BACK WITH A VENGEANCE
THE REALITY STAR AIMS TO LIFT SPIRITS WITH A NEW SERIES SPOTLIGHTING HER STAR-STUDDED SOIRÉES
Lisa Vanderpump opens up to In Touch about her long-awaited return to reality TV.
She knows how to bring the drama to shows like The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Vanderpump Rules, but Lisa Vanderpump is ready to lighten up. Hence her latest foray into reality TV, Overserved, in which the cheeky 60-year-old and her daughter, Pandora, 34, invite celebrities to her stunning Hollywood Hills home, Villa Rosa, for intimate dinner parties. “It’s just fun,” Lisa says of the E! series, featuring guests including Lance Bass, Joel McHale and Iggy Azalea. “Everyone’s been through so much this year, so I wanted something with a real feel-good factor.” Here, the All Things Vanderpump podcast host (who says she’s too busy to return to RHOBH, but jokes she might if they replace most of the cast!) talks to In Touch’s Katie Bruno about her favorite guests, quarantining with her husband, Ken Todd, and surviving dark times.
Tells us about Overserved.
LV: It was a culture shock to go from going from zero people in the house for months to having film crews! But everything was safe. Pandora and I created all the food and beautiful settings. You’ll see things like a Morocco-themed evening, which is stunning. We had a blast!
How did you choose your guests?
LV: You need a sense of humor, because we’re playing dares and games. It’s all about having a laugh!
Do you have a favorite?
LV: I became quite friendly with Steve-O. Who would have thought! He was the bane of my existence when my son watched [Jackass], but he’s a lovely man. Joel McHale and Cheryl Hines were amazing together, too.
How was working with Pandora?
LV: We do things the other doesn’t.
My strength isn’t making cocktails — she helped with the cocktail list at TomTom and has her Very Vanderpump blog. Of course, everything has to run through me!
Last year was devastating for restaurants. How are you doing?
LV: It’s very difficult to have your entire business life shut down. We had to come up with millions of dollars. People say, “Well, you’re rich,” but it’s not a hobby. This is our work and how we make money.
How was lockdown with Ken?
LV: He’s lucky I didn’t kill him! It was hard, but if I’m going to be incarcerated anywhere, it would be here at Villa Rosa. I had to do laundry — I didn’t know the dryer had a filter until there was smoke coming out!
You’ve been married 39 years. What’s your secret?
LV: You have to forgive each other when mistakes are made. We work together, but we laugh together, too. We also have a lot of the same likes and dislikes.
Who are you in touch with from Vanderpump Rules?
LV: I’ve seen Lala [Kent]’s baby on Zoom. I spoke to Jax [Taylor] and Brittany [Cartwright], Tom Schwartz and Scheana [Shay] and James [Kennedy]. I love them all!
What’s on the horizon for you?
LV: I’ve had a rough four years. My brother died of suicide, then my mother died, and then COVID and losing [my beloved dog] Giggy. I’ve suffered depression, but it’s starting to lift and I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. ◼