Vanderpump Rules stars Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute, Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni have been axed by Bravo after their past racist comments resurfaced.
Stassi, 31, and Kristen, 37, have starred on the reality show since its inception in 2013 while Max, 27, and Brett, 31, were newcomers on the most recent season eight.
Arguably one the most popular stars of the series, which follows the staff at Lisa Vanderpump-owned SUR restaurant in West Hollywood, Stassi has come under fire for a disturbing racist prank, along with racially-insensitive remarks she has shared online in recent years.
They’re out: Vanderpump Rules stars Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute have been fired by Bravo after their racially-charged prank that targeted co-star Faith Stowers
The outspoken blonde has since been dropped by her agent, publicist and several sponsors after her and pal Kristen’s racially-driven stunt against black co-star Faith Stowers came to light.
A spokesperson for Bravo and Evolution Media confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that Stassi, Kristen, Max and Brett ‘will not be returning to Vanderpump Rules’.
Stassi also made offensive comments on a previous podcast episode where she was heard speaking negatively about black people and claiming they ask for special treatment in Hollywood.
After losing several endorsement deals over the past week, Stassi has now been forced to part ways with both her agent and her publicist, Variety reported Monday.
Apologetic: Newcomers Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni have also been dropped by Bravo. They apologized last week for past racist tweets on the Vanderpump Rules reunion
Scandal: Stassi parted ways with both her agent and her publicist after previous racist remarks and behavior has resurfaced
A spokesperson for UTA, where Stassi was represented, has confirmed she is no longer a client of the agency.
Additionally, a representative of the PR firm Metro Public Relations told the publication: ‘[Stassi] became a client when her publicist joined our company in July 2018. We made the decision this weekend to part ways with Stassi.’
The moves come after Stassi apologized for past ‘racially insensitive comments’ and for a particularly demeaning stunt, in which she purposefully misled the police in an effort to get her black former costar Faith Stowers – whom she didn’t like – in trouble.
Stassi was vocal online recently about her support for the Black Lives Matter movement; however, the gestures seemed significantly different to her output from three years ago.
OGs: Stassi and Kristen have starred on Vanderpump Rules since its inception in 2013
Bravo stars: The duo are pictured with fellow original castmember Kate Maloney-Schwartz
She claimed that black people demanded special treatment in her March 2, 2017 podcast in which she talked about the lack of diversity of Academy Award candidates, referred to on social media as #OscarsSoWhite.
‘Maybe you weren’t nominated because you didn’t do that great of a job in your movie,’ said Stassi. ‘Like it’s not about race. It’s literally like not about what you look like at all. It’s like your acting ability, so like, what the actual f***?’
The New Orleans-born reality star said on the podcast (which she later deleted from her site, according to US) of black people: ‘When they get upset, everybody has to go above and beyond to then make them happy.
‘I’m like, really sick of everyone making everything about race – I’m kind of over it.’
Despite the take on race, Stassi had plenty more to say about the topic: ‘Like, everyone giving their impassioned speeches about race and all of that stuff, I’m like, “Why is it always just about African Americans?”
Most damning: Stassi called the cops on her black former costar Faith Stowers – whom she didn’t like – in an effort to get her in trouble on a previous season of the show; Faith is seen in 2016 above
Speaking out: Stassi said she’s refocused her mentality amid the career crisis, which has seen her lose sponsors and admit to ‘racially insensitive comments’
‘Like why aren’t the Asians like, “We’re not represented? Why aren’t … Native Americans and Latinos not like, “We’re not represented?” Why is it always just “that”?’
‘And then when they get upset, everybody has to go above and beyond to then make them happy. And I hate saying the word ‘them’ because I’m not … not everybody’s the same.’
She said that black people were ‘the ones that are out there b****ing about things.’
She implied that Moonlight’s victory over LaLa Land was racial ‘politics’ in play, noting that she ‘didn’t f–kin see’ the movie, but that ‘the reason why it won was because it was like, “The message.”‘
She added: ‘It’s groundbreaking because of ‘the message’. Winning Best Picture to me isn’t about the f***ing message – like it’s not church.’
Stassi said that she was ‘not allowed to say that’ as her opinion was marginalized as ‘a white, privileged, blonde 28-year old.’
‘My privilege blinded me’: Doute also shared an apology after she also tweeted the accusations with Schroeder
Incredibly sorry: Kristen posted this statement to her Instagram on Sunday
Another Bravo reality star, Porsha Williams, 38, questioned ‘WTH’ of a 2018 photo of Stassi describing her fashion ensemble as Nazi chic alongside Kristen and pal Rachel O’Brien.
Both Stassi and Kristen took to social media to apologize for the past incident in which they admittedly misled police in an effort to get castmate Faith into legal trouble.
‘Racially insensitive comments from my past have resurfaced,’ Stassi said in a statement on Instagram.
‘It is important that I continue to take accountability for what I have said and done, while pushing myself to do better,’ she said. ‘I have grown significantly from the person I was then, and I am still filled with remorse and regret for the hurt I caused.’
Speaking out: The former Bravo player (bottom) called out her former SUR coworkers during an Instagram live with Floribama Shore star Candace Rice (top)
Dangerous behaviour: Kristen tweeted about the situation, all but naming Stowers as she wrote: ‘Hey tweeties, doesn’t this ex #pumprules thief look familiar?’ and later referenced MTV – who has employed Faith
‘I’m like, really sick of everyone making everything about race – I’m kind of over it’: Schroeder is quoted as saying racist remarks in a 2017 podcast, including, ‘Why is it always just about African Americans?’
She directly apologized to Faith for her actions to try and land her in trouble with the authorities, admitting that she didn’t consider how severe the consequences could have been.
‘I also want to address my former castmate, Faith Stowers,’ said Stassi, who cooked up the scheme with castmate Kristen. ‘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. What I did to Faith was wrong. I apologize and I do not expect forgiveness.’
Stassi said she was sorry to ‘anyone else that feels disappointed in’ her, and vowed to focus her efforts on being more conscientious and evolving ‘into a more educated person.’
She vowed, ‘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.’
In a 2018 photo: Schroeder described her fashion ensemble as Nazi chic alongside Rachel O’Brien and Kristen Doute
Timeline: Stowers appeared on season four of VPR and then later made cameos in season six after her involvement with Jax Taylor. Faith is seen in 2017 above
Kristen followed up with a statement on her Instagram page on Sunday.
‘I have been taking some time to really process what I’ve been seeing, feeling and learning. And I need to address something specifically that happened a few years ago with my former castmate, Faith Stowers,’ she wrote.
‘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 would have been to her.’
Kristen added, ‘It never was 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.’
Last week, Max and Brett apologized for writing racist posts on Twitter.
Racially insensitive: Max Boyens apologized for racially insensitive tweets on Tuesday’s first episode of the Vanderpump Rules Reunion
Also apologized: Brett Caprioni during the reunion filmed remotely also apologized for past racist tweets
‘I’m an adult now and I cringe even thinking that I said those things,’ said Max, 27, who in 2012 used racial slurs and offensive language to describe Asian and African-American people.
The TomTom manager’s mother was ‘half-black,’ and his grandfather was African-American, he said, adding, ‘We live in a generation now, where saying some things, even if you are of that culture, is just frowned upon. I just want to say I’m just really sincerely sorry. There’s no excuse.’
Brett, 31, called what he had written about black people in the past, ‘stupid s***’ and said it was written in jest, but insisted he wanted to ‘move forward and be the best person I can be.’
‘Not the beliefs they are holding now’: Lisa Vanderpump, 59, who employed the men, defended her decision not to fire them while speaking from home during the reunion show
Lisa Vanderpump, 59, – who employed the men – then defended her decision not to fire them.
The British born TV star – who is a strong supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and has worked closely with the Trevor Project – told host Andy Cohen, ‘I have never seen any inkling of anything that made me believe that’s the beliefs they are holding now,
‘And if I had, they wouldn’t be working for me.’ she insisted.
Stassi and Kristen’s dangerous stunt against Faith came to light last week during an Instagram live with Floribama Shore star Candace Rice, where the former SUR employee talked about her time on the show and the incidents that followed.
Faith recalled how Stassi and Kristen called the authorities after seeing a report about an African American woman who was drugging and robbing men around LA.
‘There was this article where there was an African-American lady. It was a weird photo, so she looked very light-skinned and had these different, weird tattoos. 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.’
The Next Level Basic writer was happy to brag about wrongfully accusing Faith in 2018, telling the B**** Bible podcast how she and Kristen ‘solved a crime.’
After comparing a grainy surveillance image of the suspected criminal to Faith, they decided they had enough evidence to go to the police.
How it happened… Recalling the incident, Faith said ‘There was this article where there was an African-American lady. It was a weird photo, so she looked very light-skinned and had these different, weird tattoos. I guess this woman was robbing people. And they called the cops and said it was me’
‘We are like, we just solved a f**king crime,’ she reportedly said on the now-deleted episode, reported by People. ‘We start calling the police. The police don’t give a f***.’
Kristen tweeted about the situation, all but naming Faith as she wrote: ‘Hey tweeties, doesn’t this ex #pumprules thief look familiar?’
Kristen continued to malign her former castmate – who also appeared on MTV’s The Challenge and Ex On The Beach – saying: ‘Someone put her on mtv & gave her a platform for press. I didn’t wanna go there but I’m going there.’
Since Faith’s account came to light, Stassi has been dropped as a spokesperson for shaving brand Billie and vitamin startup Ritual.
In addition, a planned partnership with Glamour magazine focusing on her upcoming nuptials ‘has no plans to continue at this time,’ according to Page Six.
Variety also reports that Stassi has lost an endorsement deal with Secret deodorant.
Kristen has, thus far, not lost any deals or representation.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Stassi and Kristen’s camps for comment.
Kristen and Stassi’s antagonism towards Faith was likely because of her affair with Jax Taylor, which was documented during season six of the show.
Cheater: Faith felt unfairly targeted by Stassi and Kristen because of her affair with Jax Taylor, which was documented during season six of the show
Jax – whose chronic infidelity has been a VPR plot point throughout the years – cheated on now-wife Brittany Cartwright with Faith, who was a recurring character in season four.
Talking about the dynamic during the Live session, Faith said: ‘I felt like after their friend did something that we both were involved in that he’s done like, a thousand times, they wanted to attack me instead of him.’
‘They wanted to attack, attack, attack, attack, attack. I was wrong, I was this, I was that, calling me names, saying my hair was nappy, which is weird coming out of their mouths.
‘And I believe it hit the ceiling for me, and made me really want to run for the hills, when Kristen and Stassi decided they were going to call the cops on me,’ she went on.
‘I [had] left the show [at that point]. I was invited back to tell my truth, but decided it wasn’t going to do anything for me. So I ended up not coming back, I decided to go over to MTV. Once I did that, I felt like they got upset with me.’
Vanderpump Rules has been criticized for its lack of diversity over the years.
Since premiering in 2013 the show has featured only two black cast members as recurring characters: Faith and Tina McDowelle, who appeared in seasons one and two.
What a range: Vanderpump has been criticized for its lack of diversity over the years. There have only been two black castmembers as recurring characters since its premiere in 2013