Lisa Vanderpump Talks RHOBH Secrets, VPR Changes and Villa Drama (Excl)

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Lisa Vanderpump Previews Vanderpump Villa Shares Untold Stories From RHOBH and Gives VPR Update 1.jp

On her seventh season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Lisa Vanderpump’s tagline was “The crown is heavy, darlings. So just leave it where it belongs.” This was a knowing wink to being the leader of the pack on that hit, but today it’s more relevant than ever for the undisputed queen of not just Bravolebrities but all of reality TV.

“It’s been an incredible journey,” she tells Us Weekly. “I’ve done hundreds of episodes. I’ve had so much fun, I’ve had sadness, I’ve had surprise, I’ve had every element. Maybe it’s been magnified because it’s been on reality television, but an extraordinary experience for sure.”

Vanderpump remains an outlier, the exception to the reality rule, especially in the world of Real Housewives, because after nine seasons, she somehow managed to emerge with her marriage intact and no legal or financial issues. The Brit, 64, owns a slew of eateries and bars in L.A., Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe, Nevada. The Vanderpump Dog Foundation has saved the lives of thousands of canines, with rescue centers in L.A. and China. Along with her enduringly happy marriage to Ken Todd, 79, she’s an adoring mum to Pandora, 38, and Max, 33, and grandma to Pandora’s children, Teddy and Greyson. Her Emmy-nominated spinoff Vanderpump Rules — set at her bar/resto SUR — has just announced a reboot after 11 popular seasons. The spinoff of that, The Valley, which she exec-produces, is going from strength to strength as its second season unspools on Bravo. “I’m all about doing passion projects where I’m at now in my life,” she reveals just as the wonderfully escapist Vanderpump Villa returns to Hulu (April 24).

Vanderpump sat down with Us to spill the proverbial tea on all her secrets, from behind-the-scenes reality dramas viewers never see to the only Housewife she still considers a friend.

Lisa Vanderpump Previews Vanderpump Villa Shares Untold Stories From RHOBH and Gives VPR Update — BETSY NEWMAN PHOTOGRAPHY FOR VANDERPUMP BLOOMS BY KROGER

Vanderpump Villa has moved from a French chateau to a gorgeous 12th-century Italian castle! What else is different?

This season, everything came to fruition. It’s richer, funnier, sexier. It’s hard work, finding the right blend of personalities and organizing them, but it’s glorious.

The number of workplace hookups is sizable, even by Vanderpump Rules standards.

This took it to a whole new level. It should be Vanderpump Matchmaker! Everybody fell in love… and out of it. That was the more complicated part.

The staff members, including a half dozen returning from season 1, vie for a fat bonus. Does anyone get ruthless?

I don’t know how strategic they were because they were falling in love, and there were friendships. But a $30,000 bonus — they were excited by that. You do see some of them saying, “I’m not leaving without it.”

Are you tougher this time? We see more than one person get fired!

There were a couple who thought they came to Italy to be famous, and that didn’t work for me. Shape up or ship out. There were long days, and sometimes you can become a little overwhelmed. I don’t want to send anybody home, especially in tears, but sorry, you had your chance.

And Stassi Schroeder from Vanderpump Rules is back in your orbit, as a “special VIP”!

I love having somebody to play with. I don’t want to be the boss all the time. It’s fun to have somebody to banter with. I can’t be as casual with my staff as I would be with a friend, so to speak.

She references being fired from VPR in 2020, saying she never wanted to leave.

It was very poignant, because it was a sign of the times and her actions. The world is changing. I hate this cancellation policy — people are expected to be exemplary and not make mistakes. We all make mistakes. She did something totally inappropriate and learned from it. [Schroeder and costar Kristen Doute had reported a black costar, Faith Stowers, to the police for a crime the woman had nothing to do with.] I understood why [she was let go], but I would’ve rather kept her, chastised her and let her learn from it.

You prefer to give people second chances?

It’s like James [Kennedy]. He’s been in the headlines. [Last December, the VPR star — who had broken his sobriety — was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence against then-girlfriend Ally Lewber. No charges were filed.] I’ve had so much patience with him. I was so happy to see him with Ally and doing so well. I know it’s a disease, but at some point, you’ve got to say, “I cannot support this anymore” with some people when they keep making the same mistakes.

Have you been in touch?

James reached out, but I said, “Before I speak to you, I want to speak to Ally and understand it completely.” I did talk to Ally at great length, and she reassured me that nothing happened physically — they were just in a drunken nonsense.

In Stassi’s case, did you object to her being fired at the time?

It was a difficult position for me. I wasn’t consulted. Everything was in such disarray. I always wanted her to come back, always.

She’s a married mom of two now. Has she changed?

She’s still Stassi and says things most people wouldn’t even think of, but there’s an essence of responsibility that has continually grown.

Season 2 also brings more reality powerhouses when cast members from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives visit. What did you make of them?

I didn’t watch [the show], but I knew about them, and they brought the right energy. They were absolutely up for fun. And we had a couple of people who wanted to have fun with them, as you’ll see!

What’s something people would be surprised to know about your run on reality TV?

I wanted to leave Housewives once. I said, “It’s done, I’m leaving” — how many times I said that! I had a convertible, and the producers jumped in! I drove home and said, “OK, you! Out of the car!” And one climbed my security gates, ran down my driveway, chasing me. I went back, what else?

Whoa! Any more secrets?

I don’t have a glam squad. I don’t have an assistant. I don’t have a stylist. When we started Beverly Hills and people were saying, “I can’t go out to dinner without having my hair and makeup done,” all that didn’t make sense to me.

More, please!

Adrienne Maloof [from the original RHOBH cast] wore this brown body makeup, and wherever she sat, she’d leave her imprint. The human stain! Also, I knew Stassi and all the young people in SUR used to sneak a drink, but I wasn’t sure how much until I found a stack of bottles in the bathroom. And on Vanderpump Villa, the amount of shagging! I mean, I know when I was twentysomething, I’d have probably been the same.

Did you ever talk anyone out of quitting VPR, like RHOBH producers did to you?

Stassi. And Lala [Kent] — I stopped her in her tracks: “You come back here. You do not run. You are not a victim.” I saw [Tom] Sandoval go through a hard time, so I tried to bolster him up even though he was a thousand percent wrong. I saw Ariana [Madix] having bouts of depression. I was very worried she would flounder with Scandoval, but she didn’t. She came right back, and I couldn’t be happier for her. I always say, “Don’t get mad, get even — and then some.”

What’s the secret to good reality TV?

Telling the true story. The truth is stranger than fiction.

Was there ever a personal situation you wanted to keep off-camera?

I’m an open book, but I think grief can be hard because you don’t want to make a depressing show. I started [a new season of] Vanderpump Rules two days after my brother’s funeral. [Her only sibling, Mark Vanderpump, died by suicide in April 2018.]

Filming must have been extremely challenging. You were about to start production on RHOBH too.

For me, Vanderpump Rules was more of a business show about mentoring, nurturing, dealing with all the dynamics. It wasn’t so intrusive personally. So that’s why I said to Andy [Cohen], “I shouldn’t do [Housewives]. I would cry if I opened the fridge.” It’s the only time in my life I’ve taken antidepressants. Andy said, “We should have given you that year off.” I made the decision then and there [after her blowout fight with Kyle Richards]. I don’t have it in me to be combative. I’m done, and there’s no ambiguity. I’m never coming back. I don’t care what you offer me, reunions, money, nothing. I’m done.

Do you ever regret not going to that final RHOBH reunion for season 9?

No, because I’d sat at reunions before where they’d all been against me. There’s cackling and noise, and it doesn’t matter what you say — it’s a story that these women want to tell.

You’ve never watched it after you left?

There’s no upside for me watching it. The only one I really liked was Garcelle [Beauvais] — I have a good relationship with her. Now it’s time for her to move on. She was somebody before and she’ll be somebody after. Not everybody’s like that. A lot of people are defined by Housewives.

You’d never return?

That’s a hard no, unless it was a group of different women I really liked.

Did you think about reaching out to Kyle when her marriage broke down? Or PK and Dorit Kemsley?

I feel bad for anybody whose marriage goes through that. I was sad to see that. I imagine how painful that must be. I think I’d have to bump Ken off rather than divorce him. The door’s always open to PK. I haven’t watched the show — I just know he was upset by things Dorit’s said about him. To me, he’s always seemed like a nice man who loves his children, but I don’t know what’s happening.

You and Teddi Mellencamp didn’t have the best time on Housewives, but presumably she’s in your thoughts as she fights cancer?

I could only ever wish somebody prayers, positive thinking because that’s so, so difficult. It’s devastating. Of course, utmost compassion for that situation.

What can you say about the Vanderpump Rules reboot?

It’s very rare that you see behind the scenes of a restaurant because no other restaurant is crazy enough to do that. When you get a lot of young, hot people, it always gets complicated.

How did you decide to move on from the original cast?

It didn’t make sense anymore. I’d always said I would rather quit when we’re on top. I do not want to go down on a sinking ship. The group was splintered; it was done.

Who took the bad news the hardest?

Well, it came gradually. There were internal conversations. Most of them had been smart and built something on their own. It was hard to see the boys go through the whole thing with Schwartz & Sandy’s. [The lounge owned by Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval shut down in December 2024.] But Tom [Sandoval]’s had a little bit of a revamp on The Traitors, so that’s good.

Do you think the world has forgiven him?

Maybe. I don’t know the public perception. I hope he does well.

What’s your all-time favorite Vanderpump Rules moment?

What made me laugh the hardest was when we fired Kristen [Doute] and the chefs in the kitchen were jumping up and down, like, “She’s gone!” You can’t write that stuff.

Were you relieved, too?

That is the understatement of the year.

As an exec producer on The Valley, did you have any reservations about Kristen being cast?

I can’t let my good sense interfere with my choice as a producer. I never really got along with her. She always made things complicated, even as a waitress. But if she’s part of a group, it’s about the authentic story. You don’t always have to like somebody to enjoy them.

Have you spoken to Jax Taylor recently, since he went public with his addiction?

I’m not close to Jax. He shot himself in the foot when he left. He was like, “This is my show.” And I was like, “No. This is my show. Bye.”

Do you think something was a little off with him that day?

I remember looking in his eyes and thinking, “Are you serious? What’s going on with you?” But a lot of people have dependencies on things, and they come through it. I hope he’s got the strength to go through it.

What’s your relationship with Scheana Shay now?

Good, but I can’t talk to them all the time. Remember, I have 700 people that work for me. They know I’m always there if they need me. I talk to Schwartz quite a lot, Lala occasionally. She always says, “I love you. My mother gave birth to Lauren, but you gave birth to Lala.” I love all of them.

What do you want your reality television legacy to be?

That I gave the audience authenticity, beauty, fun, shows that weren’t fabricated, that were authentic. They were visually gorgeous to watch and a bit naughty, too, like me.

For more on Vanderpump, watch the exclusive video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly — on newsstands now.

https://www.usmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lisa-Vanderpump-Previews-Vanderpump-Villa-Shares-Untold-Stories-From-RHOBH-and-Gives-VPR-Update-1.jpg?crop=0px%2C25px%2C1055px%2C555px&resize=1200%2C630&quality=86&strip=all

2025-04-16 12:00:00

jennamery2 days ago

0 8 10 minutes read