After Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute were fired from Vanderpump Rules following allegations made by Faith Stowers, Stowers is speaking out.
In a recent interview with Page Six, the former Vanderpump Rules star said she feels "vindicated" and "hopeful" after learning that Bravo cut ties with Schroeder and Doute ahead of Season 9 of the hit series. The network said in a statement Tuesday, "Bravo and Evolution Media confirmed today that Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute, Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni will not be returning to Vanderpump Rules."
As Stowers told Page Six, "I feel so vindicated studios and production are able to see blatant racism and make these positive changes and help move the race forward—help with the fight forward."
Last week, Stowers spoke out about her experience with Schroeder and Doute, recalling how the two had once called the police on her.
"There was this article... where there was an African American lady," Stowers explained of the incident, which occurred in 2018, during an Instagram Live with Candance Renee Rice. "It was a weird photo, so she looked very light-skinned and had these different, weird tattoos. They showcased her, and I guess this woman was robbing people... The woman was robbing people... The women was at large... and they called the cops and said it was me. This is like, a true story. I heard this from actually Stassi said during an interview. She's telling them what they did to me."
In her interview with Page Six, Stowers added that before she heard that Schroeder and Doute were fired, she was "in the middle of prayer and I felt a sense of—I know it sounds corny—I felt a sense of glory."
"I felt God's presence and I'm seeing now... maybe that is what that was," she added. "He gave me a sign of optimism meant to be hopeful and showing that all of this was worth it."
After Stowers' comments made headlines, brands Billie, Secret Deodorant and Skrewball Whiskey confirmed to E! News that they had ended their advertising partnerships with Schroeder. Additionally, Schroeder's agency and publicist told Variety they are no longer working with her.
This past weekend, Schroeder and Doute issued public apologies to their respective Instagram accounts.
In her post, Doute wrote, "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. 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."
While Schroeder wrote, "What I did to Faith was wrong. I apologize and I do not expect forgiveness. I am also sorry to anyone else that feels disappointed in me. 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."
Further, Stowers also expressed that she was feeling "glad" she "put myself in the line of fire" and spoke her truth.
"Now I'm seeing Bravo follow suit—the same as MTV and The Challenge—[by] letting go of castmates that have also made racist remarks. Bravo is releasing women that have given them crazy ratings because they want to be on the right side of history," she said.
This week, The Challenge announced that it "severed ties" with Dee Nguyen as a result of her "offensive comments on the Black Lives Matter movement." Dee posted an apology for her actions, writing, "The last 24 hours have made me [realize] what is important and that is forgiveness. I would like to offer my sincerest apology to my colleagues to whom I have hurt directly and indirectly due to my insensitive remarks. Let me be clear I am a POC that cares about BLM."
"I believe in this movement and I am stepping away from social media to focus on my wellbeing and mental health," she continued. "This is not a goodbye, it's a I will see you again. To my fans, thank you for believing in me and for your support. It helps. I see every single one of you and I remember your stories. Stay strong and stay safe my friends."
(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)