In this three-part true-crime style podcast, Jodi Walker unpacks one of the biggest pop culture moments of 2023: Scandoval. A reality TV scandal so unbelievable that it dominated the zeitgeist, revived a dying franchise with an unexpected jolt to the Bravo ecosystem, and generated hundreds of conspiracy theories, thousands of podcast episodes, and millions of dollars in revenue for the very people it also harmed. It’s the story of an affair carried out under the noses of not just a deeply strange and incestuous friend group, but also a notoriously ravenous reality TV fan base, made all the more hungry by the rare opportunity to play detective in real time.
Scandoval wasn’t exposed in a vacuum; no, it broke four episodes into an ongoing season of 'Vanderpump Rules.' Armed with a surprisingly accurate timeline born of Reddit posts, Instagram stories, and podcast clues, reality TV viewers spent the next 10 weeks watching Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss start an affair behind the backs of 'VPR' producers and directly in the face of several friends, plus millions of fans. The hunt for Season 10 easter eggs led to bombshell ratings for a previously waning franchise, and a gold rush for anyone even tangentially related to the scandal. And it all culminated in a three-part reunion that finally answered HOW Scandoval happened, but still left us asking one final question: WHY?
Host: Jodi Walker
Producers: Kaya McMullen, Andrew Gruttadaro, and Vikram Patel
Sound Design: Kaya McMullen
Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville
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7 Apr 2024
2. It Happened On A Friday
Who IS Raquel Leviss? Or should we say … Rachel? With a blank look in her eyes and an Instagram full of suspicious photos, Raquel was the unexpected element that turned every average 'Vanderpump' viewer into a bona fide Sherlock Holmes. And with the internet as our crime scene and social media as our magnifying glass, fans were ready and waiting to dissect every sound bite, scour every Instagram post, and verify every anonymous source. Yes, Raquel—AND Reddit—are what turned this scandal … into a full-blown Scandoval.
Host: Jodi Walker
Producers: Kaya McMullen, Andrew Gruttadaro, and Vikram Patel
Sound Design: Kaya McMullen
Mixing and Mastering: Scott Somerville
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6 Apr 2024
1. Heartbreak in West Hollywood
Where were you when Scandoval dropped? To find out why one cheating scandal dominated the zeitgeist in 2023, we have to go back in time. Ten years ago, Scheana Shay walked out of 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' and into the first-ever episode of 'Vanderpump Rules,' creating an unholy lineage of mistresses that spans all the way to the now infamous March 3, 2023, TMZ headline: “TOM SANDOVAL & ARIANA MADIX CALL IT QUITS … Allegations He Cheated With Costar Raquel Leviss.” Meet the Cool Girl Ariana Madix and the endearing but toxic Tom Sandoval—'Vanderpump'’s most reliable couple. Until they weren’t.
Host: Jodi Walker
Producers: Kaya McMullen, Andrew Gruttadaro, and Vikram Patel
Sound Design: Kaya McMullen
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.8 / 5
23 ratings
Spotify
4.5 / 5
11 ratings
Contact An American Scandoval
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