Jax Taylor Says He’s “Happy” For Tom Sandoval: “He’s Going Through A Lot”

Jax Taylor and Tom Sandoval have come a long way since their days of vying to be the “No. 1 guy” in their friend group. Not only did they appear on Tuesday night’s (May 7) episode of Watch What Happens Live together, but Taylor also defended Sandoval when he stopped by DECIDER’s offices earlier that same day.

The emotional Vanderpump Rules Season 11 reunion trailer was released earlier this week — and while Taylor said he hadn’t seen the teaser just yet, he did take some time to praise his longtime friend, who found himself at the center of a major controversy last year when he was caught cheating on his then-girlfriend Ariana Madix with their mutual close friend and former co-star Rachel “Raquel” Leviss.

“I’m happy for Tom Sandoval,” Taylor told us. “[The] guy has gone through a lot. He’s going through a lot and I love the way he’s handling himself.”

Taylor continued, “[I’ve done] a lot of press with him recently. And just the way he’s answering questions and the way he’s rising above and kind of just poking fun at himself a little bit and just trying to carry on with his life. He went through hell. He really did.”

The reality star added that he had never “seen anybody go through such chaos” over a cheating scandal — and he would know since he was infamously outed for hooking up with Kristen Doute when she was dating Sandoval back in the early days of Vanderpump Rules.

“Yes, it was cheating. It was bad,” he said of Scandoval. “But gosh, there’s worse things in life and I just felt really, really bad for him but he’s handled himself really, really well. And I’m just happy for him. He’s doing well.”

Taylor and Sandoval have endured a rather rocky road together, all starting with the Doute drama back in Season 2 of Vanderpump Rules. Their relationship took a few blows during their time on the Bravo series, with Taylor ultimately deciding to demote Sandoval from best man to groomsman in his wedding with Brittany Cartwright.

However, their friendship appeared to be officially over when the House of Villains alum was caught on Sandoval and Madix’s security cameras returning the Samurai sword signed by Randy Jackson that Sandoval had previously gifted him.

They didn’t reunite on-camera again until Taylor popped into Season 11 of Vanderpump Rules to rip into Sandoval’s white nail polish, the way he handled his affair and, most importantly, transition to the first episode of The Valley.

With the duo back on good terms, all Sandoval has to do now is regift that Samurai sword to Taylor.