How Pump Rules Star Raquel Leviss Fell Victim To False Pregnancy Rumors
Former "Vanderpump Rules" star Raquel Leviss (who has begun going by her birth name, Rachel Leviss) was in the news a lot throughout 2023 thanks to Scandoval, the affair heard 'round the world, when she was revealed as the other woman for "Vanderpump Rules" co-star Tom Sandoval. Speculation that Leviss was pregnant with Sandoval's kid hit the internet in May 2023. According to Page Six, a TikToker started the rumor.
The unnamed content creator posted a video in which she claimed to have heard about the rumored pregnancy from an acquaintance of Leviss' sister. Although, at the time, Leviss was in Wickenburg, Arizona at a mental health facility called The Meadows, the TikToker claimed that she was actually staying with her grandmother in Tucson, so the former reality star could stay away from prying eyes as her bump grew.
The speculative video has since been deleted, and the pregnancy rumors were shut down by Alex Baskin, an executive producer on "VPR." Page Six reported that while at a For Your Consideration Emmys event, Baskin clarified, "[Leviss is] not pregnant." He continued, "I have not directly spoken with her. She's been a little bit cut off. [...] We've gotten good reports back from her team — who are taking care of her — and from her family as well."
A silver lining from Scandoval included auctioning off items for charity
Rachel, aka Raquel, Leviss turned a negative experience into a positive one when she auctioned off three items that were significant during her affair with Tom Sandoval. The former reality star posted a TikTok on World Mental Health Day discussing wanting to get rid of certain things with bad memories attached to them. She explained, "I just don't want to see them, I don't want to have them in my possession. I will never wear them again."
Leviss confirmed that she wouldn't earn anything from the auction and that instead, any money generated would go to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, or NAMI. According to People, Leviss also spoke about the auction on her Instagram Story, arguing, "I can't rewrite history, but I can use something from my darkest days towards a good cause." This idea was included in the eBay item description for one of the listings — two TomTom hoodies.
The official merchandise, made for Tom Schwartz and Sandoval's bar of the same name, boasted different colored logos and both were sold together, earning $9,500. The other item was a gold lightning bolt necklace that matched one of Sandoval's. The necklace's item description on eBay also included an empowering message: "This necklace was symbolic of my devotion to another person who I allowed to have power over me. He no longer does."
Leviss' podcast Rachel Goes Rogue aims to dive deeper into her side of Scandoval
Understandably, other "Vanderpump Rules" stars have had plenty to say in the wake of Scandoval. For instance, Katie Maloney thought Raquel, aka Rachel, Leviss used Tom Schwartz to make Tom Sandoval jealous. However, Leviss took her chance to speak up with the launch of her new iHeart podcast venture, "Rachel Goes Rogue." The podcast, which was slated to premiere on January 8, 2024, features fellow former Bravo star Bethenny Frankel as a producer.
Leviss' announcement on Instagram was met with mixed feedback. One person quipped, "The 'I desperately need money' podcast lmao." The "VPR" alum refuses to let the haters hold her back though. She attended the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball in December 2023. People confirmed that it was Leviss' first public outing, to an event like that, since the affair news broke.
She shared a video on Instagram highlighting the event, including snippets of some live performances. Despite some negativity, many of Leviss' followers filled her comments with kind words. One even wrote, "I'm glad you're prioritizing your mental health! I'm happy for you!!" Another said, "Glad to see you out living your life again," with a smiling emoticon.