Not the apology he needed. Ariana Madix‘s close pal Jared Lipscomb heard from Tom Sandoval after slamming him for making an insensitive joke amid his cheating scandal.
The makeup artist spoke to Kristen Doute about Sandoval’s attempt to “save face” with his “Howie Mandel Does Stuff” podcast interview earlier this month — during which the bartender seemingly compared the backlash to his affair with Raquel Leviss to experiencing radiation.
Lipscomb, who is a cancer survivor, said on the Wednesday, April 26, episode of Doute’s “Sex, Love, and What Else Matters” podcast that he “snapped” after hearing the comment and took to social media to share his unfiltered thoughts. He went on to reveal the message he received from the TomTom cofounder in response.
“‘Jared, I absolutely did not mean to offend you or anyone else, for that matter.’ So we’re starting off with just no apology,” Lipscomb said as he read the text out loud. “‘That was not a joke about cancer. I’ve lost family members to cancer. I’ve been nothing but supportive through your battle and journey, have I not?’”
According to Lipscomb, Sandoval asserted that he “was simply giving an example” of a situation “where ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ song doesn’t apply,” seemingly referring to “Stronger” by Kelly Clarkson.
The text continued: “This is also why we can’t travel to outer space or live on the moon. It’s too much radiation. Can I get a little bit of benefit of the doubt here? You know me a little bit better than that. Hope you’re doing well. Heart emoji.”
Doute argued that her ex was “gaslighting” Lipscomb by trying to explain the context of his controversial comment. (The Vanderpump Rules alum dated Sandoval from 2007 to 2013 before he moved on with Madix.)
“I have never blocked someone so fast in my life. … Like, what is happening?” Lipscomb said, adding that he also felt gaslit by the Missouri native. “If he’s able to do that to me just for one thing he’s upset about … all he had to say was, ‘I’m so sorry that I misspoke.’”
Us Weekly confirmed in March that Sandoval and Madix called it quits after nearly a decade of dating after she learned of his affair with their costar. One month later, the musician shared his side of the story in a bombshell interview with Howie Mandel and alleged that he initially tried to break up with Madix in February.
The former Deal or No Deal host reminded Sandoval that “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” as he described the scandal, to which the Bravo star said, “Like radiation.”
He immediately backtracked, saying, “I’m just kidding, that’s a bad joke,” and Mandel agreed.
Lipscomb’s fiery response was shared via Instagram on April 12. “My blood is boiling. What a f–king coward. How dare he?” he said in a video. “I don’t care if it’s a joke in poor taste, f–k you. You are a coward. You are weak, and to compare what people go through in radiation during treatment [to Scandoval]? F–k you, you coward. You are scum.”
Lipscomb said he was “disgusted” by the remark, adding, “I had 12 rounds of radiation. I thought that was gonna f–king kill me.”
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The beauty expert went on to praise Madix, “who was actually by my side along with so many other friends during my cancer journey,” before taking another swipe at Sandoval. “The only two times this f–ker showed up was when there was cameras around,” he said. “So, f–k you.”
