Lisa Vanderpump has broken her silence after multiple cast members of Vanderpump Rules were fired earlier this week for their past racist tweets and actions.
Lisa released a statement on the firings of Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute, Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni on Wednesday.
“Over the past two weeks, many things have been brought to my attention, of which I and many others were previously unaware. It was necessary for me to be quiet until now, until decisions had been made. Now I can freely speak from the heart,” she began.
“As we’ve seen such devastating sadness that has played out globally, we all have a part to play to create a kinder, more just society. My hope is for this generation to treat each other with respect and humanity, and realize that actions have; and should have, consequences.”
Lisa said that she loves and “adore our employees” and that she is “deeply saddened by some of the lack of judgment that has been displayed.”
“As many of you know, after watching me for 10 years, I have always been an equal rights activist and ally – my family, my businesses and I condemn all forms of cruelty, racism, homophobia, bigotry and unequal treatment,” the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star wrote. “We’ve never tolerated it in the workplace or our lives.”
She said that while “you only see a fraction of our employees on the show” all of her companies have “always been a very diverse group of people – every colour, ethnicity and sexual orientation.”
“Most of our employees have worked for us for over a decade, and we have become a family; one that embraces and celebrates each other’s differences,” the Vanderpump Rules star continued. “I am proud of the inclusive company that we’ve created. We will continue to embrace diversity as one of our greatest strengths, and I’m excited to give you [a] deeper look into the multi-faceted fabric of our company in the future.”
Lisa said that the world “needs to move forward with a kinder generation” and “everybody deserves to feel safe, heard and appreciated in their communities.”
“So much of what has transpired in the world is not right, fair or acceptable. We all have work to do to create a society we can be proud of and I hope as we venture forward, we strive to live in a world where kindness and compassion are our highest values. Thank you for listening, love Lisa,” she concluded her post.
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Bravo released a statement on Tuesday saying, “Bravo and Evolution Media confirmed today that Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute, Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni will not be returning to Vanderpump Rules.”
Stassi and Kristen, who have starred on the series since 2013, were fired for past racist actions.
New cast members Max, 27, and Brett, 31, will also not be returning to the series. Both Max and Brett had racist tweets resurface in January.
During an Instagram Live chat last week, former Vanderpump Rules star Faith Stowers said that Stassi, 31, and Kristen, 37, called the police to report her for crimes that had been reported in a Daily Mail article about a Black woman who was wanted for theft.
The woman in the Daily Mail article was not Faith Stowers.
“There was this article on Daily Mail where there was an African American lady,” Faith said on June 2. “It was a weird photo, so she looked very light-skinned and had these different, weird tattoos. They showcased her, and I guess this woman was robbing people. And they called the cops and said it was me. This is like, a true story. I heard this from actually Stassi during an interview.”
After Faith spoke out on Instagram, Kristen issued an apology on June 7.
“I have been taking some time to really process what I’ve been seeing, feeling and learning,” she wrote. “And I need to address something specifically that happened a few years ago with my former castmate, Faith Stowers.”
Kristen continued, “Although, my actions were not racially driven, I am now completely aware of how my privilege blinded me from the reality of law enforcement’s treatment of the Black community, and how dangerous my actions could have been to her. It was never my intention to add to the injustice and imbalance.”
“I’m ashamed, embarrassed, and incredibly sorry. I will do better. I have to do better,” Kristen concluded.
Stassi took to Instagram to issue a statement on Monday, writing, “Racially insensitive comments from my past have resurfaced. It is important that I continue to take accountability for what I have said and done, while pushing myself to do better.”
She continued, “I have grown significantly from the person I was then, and I am still filled with remorse and regret for the hurt I caused. I am grateful for the people in my life that continue to check me and push me to evolve into a more educated person.”
“I also want to address my former castmate, Faith Stowers. My emotions over something that happened between our friends outweighed my logic, and there is no excuse for that. I did not recognize then the serious ramifications that could have transpired because of my actions,” Stassi wrote.
“What I did to Faith was wrong. I apologize and I do not expect forgiveness. I am also sorry to anyone else that feels disappointed in me. I am going to continue to look closer at myself and my actions – to take the time to listen, to learn, and to take accountability for my own privilege,” she concluded.
Stassi and Kristen are reportedly “distraught” following their firing from the show.
“Not only are Stassi and Kristen distraught, several of the other cast members are as well. They know the show will never be the same,” an insider explained to E! News. “Stassi has been an emotional wreck. She’s having a very hard time and has no idea what to do. She feels completely lost and is very disgusted by her actions in the past.”
“Stassi and Kristen have spoken about their actions, and have been in touch about what’s going on,” the insider told the outlet. “They both feel awful about what happened.”
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