Reality star Faith Stowers, who first appeared on “Vanderpump Rules” in 2015 as a supporting cast member, is suing the hit show’s production companies, its network Bravo, and parent company, NBCUniversal, for discrimination, retaliation, and other claims.
According to the complaint filed in Los Angeles Friday and obtained by Page Six, Stowers alleges she was “subjected to racism, sexual harassment and physical assault in just her first season.”
Stowers — who is black — claims “Pump Rules” executive producer Lisa Vanderpump asked her to be on the show to add “color” to the cast and highlights how she was allegedly disparaged because of her race.
Faith Stowers is suing Bravo, NBCUniversal and others over the alleged racism and sexual harassment she experienced while on “Vanderpump Rules.”Instagram/@kingfaithhope
Stowers made her debut on “Vanderpump Rules” in Season 4.Bravo
The hit Bravo show premiered in 2013.Tommy Garcia/Bravo
She points out that co-stars allegedly showcased “overtly racist social media harassment campaigns,” in which they accused her of going absent without official leave from her past tenure in the military, of being a thief and a career criminal that was wanted by the LAPD.
The allegations are in reference to a 2020 scandal involving “Pump Rules” alums Jax Taylor, Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute, in which their racist behavior toward Stowers was brought to the forefront at the peak of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Taylor’s 2017 tweet accusing his black co-star of committing crimes resurfaced at the time, and read, “She’s wanted by the police for grand theft auto and ‘awol’ from military, bad idea to be on a reality show dude. Someone’s going to jail.”
Stowers was the first black cast member on “Pump Rules.”Getty Images
She claims she was discriminated against because of the color of her skin.kingfaithhope/Instagram
Schroeder, for her part, said in a now-deleted “Bitch Bible” podcast episode in 2018 that she and Doute actually called police to try and have them arrest Stowers because they thought she looked like another black woman who was wanted for allegedly drugging men and stealing watches.
“We are like, we just solved a f—king crime,” the “Next Level Basic” author reportedly said on the podcast at the time. “We start calling the police. The police don’t give a f—k.”
Doute, meanwhile, posted a photo of the wanted woman, and said in a since-deleted 2018 tweet, “hey tweeties, doesn’t this ex #pumprules thief look familiar? someone put her on mtv & gave her a platform for press. I didn’t wanna go there but I’m going there.”
Stowers says in her suit that she wanted to speak out — prior to the Black Lives Matter movement — when her former co-stars first made the remarks but NBC allegedly threatened her with “ruinous legal action.”
Once the accusations against Stowers finally became public following the racial discourse in America prompted by George Floyd’s death, Schroeder and Doute apologized for their actions in June 2020.
Bravo then decided to fire them just days later, and Stowers exclusively told Page Six at the time she felt “vindicated” that her ex-co-stars had been let go.
However, the reality star alleges in her complaint that “now that the racial reckoning of 2020 has receded,” NBC and production company Evolution have “reverted to their old ways,” pointing out that co-stars who had been fired as a result of her scandal were recently rehired for the new Bravo show “The Valley.”
Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute wrongfully accused Stowers of committing a crime in the past.WireImage
They have since both apologized after the ordeal became a scandal.Getty Images for MTV
Stowers states in her suit that Taylor and Doute now both star in the new reality series. Schroeder was offered a spot on the cast but turned it down.
Aside from the parties involved in that major scandal, Stowers also accuses Taylor’s estranged wife, Brittany Cartwright, of hurling racial slurs at her and mocking her “nappy” hair.
Stowers was involved in a cheating scandal with Taylor when he and Cartwright were just dating.
Separately in the suit, Stowers also claims she was a victim of sexual harassment and physical violence, noting she developed feelings for “Pump Rules” star Lala Kent and producers allegedly forced them to share a bed on a cast trip.
Jax Taylor, seen here with estranged wife Brittany Cartwright, also previously accused Stowers of committing a crime.mrjaxtaylor/Instagram
Cartwright allegedly also made racial slurs.Todd Williamson/Bravo
“Production pressured Kent and Stowers to ‘get intimate’ and touch each other sensually on camera,'” the complaint alleges. “All of this was greatly distressing to [the plaintiff].”
Stowers alleges at one point, when her relationship with Kent soured, the “Give Them Lala” podcast host allegedly pulled a knife on her, “holding it to her neck and threatening to ‘cut a bitch'” with cameras rolling.
A source tells Page Six exclusively that the expecting mom is left “stunned” by Stowers’ allegations because they “never happened.”
Stowers claims Lala Kent (right) once violently attacked her with a knife.Stassi Schroeder/Instagram
Stowers claims producers also once pressured her to act sensually with Kent on camera.Instagram/@kingfaithhope
“Stowers is looking to promote her podcast,” the insider says, adding that they hope “NBC and Bravo defend themselves vigorously. This is insane.”
Stowers accuses NBC and Evolution of trying to cover up the alleged incident, claiming she was discouraged from speaking about what allegedly occurred to police or the media.
She claims the media companies then retaliated against her by allegedly asking her to sign a contract that would make her a “volunteer” on the show who did not get paid for additional seasons.
Stowers told Page Six in 2017 following her exit from “Pump Rules,” “I didn’t want to be a part of this season. Production kept trying to get me to come back as a friend.”
Stowers is accusing Bravo and NBC of retaliating against her.Instagram/@kingfaithhope
The media companies have not responded to Stowers’ claims.kingfaithhope/Instagram
Her attorneys, Mark Geragos and Bryan Freedman, are the same lawyers behind Bethenny Frankel’s “reality TV reckoning,” which aims to spotlight reality TV’s alleged toxic work environment practices.
Aside from Stowers, ex-Bravoleb NeNe Leakes previously sued the network for discrimination, citing her own alleged experiences with racism while on “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” but later dropped the case.
Page Six has reached out to reps for Bravo, NBCUniversal, Kent, Schroeder and Doute for comment but did not immediately hear back. Cartwright and Taylor’s rep declined to comment.
Source : pagesix.com
