It’s been almost two months since we first learned about the affair between Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss.
Normally, the interest in such a controversy would’ve died off in that time, but the Scandoval is simply built different.
For one thing, new episodes of Vanderpump Rules are airing now, and fans have enjoyed picking them apart in search of clues.
On top of that, Tom and Raquel’s illicit romance has affected every member of the cast, which means new subplots keep emerging on a near-daily basis.
One recent twist is less amusingly salacious and more worrisome, as it concerns Raquel’s mental health.
Earlier this month, reps announced that Leviss had checked into a mental health facility as a result of the stress she’s endured following the revelation of her affair.
Many commenters expressed concerns, but others cast doubt on Raquel’s claims.
There was reason to believe that Leviss had actually checked into a Miraval Resort and & Spa location in Arizona.
These places aren’t so much mental healthcare facilities as they are high-end vacation spots for Real Housewives-types who want to sit in saunas and do chemical peels for a few days.
Raquel, obviously, is not communicating with the press at the moment, but Sandoval angrily spoke out on her behalf when TMZ cameras caught up with him this week.
“Raquel is in a mental facility,” a visibly pissed-off Tom told the paps on Tuesday.
“Whether she decides to tell you where that is after the fact … that’s where Raquel is. No visitors, no friends, no family, no phone, no nothing,” he added.
Tom also angrily called out people who doubted Raquel’s claims, including his former SUR manager Peter Madrigal and Dayna Kathan.
Sandoval mentioned both parties by name and said they “have absolutely no idea what’s going on.”
“Not a mental facility! It’s a Spa Resort,” Madrigal recently commented on an Instagram post about Raquel’s troubles.
Clearly that got Tom’s goat.
“Raquel and her family decided months before the relationship was discovered that she needed mental health treatment and ultimately decided she would enter a voluntary facility for mental health counseling,” a source close to Leviss said after she checked in.
As for Tom, he recently embarked on a solo adventure in the desert, explaining in an Instagram post that he’s hoping to “find a little peace in nature.”
We’re sure Raquel will appreciate that he came to her defense (she probably hasn’t learned about this latest development yet, as she apparently doesn’t have internet access).
Of course, Sandoval doesn’t have the greatest reputation for telling the truth, so he probably hasn’t managed to change many minds.
Hey, at least he tried!