Arguably the most dramatic incident in Vanderpump Rules history went down on June 9, 2020, and
it didn't even happen on camera. Bravo issued a statement to Variety confirming that
"Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute, Max Boyens, and Brett Caprioni will not be returning to
Vanderpump Rules."
The show, notorious for constantly adding new cast members instead of firing anyone,
arrived at the shocking decision after former cast member Faith Stowers called out Schroeder
and Doute for calling the cops on her in 2018.
As Stowers recalled, the women called the police on Stowers after reading a Daily Mail
article about a Black woman who was allegedly drugging and robbing men in Los Angeles, according
to Page Six. Stowers said during an Instagram Live session,
"It was like, a weird photo, so she looked very, very light-skinned and had these different,
like, weird tattoos or whatever. They showcased her. I guess this woman was, like, robbing
people, and stealing, like, gold bars. The woman was at large, okay? She was druggin'
them. She was on a mission."
"They called the cops and said it was me. Yes. And this is, like, a true story. I heard
this in Stassi's interview."
On June 7, 2020, after multiple brands ended sponsorship deals with Schroeder, she apologized
for her actions on Instagram. By the next day, Variety reported that Stassi was dropped
by her agent and her longtime publicist. The publicist's firm told Variety,
"We made the decision this weekend to part ways with Stassi."
Doute also issued an apology, but it was too little, too late.
In January 2020, racist tweets from Boyens and Caprioni's past resurfaced as well.
"We live in a generation now where saying some things even if you are of that culture,
it's just frowned upon."
Boyens told Entertainment Tonight,
"I want to sincerely apologize for what I tweeted in 2012, it was wrong on every level.
It is not a representation of who I am. I am shocked I ever tweeted that, and I am disgusted
and embarrassed, I am truly sorry."
And Caprioni told People,
"I want to express my deepest apologies for the insensitive, ignorant, and hurtful comments
I made. I am incredibly ashamed and accept full responsibility, and acknowledge that
this language was as unacceptable then as it is now...From the bottom of my heart, I
am truly sorry."
Lisa Vanderpump explained why she didn't fire Boyens and Caprioni on the June 2, 2020, reunion
episode of Vanderpump Rules, saying,
"If I fired every one of you that have made mistakes, it doesn't matter to what degree,
probably none of you would have a job."
She added,
"I have never seen any inkling of anything that would make me believe that that's the
beliefs they're holding now. And if I had, they wouldn't be working for me."
Following the news that Schroeder and Doute had been fired from Vanderpump Rules, Stowers
told Page Six,
"I feel so vindicated studios and production are able to see blatant racism and make these
positive changes and...help with the fight forward."
The reality star added that she would put herself "in the line of fire" because she
doesn't know what would have happened if she hadn't spoken up. She added,
"Now I'm seeing Bravo follow suit, the same as MTV and The Challenge, [by] letting go
of castmates that have also made racist remarks. Bravo is releasing women that have given them
crazy ratings because they want to be on the right side of history, and I'm seeing [that]
people are finally hearing us."
Stowers noted that she hopes that others in the industry are, quote, "ready to hire casting
directors and producers of color to make sure these changes are not just a one-time thing."
Bravo has stated a commitment to fighting racism in recent days. On May 31, 2020, the
network tweeted with the "Black Lives Matter" hashtag,
"Bravo stands in solidarity with the Black community against systemic racism and oppression
experienced every day in America. We owe it to our Black staff, talent, production partners
& viewers to demand change and accountability. To be silent is to be complicit."
Bravo's parent company, Comcast NBCUniversal, has promised to commit $100 million to "a
multiyear plan to advance social justice and equality." There will also be efforts toward
diversity and inclusion among employees. The company plans to,
"Amplify Black voices and Black stories, highlighting diverse cultures and shedding light on inequality.⁠"
That night, Bravo aired a two-part episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen
dedicated to a discussion about Black Lives Matter, featuring Real Housewives of Atlanta
star Porsha Williams and comedian/activist W. Kamau Bell.
"You're going to do and say the wrong thing. Accept it. And when you do and say the wrong
thing, do this thing humans do called apologizing and working to make it better."
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