SUR boss Lisa Vanderpump was hoping for the opportunity to confront the controversy caused by former Vanderpump Rules cast members Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute head-on in Season 9.
The restaurateur admitted she would have liked to have them return if only to “chastise” them and give them the opportunity to grow.
Season 9 has seen a massive shift in the cast dynamics since the exit of some of the show’s most polarizing personalities. Stassi and Kristen were both fired from the hit Bravo series after Season 8 when racially insensitive comments made by both women resurfaced online.
Despite Bravo’s decision to remove them from the cast, Lisa recently revealed she would have liked the opportunity to have it play out in the current season.
Lisa Vanderpump would’ve like to ‘chastise’ Stassi and Kristen in Season 9
Speaking to Page Six, Lisa Vanderpump also admitted that it might have been worth letting Stassi and Kristen remain on the show in order to see the situation through.
“I would have preferred to chastise them and see them learn from their mistakes as we’ve seen so many youngsters do on the show. But that was Bravo’s decision,” she told the publication.
She continued to share that she always wants to “see growth” and stated, “I would love to have seen them stay here and work it out. It was really a sign of the times. Everybody [had] a lot of reactive decisions.”
Following their termination, both Stassi and Kristen apologized for their actions.
Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni were also let go after Season 8 for resurfaced tweets as well. Later in the year Vanderpump Rules OG Jax Taylor and his wife, Brittany Cartwright, were also released from their contracts and didn’t return for Season 9.
Ariana Madix feels Vanderpump Rules cast is ‘fresh’ amid Stassi and Kristen’s exit
It’s not all bad news as far as the current cast is concerned, though. In fact, Page Six also spoke with current Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix at the same function and she revealed that the show feels “fresh” without the departed cast members.
“One is not better than the other but it does feel exciting and different [without them]. I do think it has potential to show a different side of everybody,” Ariana noted.
Ariana continued to share that there is “more room” for the current cast now that the group is smaller.
“They used to cut to their interviews and it would be them narrating this moment that meant a lot for both of us,” she said. “It feels like everyone’s on a completely equal playing field now.”
Although Ariana opted not to answer when asked if she believed Stassi and Kristen had learned their lessons, her co-star Lala Kent was more than happy to weigh in.
“I would love to see them return to the show and I would love to see a teachable moment happen,” she admitted. “I would love to see that story play out and the work that my friends have put in to educate themselves and even educate me.”
Lala and Ariana recently engaged in a spat on social media that had Ariana calling out her co-star over a picture she posted of her friends and former castmates including Stassi and Kristen.
However, Lala maintained, “It would be a beautiful thing to have them back and I would welcome them with open arms.”
Vanderpump Rules airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on Bravo.