Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute, along with two other cast members, have been let go by Bravo days after former castmate Faith Stowers accused them of racial profiling her.
- Jun 11, 2020
AceShowbiz - Lisa Vanderpump has finally addressed the racism drama surrounding the cast members of "Vanderpump Rules". One day after Bravo announced the firing of Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute, Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni, the restaurateur issued a statement condemning racism and unequal treatment among others.
Making use of Instagram on Wednesday, June 10, the 59-year-old first explained that it was necessary for her to stay quiet until decisions had been made on the issues. Claiming that she now "can freely speak from the heart," she then stated," I love and adore our employees and I am deeply saddened by some of the lack of judgment that has been displayed."
The former star of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" further insisted that she has "always been an equal rights activist and ally," before declaring, "I condemn all forms of cruelty, racism, homophobia, bigotry and unequal treatment. We've never tolerated it in the workplace or our lives." She added that viewers "only see a fraction of our employees on the show."
"I am proud of the inclusive company that we've created," the wife of Ken Todd went on to share. "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."
Expressing hope that this generation will "treat each other with respect and humanity, and realize that actions have; and should have, consequences," the mother of two continued, "Everybody deserves to feel safe, heard and appreciated in their communities." She concluded by stating, "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."
Also sharing his two cents on the drama was "Real Housewives" executive producer Andy Cohen. During the Wednesday episode of SiriusXM's Radio Andy, the Bravo host made it clear that he wholly agreed with the firings. "I absolutely support Bravo's decision, I think it was the right decision," he stated.
Though so, the "Watch What Happens Live" host reminded people, who sent him messages about "Pump Rules", "Southern Charm" and other shows, that he is "not in charge of programming at Bravo anymore." He added, "I don't produce the show, so what I want people to know is that I have no say in hiring and firing."
The firing of the four "Pump Rules" stars came after former castmate Faith Stowers spoke out against Schoeder and Doute. In a chat with "Floribama Shore" star Candace Rice, Stowers claimed that the pair reported her to the police for a crime she did not do just because she was a black woman. Both Schoeder and Doute have since issued an apology for their action.
