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“Extra’s” Melvin Robert caught up with “Vanderpump Rules” star Tom Sandoval and former Olympic skier Bode Miller ahead of the premiere of the new season of “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.”
Tom’s participation in the show comes on the heels of the Scandoval drama involving his “VPR” co-stars Ariana Madix and Raquel Leviss.
Melvin asked Tom, “In the midst of all the personal controversy and chaos that you’ve experienced, how you doing?”
He shared, “I’m doing a lot better. I’ve gotten through the worst. I definitely went through some very, very dark times.”
Tom brought a photo of his “VPR” co-star Raquel Leviss with him on “Special Forces.” Sandoval explained, “During this whole scandal we didn’t have a lot of people. We had each other. She was very much a source of strength. I felt like we both were for each other.”
Robert asked, “How are you and Raquel doing today?”
“I think she’s doing great,” he said. “She’s in Arizona right now. Today’s her birthday. I wished her a happy birthday.”
Mel commented, “And then she blocked you…”
Tom reacted, saying, “I think it’s a little thirsty and immature personally. But she is who she is. I still wish the best for her. I hope she’s doing good and I hope she finds her happiness.”
Sandoval also spoke about his ex-girlfriend Ariana, who is doing “Dancing with the Stars.” Melvin asked, Will he be voting, will he be watching?
“I will. And I will be voting for her,” Tom said. “I think she’s going to do really well. She’s got a lot of actual ability when it comes to dancing. She’s been wanting to be on the show for a long time. I’m super stoked for her.”
And he talked about the new season of the show that made him famous.
“For me personally, it was a very hard season. I felt very isolated,” Sandoval explained. “I’m definitely not used to being so much on the outskirts and it was tough It was tough at times. It was also really tough for fellow castmates. They’re stuck between a rock and a hard place. If they like me and say hi to me they get lit up on social media.”
Now, Tom is ready to face the nation and pay for his mistakes on “Special Forces.”
Why did he want to do it? “I felt it would be a nice, healthy distraction from all the chaos and s-it going on in my life… I wanted to get away. Leaving the country sounded so appealing.”
The show was filmed in New Zealand and premieres on September 25 on FOX. The series also stars Bode, who faces his own painful past and learns about Tom’s.
Robert asked, “So the first time you heard about the whole Scandoval thing was through him telling you?”
Miller said, “Yeah. And I told him… I said, ‘Dude, here nobody gives a sh*t. So let’s not live in that space. Get your head in the right space and let’s power forward.’”
Tom added, “Being around other people that have gone through their own hardships and having them tell their stories and what they’ve learned. It’s very inspiring and it really puts things in perspective.”
Mel asked him, “What do you say to folks out there who still may be upset with you or mad at you?
Tom insisted, “I understand. I screwed up. I’m just trying to do better, be better and take my life one day at a time.”