Lala Kent is not friends with former Vanderpump Rules costar Tom Sandoval, but she may wish him well more than her fellow former SUR employees.
The two briefly crossed paths at Bravo 2025 this past weekend with Lala, 35, telling Us Weekly that it was a surprise to see him.
“It’s friendly, but I haven’t seen or spoken to him in a very long time. It was like, ‘Oh, hi. I didn’t know you’d be here,’” she explained. Lala has no idea if he’s made any “growth” from his VPR days — only what others tell her.
“I know he’s very happy with his girlfriend,” she said. “I think that anyone who makes a mistake — I’m going to get lit on fire for saying this — I hope that he’s been able to move on with his life and be happy.”
Sandoval, 43, became somewhat of a social pariah in March 2023 while filming VPR season 10 and it was revealed he had been cheating on longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix with Rachel “Raquel” Leviss. (He is currently in a relationship with Victoria Lee Robinson.)
While both Lala and Sandoval had years-long stints on VPR, they’re both departing the show for greener pastures. Lala will be joining some of her former costars for The Valley season 3 while Sandoval has a few other reality TV projects under his belt, including House of Villains.
VPR will premiere with a totally new cast next month, and both Lala and Sandoval have some tips for their successors.
“I’m so excited for them. I remember what it was like to start filming a show and the opportunities that come,” Lala told Us. “I think they’re going to crush it. I’ve heard it’s very good. I’m so excited for them.”
She added, “I really hope that people go into it with an open mind and not think that they’re trying to recreate something because they’re not. I want people to be kind to the new cast.”
Lala is aware there are “big shoes to fill” but thinks the new reality stars will do “an awesome job.”
Sandoval, admittedly, hasn’t been a “a part of it” but is feeling some type of way.
“I feel a sense of pride. I feel like we created something really magical,” he said. “We caught lightning in a bottle. It was a situation with all of us really knowing each other and living together, working together, being broke together, vacationing, festivals together, borrowing each other’s clothes. We were in the trenches, moving to LA to pursue our dreams.”
Sandoval continued, “We happened to be working at SUR and I hope that the new cast has that similar vibe and that similar love and connection and relationships. If they do, I think they could do very well.”
He said the new stars just have to make sure they have “a good connection” and “keep it real.”
When discussing his own reality TV career, Sandoval said he “wasn’t really stoked” about how VPR ended for his friend group. However, there’s a possibility that he’ll be on The Valley in the future.
“I’ve been on the fence, back and forth, whether I wanted to be on The Valley or not,” he said. “I don’t think they want somebody on their show that’s going to be apprehensive about whether they want to be involved or not. But I would be more open to it now.”
The dramatic self-elimination of Cindy Cullers during The Golden Bachelor finale—where she walked away after Mel Owens couldn’t promise an immediate engagement—has ignited a firestorm of debate among fans, sparking a massive online BACKLASH FRENZY. While many initially applauded Cindy for demanding commitment, a vocal segment of viewers are now slamming her, arguing that Mel was merely being honest and that Cindy was more concerned with securing a “wedding” than building a genuine, lasting relationship.
The controversy stems from Mel’s final conversation with Cindy, where he admitted he wasn’t ready to “take a leap of faith” and instead preferred to date for two more years. Cindy’s subsequent decision to leave, followed by Mel’s insistence in post-show interviews that his feelings for his final choice, Peg Munson, were “much stronger,” has completely divided Bachelor Nation.
The most common point of fan contention revolves around Mel’s perceived integrity and Cindy’s timing. Mel was explicit that he had not fallen in love yet and needed more time—a stance many viewers found to be a realistic reflection of dating in later life.
One viral fan comment summarizes the sentiment: “Mel Owens was honest, saying: He didn’t ‘love’ anyone and he said it. Cindy couldn’t handle that. She wanted to get married. He wanted a woman to date and maybe fall in love with. He shouldn’t be crucified for respecting his own timeline.”
Other fans echoed this, pointing out that both Mel and Peg Munson agreed to continue their relationship with a commitment ring, not an engagement ring, signaling that the goal of the season was a serious partnership, not a rushed wedding.
The core question being debated on social media is what Cindy was truly seeking:
The “Wedding” Camp (Pro-Mel/Anti-Cindy): These fans argue that Cindy, aware of the show’s format, expected a marriage proposal regardless of the short eight-week timeline. They claim her demand for an immediate engagement proved she was more interested in the “fairytale” and the certainty of a wedding than allowing a natural relationship to develop. As Mel stated later, she “wanted to be married off the island… and professing her love, death do us part, and off the island with a ring, and then it wasn’t.”
The “Commitment” Camp (Pro-Cindy/Anti-Mel): This group continues to side with Cindy, arguing that at the “Golden” age, women do not have time to “free-fall” for two years. They assert that Mel signed up for a show about commitment and failed to deliver even a verbal promise, proving he was the one who was not “all in.” They believe Cindy was right to walk away from a man who wouldn’t fight for her.
Regardless of where fans stand, the controversial finale has ensured that Mel Owens and Cindy Cullers remain the most talked-about couple in the franchise, showcasing the complex realities of seeking love under the pressure of the clock and the camera.