These ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Podcasts Break Down The Scandoval Drama You Won’t See On Screen

In March 2023, the reality TV world was thrown into chaos by the explosive revelation of Scandoval, the latest hot mess to emerge from Bravo’s long-standing series Vanderpump Rules. The alleged affair between Tom Sandoval and Rachel “Raquel” Leviss — despite Sandoval's nine-year relationship with partner Ariana Madix, sent shockwaves through the show's dedicated fanbase, leaving them hungry for every detail about the behind-the-scenes drama. 

While Season 10 is currently airing new episodes, it was filmed last year and doesn’t address the scandal. Fortunately, everyone from former and current VPR cast members to Bravo superfans have podcasts that delve into the drama and provide timely updates. Whether you’re a superfan or new to the fold, here’s what podcast you should queue up for all things Scandoval:

1. Sex, Love, and What Else Matters with Kristen Doute

Episode length: 30-90 minutes
Episode cadence: Every Wednesday and Thursday

Kristen Doute was fired from Vanderpump Rules in June of 2020 after allegations of racism — but getting fired is nothing new for Miss Doute. She was also fired from SUR, the restaurant at the center of Vanderpump Rules, after years of problematic behavior, and was typically at the center of the show’s biggest scandals. (Who could forget the time she slept with Jax Taylor while she was still dating Sandoval, only to get backhanded by her former best friend and Taylor’s ex, Schroeder?)

Doute’s podcast has a much more positive spin on things, especially considering she’s often joined by her new flame Luke Broderick. She pretty much only talks Vanderpump Rules as of late, and she’s hosted cast members Lala Kent, Peter Madrigal, Dayna Kathan, and Katie Maloney to chat all about Scandoval.

Perfect for: fans who believed in the “Miami Girl” conspiracy

2. Sexy Unique Podcast

Episode length: 60-90 minutes
Episode cadence: Every Friday

With a name that pays homage to SUR — an acronym for Lisa Vanderpump’s “Sexy Unique Restaurant”— this is a Vanderpump Rules podcast you definitely can’t miss. Hosted by Vanderpump fans Lara Marie Schoenhals and Carey O'Donnell, the show does a weekly deep dive of each episode, dissecting the nitty-gritty details and clues on Scandoval.

Come for the recaps and stay for spot-on impressions of the cast (they’ve nailed everyone from Kennedy to Sandoval, to Leviss) and inside jokes that’ll make you feel like they’re in the room with you (a recent tangent about The Witch villain Black Phillip led to an outstanding running gag). Scandoval just brought us sexy unique drama, so you’ll need to pair that with a sexy unique podcast.

Perfect for: fans who don’t mind guffawing loudly in public

3. Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino

Episode length: 30-60 minutes
Episode cadence: Bi-weekly on various days

Everything Iconic is, well, iconic; in 2022, it had 35 million downloads.
The recap podcast, hosted by one of Bravo’s most well-known fans, Danny Pellegrino — who has basically been adopted into the Bravo family, even appearing on Watch What Happens Live several times — offers a little bit of everything, from interviews with cast members to solo takes on the recent episodes.

Perfect for: fans who have watched every Bravo show since the very beginning

4. Watch What Crappens

Episode length: 60-90 minutes
Episode cadence: 5-6 times a week, but not on consistent days

Ranked as one of the Top 20 film and TV podcasts on Apple, Watch What Crappens — led by Ronnie Karam and Ben Mandelker — covers everything you need to know about all things Bravo, which naturally includes Vanderpump Rules. 

During an April tour stop in Philadelphia, they did ridiculous re-enactments of the most recent episode — including the “previously on” — and kept up a speedy, running commentary the entire time. Mandelker and Karam have built up a loyal and intense fan base throughout their time on Watch What Crappens over the years, and whether they’re at home or doing a live show, they’re clearly just having a great time. Come for the great running bits, and stay for their Sandoval impression.

Perfect for: fans who wish Watch What Happens Live was even cattier

5. Juicy Scoop with Heather McDonald

Episode length: 60-90 minutes
Episode cadence: Twice a week, but not on consistent days

After getting her start in comedy by writing and appearing on Chelsea Lately, as well as penning the New York Times bestselling memoir You'll Never Blue Ball in This Town Again: One Woman's Painfully Funny Quest to Give It Up, McDonald pivoted to covering reality TV, and fans sure are happy that she made the move.

When she’s not touring as a stand-up comedian, McDonald attends reality TV show events like BravoCon, interviews different celebrities, and tackles everything from Love is Blind to The Kardashians to, of course, Vanderpump Rules. McDonald has been devoting plenty of time to Scandoval since the news broke, catching viewers up on the latest updates.

Perfect for: fans who used to (or still) love Chelsea Lately

6. Scheananigans with Scheana Shay

Episode length: 45-50 minutes
Episode cadence: Every Friday

If you really think about it, Vanderpump Rules kind of owes its existence to Scheana Shay; if she hadn’t had an affair with then-housewife Brandi Gianville’s husband during Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Bravo might never have asked for a spin-off focusing on Shay and the rest of the employees at Lisa Vanderpump’s restaurants. Shay has been an integral part of the series since she first appeared, whether she’s in a crop top wedding dress, being called a “bootleg Kardashian,” or donning hot pants to drop her latest single — and her podcast offers up tons of tea. 

Scheananigans with Scheana Shay includes  interviews with fellow cast members (like a recent one with Peter Madrigal), recaps of other reality shows like Love Island, personal stories like her journey into motherhood, and more. Whatever you’re looking for, Shay’s probably covered it.

Since Scandoval broke, she’s released episodes about the reunion, has recapped the latest episodes of Vanderpump — one of which includes her Mexico wedding — and has shared what the Season 10 experience has been like overall. The theme song is also her own single “Good As Gold,” which… honestly? It's a bop.

Perfect for: fans who’ve been rooting for Scheana since day one

7. Give Them Lala

Episode length: 45-60 minutes
Episode cadence: Every Wednesday

When it comes to drama, nobody does it better than Lala. Former SUR-hostess-turned-makeup-maven, Lala Kent was a slightly late addition to Vanderpump Rules, but immediately made waves by hooking up with DJ James Kennedy, lying about missing work for a “modeling gig” in Italy, and just generally providing hot mess after hot mess. Kent has, however, grown up since then; she’s been open about her sobriety, has left a toxic relationship behind, and has become a mother. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t still love drama, though.

Kent has a reputation for being a blunt, straight shooter, and her podcast follows suit. Recently, she’s hosted everyone from current cast member Katie Maloney to former Vanderpump Rules moonlighter and fitness instructor Jenna Willis, and has devoted pretty much every episode to Scandoval-related topics. Kent is also, notably, not a fan of either Sandoval or Leviss, so her take on things may be a little biased, but more fun.

Perfect for: fans who know it’s “not about the pasta”

8. Straight Up with Stassi

Episode length: 45-50 minutes
Episode cadence: Every Wednesday

Stassi Schroeder Clark was one of several cast members to make a very public exit in the summer of 2020 when she was fired for allegations of racism, after which she took a break from public life. Eventually, she revived her podcast Straight Up with Stassi — you might remember her doing a sociopath test with Jax Taylor and interviewing Lisa Vanderpump for the pod while she was still on Vanderpump Rules — and, of course, she couldn’t help but weigh in on Scandoval.

Schroeder typically interviews fellow personalities — a recent highlight was her chat with the anonymous gossip blogger DeuxMoi — and she doesn’t talk about Vanderpump Rules more than she has to. Her “#TeamAriana” episode from March is a must, though, and it’s possible she’ll open up about Scandoval as more news breaks.

Perfect for: fans who post daily #OOTD mirror selfies

9. When Reality Hits with Jax and Brittany

Episode length: 60 minutes
Episode cadence: Every Monday

The most recent Vanderpump Rules cast members to start their own podcast, married couple Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright — shockingly, the only long-running couple from the show that’s still together aside from Schroeder and her husband Beau Clark — are getting into the Scandoval game as well, following their return to Bravo on a March episode of Watch What Happens Live. Since leaving the show and starting a family, Taylor and Cartwright have a lot to say; they even host watch-a-longs of each VPR episode, which are available on Peacock.

Though the two spend more time talking about their son Cruz and parenthood more than the reality show that made them famous, they still find time to weigh in on Scandoval — and considering that Taylor was once king of the Vanderpump Rules scandals, his word carries some very weird weight in all of this. Now that he’s a changed man, it’s pretty fascinating to hear what Taylor has to say, and he certainly doesn’t hold back.

Perfect for: fans who think they’d love Mamaw’s Beer Cheese

10. Watch What Happens Live

Episode length: 30 minutes
Episode cadence: Tuesday through Friday

If you love all the drama of Vanderpump Rules but have an early bedtime, you may not feel like staying up for Watch What Happens Live. The show airs on Bravo every Monday through Thursday, and new episodes of the companion podcast drop the morning after — so if you’ve got an early commute, you can queue up the previous night's live happenings and catch what you missed.

Watch What Happens Live is fun on any given night, but if you’re only here for the Scandoval tea, you’ll want to check out the Thursday morning episodes; everyone from Scheana Shay to Tom Schwartz, to Lala Kent has appeared to tackle the scandal, and they’re often joined by surprising Vanderpump Rules superfans like Michael Rapaport, Gillian Jacobs, John Owen Lowe, and more. If you want to watch what happens, but don’t need to watch it live, this one’s for you.

Perfect for: fans who like to get to bed early