Ariana Madix Criticizes Reunion Strategy, Calling It 'Mean' and 'Trapping'

VPR’s Katie Maloney Slams ‘Mean’ Reunion Tactic That Left Ariana Madix Feeling 'Trapped'

Katie Maloney and Ariana Madix on the ‘Vanderpump Rules’ reunion. Nicole Weingart/Bravo

Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney felt like production was against them during the Vanderpump Rules season 11 reunion.

On the "Disrespectfully" podcast hosted by Katie and Dayna Kathan on Wednesday, May 29, the three of them discussed the producers' choice to hold back the final moments of the finale until the cast could view it together at the reunion taping.

Katie, 37, expressed her disappointment with the ending of the situation. She felt that waiting to reveal a crucial moment was unnecessary and unkind, especially towards Ariana. According to Katie, the delayed reveal did not add any shock value for the viewers, but instead seemed like a deliberate move to hurt one person.

Ariana, 38, was not caught off guard by the tactic, as she had previously refused to film a scene with her ex, Tom Sandoval. However, she was not pleased with how things unfolded.

During the third part of the reunion, I found myself mouthing, 'What the f—k?' It was like a realization moment, like, 'Oh, so this is what they're doing.' When they emailed the episodes, they mentioned that we wouldn't have the end of the episode, but they didn't explain why.

For Ariana, the decision to have everyone watch the finale in real-time felt very intentional.

Ariana expressed, "It felt like, 'Well, we have her trapped in this room now. We didn’t get what we wanted to get [during the finale]. We didn’t get to break her down in real life in the moment.' 'So we’re gonna retaliate by doing that right now in a place where she’s contractually obligated to be here and try to force this moment now.' Great, I cried. Are you guys happy now?"

VPR’s Katie Maloney Slams ‘Mean’ Reunion Tactic That Left Ariana Madix Feeling 'Trapped'

The footage showed some of Ariana's co-stars, like Lala Kent, breaking the fourth wall. They accused her of not doing her job because she didn't want to film a one-on-one scene with Sandoval.

Katie expressed on the podcast that the situation felt unkind and did not have a significant impact on her or anyone else in comparison to how it would impact the other person involved. Dayna later criticized the finale as being "manufactured" because of external pressure to generate a conversation. Katie emphasized that she always maintains authenticity and does not engage in fake fights or drama.

Ariana highlighted that her dramatic departure was more thrilling than if she had spoken to Sandoval.

Ariana believed that she provided a fantastic conclusion to the season by leaving, creating a real and exhilarating moment. She expressed that from a reality TV perspective, she delivered quality entertainment. In her opinion, having a conversation would have been dull and would not have added anything to the lackluster season.

After her long-term relationship with Sandoval ended, Ariana felt that she had already shared a significant amount of her personal life within a few months.

VPR’s Katie Maloney Slams ‘Mean’ Reunion Tactic That Left Ariana Madix Feeling 'Trapped'

Ariana Madix and Andy Cohen. Griffen Nagel/Bravo

For me, real life has always been genuine and authentic. I can't pretend to be someone I'm not. You may wonder what I haven't shown you, but I laid it all out there, including my cramped storage unit of a bedroom. If you watch the season closely, you'll see how tough it was for me the whole time. I didn't hold back on sharing my struggles. As for any footage that didn't make it to the screen, that's out of my control. But I bared it all for the cameras.

After the reunion aired on Tuesday, May 28, executive producer Alex Baskin gave insight into why they decided to change up the reunion format.

He explained to The Hollywood Reporter that he felt it was crucial for everyone to watch the finale together. He believed that experiencing it collectively on stage would have a powerful impact. By keeping the details a surprise until they were all present, he ensured that they would all be equally surprised and accountable for their reactions. The editorial team's montage of past seasons also added to the emotional intensity, giving everyone chills as they watched from the control room.

During the season 11 reunion, Ariana stood her ground when Lala accused her of jeopardizing her own career. Ariana responded by pointing out that walking away from the conversation was more intriguing than staying for a confrontation. She questioned if this unexpected ending was not a more fitting conclusion for the season, leaving viewers eager for the next season and paycheck.

Lala has issued an apology following a backlash from the audience.

On her “Give Them Lala” podcast episode on Wednesday, she expressed her love for the show and the opportunities it has brought her. She acknowledged that the show and the viewers have enabled her to create a beautiful life for herself and her family.

Lala emphasized that she is truly grateful for the support and love from her audience. She apologized if she had ever said anything on the podcast that may have made her seem ungrateful, explaining that it came from a place of hurt.

Cast members have confirmed that Vanderpump Rules will not be filming this summer, but is expected to return for season 12.

Editor's P/S:

The "Vanderpump Rules" season 11 reunion brought to light the behind-the-scenes tensions between cast members and producers. Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney expressed their dissatisfaction with how the producers chose to hold back the final moments of the finale until the cast could view it together at the reunion taping. They felt that waiting to reveal a crucial moment was unnecessary and unkind, and that it was done deliberately to create drama and hurt Ariana. Ariana also criticized her co-stars for breaking the fourth wall and accusing her of not doing her job because she didn't want to film a one-on-one scene with her ex.

Executive producer Alex Baskin defended the producers' decision, saying that he felt it was crucial for everyone to watch the finale together and experience it collectively. However, the cast members felt that it was a manufactured move that was designed to force Ariana into an uncomfortable position. Ariana stood her ground and defended her decision to walk away from the confrontation, saying that it was more intriguing than staying for a conversation.