Tom Schwartz is setting the record straight about his love life — and no, it’s not with Lala Kent. The “Vanderpump Rules” alum revealed he’s seeing someone new during a candid conversation on Kent’s podcast “Untraditionally Lala.”
The dating rumors started after Kent posted a playful photo of the pair on Instagram, which many fans interpreted as a relationship “soft launch.” But according to Schwartz, there’s more to the story.
Tom Schwartz Shares Relationship Status on Lala Kent’s Podcast
During the Oct. 8 episode, Schwartz admitted that Kent’s Instagram photo stirred up chatter, but he decided not to repost it out of respect for the woman he’s currently dating.
“I liked it, [but] I didn’t repost it out of respect for someone I’m dating,” he explained. “But she is in on the joke, and she gets it totally.”
Kent acknowledged Schwartz’s desire for privacy — and revealed that she recently met the mystery woman. “A very hot face,” Kent teased. “Some would call it a supermodel stunning face. I, like, kind of couldn’t put together words when I saw her.”
She also admitted that her post may have unintentionally complicated things. “I felt bad because I had posted that,” Kent said. “And then I met her, and I was like, ‘Oh, (expletive), this isn’t just a girl’s name that I’ve heard.’”
While Schwartz didn’t share specifics about his new partner, Kent had hinted at the budding relationship days earlier during a Sept. 30 Amazon Live stream, saying, “I think he may be talking to someone right now … He seems very happy.”
The ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Alum Talks Future Plans and Clears Up Rumors
Schwartz also opened up about the future, sharing that he’s thought about having kids with his younger girlfriend. “I feel better than I’ve ever felt in my life. I feel healthy, and I’m happy. I’m in a good place, but, yeah, I want kids, man,” the 42-year-old said. “But, I don’t want to be so rigid with timelines and stuff that I deny myself being in the moment and happy.”
The two also took time to unpack how the dating rumors began. Schwartz now believes they were sparked by “crazy AI-generated articles on Facebook that get a lot of traction and, like, crazy interaction comments, repost.” Their July 1 podcast appearance together only fueled the fire.
Kent’s Instagram “soft launch” photo — captioned “Like so soft it’s not even real, type soft” — added another layer to the speculation. And even fellow Bravo stars got involved. Scheana Shay said on her own podcast that if the two were secretly dating, “they’re secretly dating from me because I have heard this only online.”
Schwartz later shut down the rumors again when he wished Kent a Happy Birthday, calling her his “imaginary internet GF.”
Schwartz’s romantic life has been a recurring storyline since “Vanderpump Rules” premiered in 2013. He married Katie Maloney in 2016, but the couple divorced in 2022.
Since then, Schwartz has been linked to several women, including Jo Wenberg during season 11, Katie Flood on season 3 of “Winter House,” and Sophia Skoro, with whom he split in April.
Tom Schwartz can next be seen on season 3 of “The Valley” alongside Kent.
