Rachel Leviss, a woman who is finally sharing her own story, discusses topics such as earning college credits for life experiences, the dynamics of reality shows, the scandal surrounding Tom, the cancellation and resurgence of Vanderpump Rules, the impact of ratings and financial success, and the disappointment in the lack of intervention and conflict resolution in personal experiences.
The scandal surrounding the podcast host's emotional abuse became a turning point for the show's ratings and future, reviving its popularity and generating significant revenue.
The podcast host felt unsupported and unprotected by the producers, host, and castmates, highlighting the absence of protection in a toxic environment.
Deep dives
Emotional abuse and feeling unworthy
During the reunion, the podcast host was subjected to a barrage of emotionally abusive comments from her castmates. She was called names and attacked verbally, with no opportunity for conflict resolution. In the moment, she felt like she deserved it, but upon reflection, she realized that she had been emotionally abused. She did not feel protected by the producers, the host, or even her fellow castmates. She expressed a desire to understand why she got involved in the situation and why she compromised her values, as her behavior in Season 10 was out of character. She felt that there was no room for her to share her side and explain her feelings and motivations.
Impact of the scandal on the show
The scandal, known as 'Skandival,' had a significant impact on the show's ratings and future. The show had been on autopilot and struggling, with talks of cancellation after Season 10. However, the scandal revived the show's popularity and brought in millions of viewers, making it one of Bravo's biggest events in a long time. The podcast host shared that the show's success was due to the scandal, and without it, there wouldn't have been another season. The scandal created a cash cow for Bravo, generating millions of dollars in revenue from advertisers and viewership. While the podcast host witnessed the show's ratings soar, she also found herself at the center of intense hate and emotional abuse from both the cast and online audience.
Lack of protection and conflict resolution
Throughout the reunion, the podcast host felt unsupported and unprotected by the producers, host, and her castmates. She expressed disappointment that no one intervened or stopped the emotional abuse directed towards her. Despite being emotionally abused by her castmates, she was denied a safe space to share her own perspective or engage in conflict resolution. Instead, the reunion became a constant beatdown without any aim for resolution or understanding. The podcast host reflected on the absence of protection in such a toxic environment and questioned why there was no support from those in positions of authority, such as producers or the host.