Lisa Vanderpump Praises Employee Following Controversial ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Scene

Bravo Lisa Vanderpump

Lisa Vanderpump has nothing but praise for her employee Oliver Saunders.  The eldest son of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Garcelle Beauvais was featured on the season 10 “Vanderpump Rules” episode, “Lovestruck at the Discopussy,” where he was working as a waiter at her Las Vegas bar, Vanderpump à Paris.

During his cameo, the charming server caught the eye of VPR stars Lala Kent and Raquel Leviss, and his famous boss understands why.

On the March 8, 2023, episode of “Watch What Happens Live,” Vanderpump said, “Who wouldn’t go after Oliver? He’s a chip off the old block, Garcelle’s son.”

Vanderpump also admitted that while she was initially hesitant to hire Saunders to work for her restaurant, it has been “a blessing” for her business. “He has been a blessing, it’s a win-win,” she told WWHL host Andy Cohen, noting that while he was on the show he attracted “a  few of the women.” “He’s a good guy. I love Oliver,” she added.

Oliver Saunders’ Wife Claims They Were Not Separated When He Filmed the VPR Scenes in August 2022

While Vanderpump loves Saunders, there has been some controversy surrounding the timing of his appearance on her Bravo reality show, which was filmed in early August 2022. When Saunders first appeared on camera to serve drinks to girls’ trip group Kent, Leviss, Katie Maloney, and Kristina Kelly, Kent admitted she’d had a crush on him for a while. Leviss was also taken aback by the waiter’s charisma. Vanderpump, who joined the group at their table, said she believed Saunders was separated from his wife.  Saunders later stated he was separated and had a 2-year-old son.

Later in the night, Saunders shared a kiss with Leviss after meeting up with the group at a club later. In real time, Leviss is involved in a cheating scandal with her co-star Tom Sandoval, who was in a 10-year relationship with Ariana Madix.

In an interview with Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea”  taped one week before the episode – and hours before her cheating scandal was uncovered —  Leviss maintained she was under the impression that Saunders was single when she kissed him. “[Lala] made me think that he was single. There was no thought in my head that he was [not],” she said, adding that he told her directly that he was separated from his wife and had a child with her.

But as the episode aired, Saunders’ now ex-wife, Samantha, set the record straight.  “Let’s be very clear! We were not separated! I was straight played! He lied to everyone!”she wrote on March 8, 2023.

Samantha also told Entertainment Tonight that she blames her ex, not Leviss for the PDA. “We were together,” Samantha said. “I blame him. He was the married man. He chose to lie and cheat. Of course, I’m not happy with Raquel, but no, it’s his fault all this happened! “

She added that before the infidelity, Saunders was her best friend and they had a great marriage. “Everything changed when he was so desperate for the camera and fame,” she said. “He truly will do anything. It’s scary and sad.”

Saunders filed for divorce in January 2023.

Beauvais told E! News that she hadn’t watched the “Vanderpump Rules” episode so she wasn’t able to comment on it.  “Listen, my son’s a grown man and he makes decisions, and I’m not always okay with all the decisions that he makes,” the RHOBH star added.

Lisa Vanderpump Previously Had Good Things to Say About Oliver Saunders

Vanderpump previously revealed it was Beauvais who approached her to ask her to hire her son to work for Caesars Palace bar, Vanderpump Cocktail Garden, in 2021.

“She said to me, ‘I was wondering if you could give my son a job,’” Vanderpump told Us Weekly in April 2022, adding that she normally doesn’t like being put on the spot like that.  But after Beauvais explained that her son lived in Las Vegas, she warmed up to the idea because she is more “removed” from her Vegas bars on a daily basis than from her West Hollywood restaurant empire.

“I said, ‘Listen, I can get him the interview. I can get him the job, but I can’t help him keep it,” Vanderpump said. “So it’s up to him.’ So she’s like, ‘Oh no, he’s just great. You’ll love it.’ So I said, ‘Well why not have him as the face of my restaurant in the Cocktail Garden?’”

After Vanderpump opened her second Las Vegas restaurant, Vanderpump à Paris, she moved Saunders to that location. “People love him,” Vanderpump revealed.