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Kristen Doute was no doubt one of the most volatile cast members of Vanderpump Rules. And the biggest target of her anger was Ariana Madix. Back in the early days of the show, server Kristen was in a relationship with bartender Tom Sandoval. After years on TV, the couple was practically at war, with accusations of cheating on both sides. 

Sandoval admitted to kissing Ariana while he was still with his then-girlfriend. And even though Doute admitted to sleeping with bad guy Jax Taylor, her venom toward Ariana was fierce. So who would have thought that the two women would become good friends, with Kristen serving as one of Ariana’s biggest supporters during the Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss cheating scandal?

The drama between Kristen Doute and Ariana Madix

Kristen was absolutely sure that her ex had been cheating with Ariana while they were still together. And she would not let it go. 

During season two, she confronted the new Sur bartender while she was working. Kristen fired off a bunch of questions to her rival on whether she cheated with Sandoval. Ariana very simply said “no” to every single one. 

Ariana told the cameras, “I think Kristen is coming from a place that needs medication.”

Kristen was upset and suspicious because her boyfriend had cheated before. “We’ve been together for five years and then he goes and f**** some chick in Vegas in a hotel room, in the shower with no condom on. Awesome Tom. Thank you,” she said to Ariana.

Later, the two had a bizarre fight at the beach over who was a better stand-up comedian, where Kristen called her rival a “f******* idiot.”

We cannot forget the incident where Kristen invited the Miami girl that Tom supposedly cheated with to Sur to ambush Ariana. Turned out that the couple just didn’t care and laughed the whole thing off.

Kristen Doute and Ariana Madix became friends

vanderpump rules ariana madix and kristen doute
Ariana Madix and James Mae, Co-Founder Kristen Doute attend The Garage Sale featuring James Mae and Friend presented by Good Times at Davey Wayne’s on August 07, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. | Jesse Grant/Getty Images for James Mae

As time has gone on, there was a gradual thawing in the iceberg that was Kristen and Ariana. 

They were thrown together in group settings and on trips with the whole cast. And slowly a friendship began to develop.

On a group trip to Mexico during season 7, Ariana spoke to the cameras, “My friendship with Kristen slowly developed over time,” she explained. “It didn’t happen overnight. It’s like planting a garden. You plant a seed. You water it sometimes. You’re not really paying attention to it. And then all of a sudden, you go outside and you have zucchini!”

When Kristen launched her t-shirt line James Mae, Tom and Ariana modeled some of the designs. “If you had asked me five years ago if Tom and Ariana would be at my house doing me a favor by shooting my T-shirt line with my boyfriend, I would call you crazy,” the designer told Page Six.

But who would have thought that Kristen would be there for Ariana when she discovered her boyfriend was cheating?

Kristen Doute is supporting Ariana during the cheating scandal

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Kristen Doute Slams Vanderpump Rules’ Tom Sandoval – ‘He’s Not Egotistical, He’s a Narcissist’

Any fan of Vanderpump Rules (and even non-fans) knows by now that Ariana found a history of texts and more-than-suggestive pictures and videos from Raquel Leviss on her boyfriend’s phone. The two have been having an affair for months.

The entire cast has rallied around Ariana. Although Kristen was fired from the show in 2020 due to accusations of racism, she is fully there to support her friend. 

“Kristen was with Ariana [Madix] the night it happened and has been by her side ever since,” a source close to production told Page Six.

The outlet confirmed that Kristen is in talks to return to Vanderpump Rules for Ariana. It has not been confirmed if the return would be temporary or permanent. The majority of the cast is said to be in support of Kristen coming back to the show. 

The source went on to say, “As someone who’s dated Tom and built a strong friendship with Ariana over the years, she has a singular perspective on the situation that producers are interested in.”

The two women have certainly come a long way.