Lisa Vanderpump has broken her silence.
And, in the process, the reality star and Beverly Hills restaurant maven has admitted that her heart is basically broken from the stunning news that has broken in regard to her hit show.
As Vanderpump Rules fans know well by now, Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute were fired from the long-running Bravo program after allegations were made by Faith Stowers.
In these allegations, Stowers detailed her experience working with her ex-castmates, sharing that they were bullies who once called the cops on her for no reason at all.
Stowers, who is black, also delved into other instances of bullying and racism at the hands of Stowers and Doute.
Pretty awful stuff all around, and none of it has been denied by either allegedly guilty party in the last few days.
Citing these charges, along with Bravo’s decision to fire the aforementioned cast members, Vanderpump said:
“Over the past two weeks, many things have been brought to my attention, of which I and many others were previously unaware."
"It was necessary for me to be quiet until now, until decisions had been made. Now I can freely speak from the heart."
"As we’ve seen such devastating sadness that has played out globally, we all have a part to play to create a kinder, more just society."
LVP added:
"My hope is for this generation to treat each other with respect and humanity, and realize that actions have; and should have, consequences.”
We’ll see if she and other producers back up their words regarding the second part; Schroeder and Doute’s behavior would (hopefully) not be tolerated at any time by any employer.
Tensions have been especially heightened across America of late due to the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer in Minnesota and the subsequent protests that have broken out in response.
Vanderpump added in her Instagram post that she “loves and adores” the ousted employees, but is “deeply saddened by some of the lack of judgment that has been displayed" here.
Lisa continued:
"As many of you know, after watching me for 10 years, I have always been an equal rights activist and ally – my family, my businesses and I condemn all forms of cruelty, racism, homophobia, bigotry and unequal treatment."
"We’ve never tolerated it in the workplace or our lives."
"While you only see a fraction of our employees on the show, a specific friend group, across all of our companies, we have always been a very diverse group of people – every color, ethnicity and sexual orientation.
"Most of our employees have worked for us for over a decade, and we have become a family; one that embraces and celebrates each other’s differences."
"I am proud of the inclusive company that we’ve created," she adds.
"We will continue to embrace diversity as one of our greatest strengths, and I’m excited to give you deeper look into the multi-faceted fabric of our company in the future."
In addition to Schroeder and Doute, Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni were also fired from the Bravo series.
Earlier this year, both apologized after a series of old Tweets resurfaced online — in which the two used the N-word.
In her statement above, the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star said that “the world needs to move forward with a kinder generation,” so that everyone can feel “safe, heard and appreciated in their communities."
She concluded as follows:
So much of what has transpired in the world is not right, fair or acceptable.
We all have work to do to create a society we can be proud of and I hope as we venture forward, we strive to live in a world where kindness and compassion are our highest values.
A Bravo spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday that Schroeder and Doute were goners, saying simply in a statement:
"Bravo and Evolution Media confirmed today that Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute, Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni will not be returning to Vanderpump Rules."
Stassi and Kristen are reportedly devastated by the development.
But good luck finding viewers out there who feel badly for these original cast members.
Stowers, for her part, discussed in a recent Instagram Live session how the duo once called the police on her.
“There was this article on Daily Mail where there was an African American lady. It was a weird photo, so she looked very light-skinned and had these different, weird tattoos,” Stowers recalled.
“They showcased her, and I guess this woman was robbing people. And they called the cops and said it was me."
"This is, like, a true story. I heard this from actually Stassi during an interview.”
Said Stassi as an apology:
"It is important that I continue to take accountability for what I have said and done, while pushing myself to do better."
"I have grown significantly from the person I was then, and I am still filled with remorse and regret for the hurt I caused.”
On top of being terminated from Vanderpump Rules, many of Schroeder’s endorsements were yanked.
She was also dropped by her agency, UTA, and by her publicist at Metro Public Relations.