Tom Schwartz Fires Back at "Unrecognizable" Claims with Sarcastic Instagram Threat

Tom Schwartz isn’t letting media criticism slide without a response. After an outlet published paparazzi photos of the Vanderpump Rules alum walking his dogs in Los Angeles on July 23 and claimed he looked“unrecognizable,”Schwartz posted a screenshot of the article to his Instagram Story with a humorous but pointed message:“You better sleep with one eye open.”His girlfriend Kiana Carroll quickly came to his defense, pointing out that the unflattering images were simply the result of a bad camera angle rather than any actual change in his appearance.

The article that sparked the clap-back took an interesting turn by comparing Schwartz’s professional setbacks to his ex-wife Katie Maloney’s ongoing success. While Maloney’s restaurant Something About Her continues to thrive, Schwartz’s bar Schwartz&Sandy’s closed in 2024 after just two years. Schwartz has previously explained that the closure wasn’t a matter of negligence but rather a combination of post-COVID economic struggles hitting the restaurant and bar industry particularly hard, plus significant reputational damage from the scandal surrounding Tom Sandoval’s affair with Raquel Leviss. The fallout created a challenging environment for recovery.

On a brighter note, Schwartz has been working on rebuilding his friendship with Tom Sandoval after the scandal put serious strain on their partnership. In a recent conversation, Schwartz revealed that he and Sandoval FaceTimed and that Sandoval sounded genuinely optimistic and in a good place. The two maintain minority stakes in the restaurant TomTom, and their reconnection suggests that even the messiest public drama can lead to genuine healing. What do you think about how celebrities should handle unflattering media coverage?