Lala Kent Claims Raquel Leviss Was 'Manipulated' To Leave 'Vanderpump Rules': 'It Is A Travesty'

Lala Kent has criticized Raquel Leviss' departure from "Vanderpump Rules," labeling it a "travesty." She accused Bethenny Frankel of manipulating and exploiting Leviss on her podcast.

Kent expressed disappointment that Leviss didn't return to the show and also claimed Frankel was pushing a false narrative. 

Keep on reading to learn more.

"Vanderpump Rules" star Lala Kent recently criticized Rachel Leviss' departure due to her affair with Tom Sandoval, labeling it a "travesty" and accused "Real Housewives of New York City" alum Bethenny Frankel of manipulating and exploiting Leviss. 

On her podcast "Give Them La La," Kent expressed disappointment that Leviss didn't return to the show, asserting that her claims were false and manipulated by Frankel.

She said, per Daily Mail, "It is a travesty that she didn't end up coming back. She should have come back. I think she would have been very surprised. And instead she went and did this [podcast with Bethenny], and she was manipulated yet again."

Kent continued, "There were things that she was then saying that were not perspective. It was a flat-out lie, and I can't imagine you believe what you are saying."

Kent disputed Leviss' statement about being called "reality TV ratings gold," clarifying that no such conversation occurred among the cast. The 32-year-old emphasized that the alleged incident didn't take place as described by Leviss.

Regarding the controversial podcast, Kent discussed how individuals often rely on their voices to share their perspectives. She shared, "I saw this all the time that there are going to be moments where our voice is all we have. We have all been able to go on a platform — whether it is our own or someone else's — to share our side of any story."

She noted Leviss' right to utilize a platform to tell her story but criticized Frankel for exploiting her. Kent mentioned seeing clips from the podcast and believed that Frankel "exploited" Leviss once again.

Kent further criticized Leviss for her affair with Sandoval, stating that reality TV isn't suitable for everyone and "it is a very intense environment." She added, "If you are not mentally tough as f**k, it can break you. It definitely can."

The "Vault" actress questioned whether Leviss was a victim and emphasized her choice to engage in the affair, saying, "What I do know is you made a decision to sleep with your best friend's partner of 10 years."

She added, "You didn't need to do that. No one was forcing you to do it and no one asked you to do that. It felt like Bethenny was really trying to push her in a certain direction."

Social media was abuzz as listeners expressed outrage over Leviss attempting to downplay her friendship with Ariana Madix to justify her affair with Sandoval.

A Bravo fan cautioned others about Leviss, saying, "In case y'all are wondering if Rachel has grown or learned from her mistakes— save your listen. The answer is no."

A second fan added, "Rachel said she had the affair bc Tom and Ariana weren't a real couple? Come on! She knew they were, that's why they had to hide it! Plus she was very close friends with Ariana, watch the season and you can see that! More lies!!!"

Some condemned Frankel for giving Leviss a platform. A fan questioned, "Just curious if you would have this much compassion for someone sleeping with your fiancé in your driveway after your dog died?"

Another fan compared how Frankel might react if faced with a similar situation, writing, "Oh please. You would've annihilated her if you were in Arianna's shoes."

Leviss, who recently exited "Vanderpump Rules," made her rare appearance on Frankel's podcast, shedding light on her withdrawal from the public eye after the reunion episodes in June.

Reflecting on her actions, the former pageant queen expressed that she took time to understand her choices and found a sense of clarity. "It's been a whirlwind, it's been chaos. But I've taken some time to myself to reflect and try to understand my actions. And I finally have come to the place where it makes sense to me," she stated.

Frankel also shared her empathy for Leviss, noting the backlash she faced after the affair and suggesting that her life was being exploited without due compensation.