Vanderpump Rules' Stassi Schroeder Dumped By Advertisers For Allegedly Criticizing #metoo Campaign
Stassi Schroeder is facing backlash after she allegedly criticized the #metoo campaign on her podcast Friday.
A number of sponsors have pulled their support for Schroeder’s Straight Up with Stassi after several people on Twitter alerted them to the Vanderpump Rules star’s alleged comments.
The 29-year-old reality star has since deleted the episode titled “Are we on a male witch hunt?” which included her friend Jennifer Hoffner, co-founder of the lifestyle and beauty blog Pucker & Pout.
During the podcast, listeners allege she made comments about those who have accused men of assault or harassment.
Many listeners took to Twitter to voice their disgust, writing that the star had mocked those who have been assaulted and the #metoo campaign.
PEOPLE has reached to representatives for the star but have yet to receive comment.
The reality star did address the comments in a now-deleted tweet responding to someone who criticized her.
Schroeder wrote, “Hold up. There is ZERO bashing, & I repeat myself 3726 times how I feel the whole media frenzy has taken away from the victims who were truly assaulted. You may be misinterpreting my point, because we had the best intentions w/ this episode.”
She followed it up hours later with a second tweet, writing, “About 5 ppl heard this podcast & everyone else read ONE quote without the backstory or context of a TWO hours episode.”
About 5 ppl heard this podcast & everyone else read ONE quote without the backstory or context of a TWO hour episode. pic.twitter.com/23EMPZpcMU
— Stassi Schroeder (@stassi) November 25, 2017
One of the first advertisers to pull their support was Rent the Runway, an online service that provides designer dress and accessory rentals.
The fashion rental company responded on Twitter, writing, “We’re shocked by @stassi’s comments re the #metoo campaign. It goes against everything RTR stands for as a company and has publicly advocated. Our 1st ads were slated to run on Mon but effective immediately we’ve terminated our relationship with her podcast.”
We’re shocked by @stassi's comments re the #metoo campaign. It goes against everything RTR stands for as a company and has publicly advocated. Our 1st ads were slated to run on Mon but effective immediately we’ve terminated our relationship with her podcast.
— Rent the Runway (@RenttheRunway) November 24, 2017
Other companies have followed suit in ending their relationships with Schroeder. Simple Contacts released a statement on Twitter, saying they pulled their ads from her podcast.
“Simple Contacts doesn’t agree with or condone the opinions of @stassi,” the tweet read. “We’ve pulled our ads from her podcast.”
Simple Contacts doesn’t agree with or condone the opinions of @stassi. We’ve pulled our ads from her podcast. Full statement below. pic.twitter.com/xnPU0Sl62S
— Simple Contacts (@SimpleContacts) November 24, 2017
As well as ending their business relationship, the company also apologized to their customers, saying, “Women are harassed and assaulted in and out of the workplace and to suggest that the #metoo campaign is made up of attention seekers belittles the pain and suffering so many women experience on a regular basis.”
Framebridge also ended their relationship with the star, writing in a tweet on Friday, “In no way do @stassi’s comments about the #metoo campaign reflect our beliefs. We are ending our relationship with the Straight Up with Stassi Podcast effective immediately. We will always stand by brave women sharing their stories.”
In no way do @stassi's comments about the #metoo campaign reflect our beliefs. We are ending our relationship with the Straight Up with Stassi Podcast effective immediately. We will always stand by brave women sharing their stories.
— Framebridge (@framebridge) November 25, 2017
In mid-November, the reality star opened up about posing topless and revealing her breast reduction surgery scars with PEOPLE.
“We live in the world of the Kardashians right now, and we have to have waist trainers and boobs and a butt,” Schroeder said in October. “If we don’t have a small waist with that we’re not that attractive and everything is hush hush and I don’t like that.”
Schroeder has previously shared a photograph of her scars, telling PEOPLE, she made sure that the photographer did not edit them out.
“I was like ‘Don’t edit out my scars.’ They’re awesome. I like being myself and I feel that everyone should embrace themselves,” Schroeder tells PEOPLE. “It’s a scar! Scars are pretty! It’s almost like a birthmark or something like that where it’s something to not be ashamed of.”