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Lala Kent opened up about Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss‘ shocking affair and Ariana Madix‘s reaction during an appearance on Wednesday.
Amid her custody battle with ex-fiancé Randall Emmett, the Vanderpump Rules star commented on the latest happenings of the show while also sharing her frustrations with the family court system and discussing her battle against reunification camps.
“I always say protecting your child is a luxury. There’s very few people in the family court industry who are looking out for the best interest of your child,” Lala began on the May 17 episode of ABC News‘ Nightline. “When it comes to the family court system, you have to know what your future, what your child’s future, could hold because this could be your reality one day.”
In recent months, as she continues to fight for custody of her two-year-old daughter, Ocean Kent Emmett, Lala has been protesting reunification camps, which attempt to repair relationships between children and a parent they don’t want to see through therapy without their primary custodian.
Although Ocean is too young to be introduced to one of these camps, which are unregulated and often used as a tool for parents who shouldn’t have custody of their kids to gain access to them, Lala feels led to do what she can to raise awareness as legislature attempts to eliminate them.
Throughout her protests, Lala has found support from One Mom’s Battle, a group formed by Tina Swithin.
“I would say the second you enter a custody battle, you know that your co-parent is not fit, that’s when you need One Mom’s Battle,” she explained.
“I have that fear every time I go to talk about this, every time I post something, it’s one of my greatest fears, like, if I talk about this and I end up in court one day, is Ocean going to pay for me being outspoken? It’s a battle that I constantly am in with myself, but I can’t stop,” Lala continued.
Gushing over her daughter, who she welcomed in March 2021 with Randall, Lala said Ocean’s personality is “unmatched.”
“She’s pure magic. I don’t even know how else to describe her. Many times I look up at the sky and I go, ‘What did I do right to deserve this little human?’” she admitted.
Still, looking back at her years-long relationship with Ocean’s father, Lala said she would’ve never gotten pregnant had she known the truth about Randall, who has been faced with lawsuits and sexual misconduct allegations in recent years, which he denies.
“I really didn’t realize who I was sleeping next to and who I had a child with. I think if I had known who he was, who he is, I never would’ve gotten involved with him and I most certainly wouldn’t have brought an innocent little baby into the world,” she shared. “I do know that [Ocean] is here because she is supposed to be here but … Now I’m in a custody battle and I can’t focus on the past. I have to focus on now.”
Moving on to Pump Rules, Lala said that fans’ obsession with the show “feels very normal.”
“Without them, I’m out of a job. I’m not Beyonce. I’m not Angelina Jolie, putting my fantastic talent out there. You’re watching me live my life. I’m grateful. There’s times where you have lightning in a bottle, and that’s the best way to explain Vanderpump Rules,” she explained.
As for “Scandoval,” Lala said she could tell that something wasn’t right between Sandoval and Raquel, who began a sordid romance behind Ariana’s back last summer.
“When I would watch Tom and Raquel together, and just little things, my gut was like, ‘Something feels off here. I feel like the line has been crossed,’” she recalled. “[But] Ariana was completely blindsided and devastated. It is shocking.”
“People were very invested in them, and then to have it be an affair with another well-known cast member who was engaged to another well-known cast member [James Kennedy] … it is mind-blowing,” added Lala.
The three-part Vanderpump Rules season 10 reunion begins next Wednesday, May 24, at 9/8c on Bravo.