VANDERPUMP Rules fans have been left convinced that Raquel Leviss suffered a panic attack on the show due to ‘guilt’.
Wednesday’s brand-new episode was filmed before the cast or the public learned that the Bravo star had been having a romantic relationship with Tom Sandoval.
Vanderpump Rules fans have theories about Raquel Leviss’ on-screen panic attackThe episode was filmed before the public learned of Raquel and Tom Sandoval’s affairGettyFans learned in March that Tom and Raquel had been hooking up for some time[/caption]
Raquel, 28, joined Katie Maloney, Christina Kelly, and Lala Kent on a girls’ trip.
They first visited Las Vegas and then traveled to Lake Havasu, Arizona.
On the car ride from Nevada to Arizona, Raquel, Lala, Katie, and Christine were chatting about life and being single.
Suddenly, Raquel broke into a full-on sob, gasping for air and clutching her chest.
Lala jumped in, asking: “Are you having a panic attack?”
Raquel continued crying and gasping as the rest of the cast instructed her on proper breathing techniques.
From the driver’s seat, Lala told her: “You’ve got to let it go.”
A crying Raquel replied: “I don’t know how to do that. I beat myself up over everything.”
Eventually, she was able to pull it together, even laughing with the rest of the cast again.
As she bounced back, fans on Twitter flooded the site with theories about what sparked the panic attack.
Many seemed to think she was grappling with deep-seated guilt over her secret romance with Tom, 39, who was dating Vanderpump Rules co-star Ariana Madix at the time.
FANS REACT
“This Rachel breakdown is 100% because she was sleeping with Sandoval and started to have a panic attack!! But notice how quickly she snapped out of it,” one Twitter user wrote, referring to Raquel by her given name.
Another Tweeted: “Anyone else feel like she was on the brink of spilling the Scandoval beans in the car and the thought of their reaction brought on the panic/anxiety attack….the guilt was eating her up…”
“Raquel 100% having a panic attack over being triggered by that conversation that morning and the guilt of her affair with Sandoval. this is so wild to watch knowing what we know now,” a third Twitter user added.
A fourth fan speculated: “I wonder if Raquel’s panic attack had anything to do with guilt bubbling up, if it’s true that the affair had already started at this point.”
“Raquel having a panic attack in the car…the guilt creeping in??” someone else speculated.
Raquel claimed on the episode she was ‘beating herself up’ about thingsShe made no mention of Tom during the episode but fans picked up on ‘clues’ about their relationship
SAYING SORRY
Raquel recently issued a public apology for her involvement with Tom.
The social media statement came after she filed paperwork seeking a restraining order against co-star Scheana Shay.
Days after news of the cheating scandal broke, Raquel broke her silence.
She shared a text post on her Instagram Feed apologizing to fans and claiming that she is carrying serious “regret” over the affair.
Raquel said in her statement that she is taking time to focus inward, writing: “I am reflecting on my choices, speaking to a counselor and I am learning things about myself such as my patterns of codependency and addiction to being and feeling loved.”
Raquel’s apology kicked off with: “I want to apologize for my actions and my choices to Ariana, my friends and the fans so invested in our relationship.
“There is no excuse, I am not a victim and must own my actions. I deeply regret hurting Ariana.”
She went on: “In the time since this came to light, I am reflecting on my choices, speaking to a counselor and I am learning things about myself such as my patterns of codependency and addiction to being and feeling loved.
“I have sought emotional validation through intimate connections that are not healthy without regard for my own well-being, sometimes negatively affecting others and often prioritizing the intimate connection over my friendships.”
Her statement continued: “I am taking steps to understand my behavior and make healthier choices.
“Although I chose to be on a reality show accepting the good and bad that comes with it, beyond my own actions, I have been physically assaulted, lost friendships, received death threats and hate emails in addition to having had my privacy violated.”
Raquel concluded: “I have begun counseling to end my unhealthy behavioral cycle, learn to set stronger emotional boundaries and learn to protect my mental health.
“I don’t expect sympathy, understanding or forgiveness. Right now I must focus on my own health and well-being and as I strive to be a better person moving forward, I will prioritize my mental health and learn from my mistakes.”
The apology got fans talking, but not for the obvious reason.
When the Bravo star initially shared her note on Instagram it featured an odd caption that included several emojis.
After facing outrage from fans over the decision, she went back and deleted the caption but not before it was shared on Reddit in full.
Raquel faced major backlash over the caption, with one writing: “I’m an emoji user and hate that she used them lol.”
Another commented: “Can’t she read the room? This is clearly not the time or place for emojis!”
A third fan wrote: “Caption is giving: ‘I’m sowwwwy.’”
Another commenter wrote: “The emojis in the caption ruin it for me.”
A fifth critic chimed in with: “Using emojis is unreliable cringe. It immediately invalidates the message.”
Another added: “Not the sad eyes emoji.”
TOM SPEAKS
Tom also broke his silence, albeit days prior to Raquel.
In his lengthy Instagram post, the VPR star asked fans to leave his “friends and family out of this situation.”
He wrote: “This is a very personal thing.”
Tom begged his followers to direct their “anger towards me” because he does not want others to “suffer for my actions.”
The Bravo star went on: “I will be taking a step back and taking a hiatus out of respect for my employees and partners.”
“I need some time to address everything else. Sorry for everything,” he concluded.
GettyTom had been in a decade-long relationship with Ariana Madix during the affair[/caption]
GettyHe has issued an apology for cheating on his longtime girlfriend[/caption]
GettyRaquel also apologize but fans weren’t so quick to forgive either of them[/caption]
