There have been countless situations in the past that have caused media frenzies.For example, whenBrad PittleftJennifer AnistonforAngelina Jolie, it rocked headlines for months. WhenBritney Spearswas deeply struggling with her issues and shaved her head to feel a sense ofcontrol over her life, headlines were dripping with theories. Now, in the age of social media, these media moments explode faster and last longer, depending on how juicy the drama is. And anything can cause a media frenzy:Former President Bill Clinton’saffair with a White House intern,Kim Kardashian’s sex tape, and Taylor Swift taking a sip of water: all these things have started a media circus, but none have rocked pop culture in recent years as the misfortunes ofreality television stars. There have been countless moments like these over the past three decades,so why didTom Sandoval compare Scandoval to the murders of George Floyd and Nicole Brown Simpson?Why were those two things the first things that came to his mind? And, more importantly, why did he think those situations were comparable?
Tom Sandoval was not particularly loved byVanderpump Rulesfans before the Scandoval discovery. He had ahistory of misogyny on the show, and his smugness, combined with his inability to use critical thinking, left little to be desired with fans.So, when news broke that he was cheating on Ariana Madix with Raquel Leviss, it was very easy for everyone to empathize with Ariana and hate Tom. MostPump Rulesfans didn’t like him all that much to begin with. The only thing that did change for Tom was that his infidelity now reached people who never watched the show.It makes absolute sense that the frenzy affected himnegatively. He may be anarcissist with misogynistic tendencies, but he’s still a human being. It was clear intheNew York Timesinterviewwhere he referenced civil rights injustices that his goal was to get people to empathize with him, but it wound up having the opposite effect.
Vanderpump Rules
Best known as one of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Lisa Vanderpump opens the salacious kitchen doors of her exclusive Hollywood restaurant and lounge, SUR.
Tom Sandoval Lives In A Beautifully Rich Bubble
Shows likeThe Real HousewivesandVanderpump Rulesare popular because most of the people watching don’t live a rich and famous lifestyle.The people featured on these shows haveover-the-top livesand personalities, and their problems, for the most part, and menial. Viewers are well aware of the artificial aspects of these shows, but they don’t care - there are enough real emotions and problems to keep them engaged. Viewers have the option to disengage from these storylines whenever they want. The people on these shows, however, don’t necessarily do. These rich, fabulous lives with menial problems are their reality, cameras or not. The world of the series is their world, without branching out and staying in touch with what’s happening in the outside world and current events. This isn’t just a problem with reality TV stars either; people in a certain tax bracket don’t necessarily have to bother themselves with societal problems. And, when someone is surrounded by people who look and act like them, it’s even easier to ignore everything else.
‘Vanderpump Rules’ Star Ariana Madix’s Revenge on Tom Sandoval Involves Cocktails
Ariana Madix of ‘Vanderpump Rules’ writes off her doubters with a book of cocktails.
A study done by the Pew Research Centerworks through the basic levels of difference between the rich, the regular, and the poor. The study states: “Many Americans believe the rich are different than other people. They are viewed as more intelligent and more hardworking but also greedier and less honest.”TheVanderpump Rulescast is not a diverse one when it comes to class standings. The circles they run in and the majority of the clientele they serve are not diverse, as they are focused solely on the upper class.Tom Sandoval is a product of his environment, and while his comments were idiotic, they aren’t surprising. One can only imagine what was being said behind closed doors during the protests that followed George Floyd’s murder and what the true opinions of Tom and his fellow peers are. The problems of the real world don’t touch them, so when something huge like the Black Lives Matter protests happens, it doesn’t seem like a terrible social issue but a scandalous issue. A study has even proven that the upper class avoids those less fortunate than they are. Daily Mail.com discussed astudy published in the Psychological Science Journalthat found, “Rich people are more likely to perceive the individuals around them as irrelevant, often spending little time looking at others because they are not ‘worth attending to.’” It’s entirely probable that Tom viewed George Floyd’s death as a scandal, not a tragedy.
This lack of awareness isn’t just about Tom’s inability to research and understand what’s going on in the world. It’s also a part of the fame bubble he lives in. Sudden fame can easily lead to issues of inflated ego, as seen in Tom. Many have called him a narcissist, and while Dr. Drew Pinsky proved that isn’t true, it doesn’t change the fact that Tom has delusions of grandeur and an inflated sense of self.
There are Real Psychological Effects Of Reality TV Stardom
The most recent episode ofVanderpump Rulesshowed Tom crying to Lisa Vanderpump about Scandoval,even saying that he had suicidal ideations. Lisa was naturally empathetic to Tom’s situation, but viewers were more skeptical.Many believe Tom’s mental health discussion is him vying for attention and vilification. While this kind of behavior is often used by narcissists to elicit empathy, that doesn’t necessarily apply to Tom. He’s easy to hate, sure, and it is highly possible that he was using the emotional conversation to manipulate Lisa, but it’s also possible that he was being honest.
Reality TV stars go through mental health crises all the time, and these issues are often triggered by being followed by cameras constantly.A 2016 article in the New York Post stated, “In 2007, Gordon Ramsay ripped apart struggling New Jersey chef Joseph Cerniglia onKitchen Nightmaresscreaming: ‘Your business is about to f - - king swim down the Hudson.’ Three years later, Cerniglia jumped off the George Washington Bridge. His shocking death was one of at least 21 reality-contestant suicides since 2004 — afflicting lesser-known programs such asStorage Warsas well as ratings mammoths like theBachelorfranchise, which has lost three former stars to suicide.“The number of reality TV deaths has only climbed since the article was published. From hosts to contestants, there is a real mental health issue facing reality television.
Outcry for more help in this department has risen over the years. More reality TV personalities are speaking out about the horrible mental health issues brought on by the pressures of being on camera and dealing with public vitriol. The internet has become a brutal place in which anyone feels entitled to judge or tear down other people thanks to the anonymity of being on a device. The things said in the comment sections are often things people would not say in real life to someone. HelpGuide.org says, “Any type of bullying, in-person or online, can leave you feeling deeply distressed, scared, angry, or ashamed. It can take a heavy toll on your self-esteem and trigger mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. You may feel like you’re alone and powerless to make the bullying stop— or even that you’re somehow responsible for being bullied.” Imagine being a person who wants to log on to Instagram to relax and look at memes, only to be hit with dozens of comments and DMs dripping with threats and hatred from people they’ve never even met. That’s something reality stars have to deal with every day. Without the proper mental health resources, it’s easy to see why things have ended tragically for stars in the past. Tom may have been honest about his feelings in the episode. If he was, it’s sad that his past behavior and general personality are clouding the viewers' perception of the situation. However, if it truly was a simple manipulation tactic, he deserves the title of “The Most Hated Man In America.”
Vanderpump Rules airs every week on Bravo, with next-day streaming on Peacock.
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