Roxie Washington, the mother of George Floyd‘s daughter, is calling out Tom Sandoval.
Washington told TMZ on Thursday, February 22, that although she’s not familiar with Vanderpump Rules, she wasn’t thrilled by Sandoval’s “stupid” reference to Floyd.
Washington, who shared 10-year-old Gianna with Floyd, pointed out that Sandoval’s comparison wasn’t reasonable because he and ex Ariana Madix are still alive. She also told TMZ that she was concerned about her and Floyd’s daughter seeing statements similar to Sandoval’s.
Washington added that Sandoval should repeat that “dumb s—t” in the mirror as his comments reflect some of what Gianna has heard from her classmates.
While speaking to New York Times Magazine on Tuesday, February 20, Sandoval speculated about why his affair with Rachel “Raquel” Leviss became so big in the media. (News broke in March 2023 that Sandoval and Madix called it quits after nearly a decade of dating due to his infidelity.)
“I’m not a pop-culture historian really but I witnessed the O.J. Simpson thing and George Floyd and all these big things, which is really weird to compare this to that, I think, but do you think in a weird way it’s a little bit the same?” Sandoval said. During a separate part of the interview, the Bravo star added: “I feel like I got more hate than Danny Masterson. And he’s a convicted rapist.”
A photograph of George Floyd is displayed along with other photographs at the Say Their Names memorial Mario Tama/Getty Images
Masterson is currently serving out his 30-year sentence for rape while Simpson was famously acquitted on charges of murdering ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. Floyd, meanwhile, inspired Black Lives Matter protests around the world after former police officer Derek Chauvin murdered him during an arrest in 2020.
Hollywood mourned many celebrities in 2024. Speed Racer star Christian Oliver (born Christian Klepser) died at the age of 51 during a fatal plane crash on January 5. Oliver was traveling home from a Caribbean vacation with his two daughters — Madita and Annik, whom he shared with wife Jessica Klepser — on January 4. […]
Journalist Irina Aleksander, who wrote the profile, attempted to clarify Sandoval’s quote, writing in the story, “I think I knew what he meant. He was trying to express the oddity of becoming the symbolic center of a nationwide discussion and a major news story; what he communicated instead was something more honest, which is just how much the experience had made him lose perspective.”
The backlash came quickly, however, and Sandoval issued an apology. “My intentions behind the comments I made in New York Times Magazine were to explain the level of national media attention my affair received. The comparison was inappropriate and ignorant. I’m incredibly sorry and embarrassed,” he wrote via Instagram Stories.
The cast of Vanderpump Rules are no strangers to controversy. The staff of Lisa Vanderpump’s West Hollywood restaurant SUR made their debut on Bravo in 2013 as part of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills spinoff. The season 1 cast included Vanderpump, Stassi Schroeder, Jax Taylor, Katie Maloney, Tom Sandoval, Kristen Doute and Scheana Shay. […]
Before Washington spoke out about Sandoval, his fellow Bravo stars put him on blast. His costar Katie Maloney wrote via Instagram comments, “Hey Tom Schwartz you wanna come explain what he was really trying to say?” (Maloney’s ex-husband is prone to defending Sandoval’s actions.)
Real Housewives of Miami star Guerdy Abraira, meanwhile, wrote: “PLEASE reflect on this repulsive statement you made (regarding GEORGE FLOYD r.i.p) especially on black history month and take it back!! NOT OK! An immediate apology is in order Sir!”