviss’ subsequent interview with Bethenny Frankel, Juliette praised Frankel for providing a platform where Leviss could freely express herself, contrasting it with Bravo's restrictive environment. She characterized the interview as a “strategic move” to reclaim narrative control.
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