Lala Kent Reveals the Status of Her Friendship With Ariana Madix After Filming Heated ‘VPR’ Reunion
Rumors have been swirling that Lala Kent and Ariana Madix’s friendship is on the rocks following the Vanderpump Rules season 11 reunion and it sounds like the rumors aren’t too far off from the truth.
“I think the exact [fan] tweet was ‘Ariana eviscerated Lala at the reunion and it was friendship ruining.’ And only one of those things is true,” Lala, 33, revealed during a Wednesday, March 20, episode of The Talk. “I’ll let you all decide.”
This season, Lala and Scheana Shay have received backlash for giving Tom Sandoval another shot at friendship after he cheated on Ariana, 38, with Rachel Leviss. Life & Style confirmed the infidelity, deemed Scandoval by fans, in March 2023.
“I stand by everything that I said last season, even last season’s reunion. And I stand by everything I said this season,” the “Give Them Lala” podcast host told cohosts Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Natalie Morales, Jerry O’Connell and Sheryl Underwood. “I’m in a different place than I was last year. Scandoval ran very parallel with where I was in my heartbreak ?so I was out for blood.”
The heartbreak Lala mentioned was caused by her split from ex-fiance Randall Emmett. The pair called off their three-year engagement in October 2021 after they postponed their big day due to the height and restrictions of coronavirus. The reality star and film producer, 52, never made it down the aisle after Randall was caught cheating on Lala shortly after they welcomed their daughter, Ocean, in March 2021. The Bravo star is currently pregnant with baby No. 2 via intrauterine insemination (IUI).
As for Lala’s friendship with Ariana, well, it seems like things went south after season 11 of Vanderpump Rules aired. Days before the premiere, Ariana made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago. The women were on good terms as Lala and Scheana, 38, were in attendance and supported Ariana on her big night.
The trio’s dynamic slowly started crumbling come the following weeks. During episode 6, a group photo circulated the internet of Scheana and Tom, 40, standing next to each other during a mutual friend’s birthday dinner. Fans slammed the “Good as Gold” singer online and accused her of being a disloyal friend to the Dancing With the Stars alum. The situation put Schena in a funk during their trip to South Lake Tahoe and Lala took it upon herself to address Ariana, whom she claimed "didn't come to [Scheana’s] defense at all."
"I'm not gonna post and have my s--t reposted as headlines and stuff," Ariana told Lala, who responded, "Even for your friend? You couldn't tell all these people who are your stans ... 'I love Scheana, she's a great friend, knock it off'?"
"I guess I could," the Broadway star said.
