Stars on Mars: Tom Schwartz talks Scandoval and his divorce on reality show

After the first elimination on Stars on Mars, 11 celebrity astronauts, known as "celebronauts," were left on the Mars simulation. But Stars on Mars episode 2 took some time to focus on some Earth-bound problems. The reality show must have been filmed in the midst of possibly the biggest Bravo event ever, as one of the contestants, Vanderpump Rules star Tom Schwartz, opened up about the cheating scandal involving his best friend, Tom Sandoval, an event that’s been dubbed "Scandoval."

Schwartz was hanging out with fellow celebronaut, Natasha Leggero, in the kitchen when she brought up Sandoval. "He had like a tour de affair. It's horrible and it's like I feel complicit cause I didn't cover for him, but I had his back," Schwartz told Leggero. "He came to me, confided in me that he was in love with someone else." He continued explaining the situation in his confessional. "My friend had an affair that just happened to sweep the nation and it's incredibly messed up, but the thing is, I've become mired in it. It's been a huge source of just angst in my life. I've been in, like, this extended funk."

As we saw play out during the Vanderpump Rules reunion, Sandoval had a one-on-one interview with Bravo host, Andy Cohen. That's when Sandoval said he told Schwartz about his affair with Raquel Leviss, who was the best friend of his now ex-girlfriend, Ariana Madix, in January 2023. However, during the reunion, Schwartz revealed he was told in August 2022, and Sandoval looked at him sideways and questioned that timeline. Other castmates jumped in, saying that they didn't align their stories properly. This could be a piece of what Schwartz was referring to about having Sandoval's back.

Schwartz continued with Leggero, explaining he had gotten a divorce from fellow Vanderpump Rules castmate, Katie Maloney. "Listen, I'll take most of the responsibility for that, but for whatever reason, now that I am divorced, like I had my shit together, Natasha, I felt like I did," he said. "I don't know what it is, but now I feel like I'm in some sort of form of like arrested development. I liked being married."

Leggero brought up the COVID-19 pandemic, insinuating how that could have taken a toll on the relationship. "It was good for our marriage, I think," Schwartz said. "Why? It ended in divorce," the comedian replied, and he laughed.

Stars on Mars fans react to Tom Schwartz discussing Scandoval and his divorce

New episodes of Stars on Mars premiere every Monday at 8 pm ET/PT on Fox. Episodes are available to stream on-demand via Hulu the next day.