In Defense of Tom Sandoval

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Tom Sandoval‘s entry into the castle of The Traitors seemed akin to when Sean Spicer appeared on Dancing With the Stars: distasteful, superfluous, self-indulgent. As the cast stepped out of vans in the premiere, wrestler Nikki Garcia turned to fan favorite Gabby Windey from the Bachelor/ette, and said, “Look who it is?” To which Windey responded, turning away, “Yeah, I’m not greeting him.” This sentiment mirrors what many fans of The Traitors anticipated when the cast was unveiled: Sandoval, a man who gained global fame for infidelity with his longtime partner and co-star on reality TV, wouldn’t last long enough to merit recognition. It’s no surprise that the other contestants kept their distance from Sandoval’s gaze and growing perspiration stains.

As the season nears its end and attendance at the nightly gatherings decreases, Sandoval – a man with scant allies, minimal victories, numerous blunders, and most recently, a Freudian slip suggesting “women are better cheaters” which led to a massive backlash from his peers – has managed to outlast almost all of his Bravo co-stars. Regardless of his intentions, the “cheaters” comment (he maintains he meant to say “Traitors”) solidified his position within the castle, on the show, and in society: Sandoval plays the role of Pagliacci, a tragic clown and enduring jester for The Traitors.

Examine Sandoval’s plight: He yearns for relief and kindness, but he’s constantly made a laughingstock. He shuffles through the house with embarrassment, his burden both heavy and amusing. He perspires; he frequently calls “wolf.” He takes everything so gravely that he derives no pleasure, and no one seems eager to involve him in merriment. We rarely witness Sandoval playing games like badminton or frolicking on the grounds. Instead, he wanders the castle corridors as if the search for Traitors is a physically agonizing task. He takes it all very seriously — and this irony is quite comical.

The point isn’t about whether Sandoval’s suffering makes him relatable, but rather that he undergoes a unique kind of hardship week after week, much like Rodney Dangerfield might have in the past. Regardless of whether he humiliates himself for his fellow participants by singing reverse lullabies into the phone or tries to join conversations only to be swiftly dismissed, the outcome remains consistent. Even when he excels, such as acing a challenge or exposing a traitor, his triumph is fleeting. By morning, everyone seems to hope he has met with misfortune and later expresses exasperation upon seeing him again. However, as the show’s episodes unfold over time, viewers have grown increasingly fond of Sandoval. His transformation into an unconventional fan favorite – neither a hero nor a villain – solidifies his lasting impact: Tom Sandoval makes for great television.

In the show The Traitors, some individuals seek to restore their tarnished reputations. By participating in this reality series, they can regain public favor and subsequently secure lucrative Instagram endorsements to maintain their lifestyle moving forward. One notable example is Jason Sandoval who seems to be capitalizing on this opportunity quite openly on The Traitors. He’s joined by others like Sam Asghari, the former spouse of Britney Spears, and Ivar Mountbatten, a less prominent royal figure linked with Cambridge Analytica. In the latest episode, Asghari and Mountbatten teamed up to target the remaining female contestants based on Asghari’s assumption that since the two eliminated Traitors were male, at least one more had to be a woman. Although his theory wasn’t incorrect, their approach exhibited subtly misogynistic undertones as they suggested that Boston Rob and Bob the Drag Queen manipulated a weaker player, Ciara Miller from Summer House, into entering a coffin to divert suspicion, ultimately leading to another contestant’s elimination by the episode’s close.

It seems odd to label Sandoval as the castle’s public enemy and misogynist, given that Faithful Wes was recently banished for his treatment of women. Has Mountbatten interacted with any woman in this house lately? In contrast, Sandoval behaves poorly towards everyone, yet achieves nothing. His past deceit and infidelity may be reprehensible, but his own ineptitude overshadows any harm he causes. His more unsavory actions are often comical, making him a figure of fun rather than someone to take seriously. Therefore, it’s simpler to overlook his behavior and appreciate the entertainment he provides each week in the castle.

In the grand cathedral, when several competitors prepared to confront their potential demise, each vulnerable participant whispered a quiet plea. “If I perish, I depart in joy!” Sandoval exclaimed within the church’s hallowed walls. He had tasted his initial triumph that very episode – outsmarting Boston Rob, earning the applause of his fellow players. Had Sandoval met his end following Rob’s dismissal, he would have died contentedly. However, the cunning Traitors chose to eliminate Chrishell instead, prolonging Sandoval’s deep sorrow. Watching Sandoval at each breakfast scene is akin to witnessing the fading of someone’s spirit moment by moment. He enters with head held high, brimming with pride for surviving another day, yet a fleeting remark or subtle jibe leaves him deflated. With every new episode, I can only pray that Sandoval endures another night. The more he struggles, the more captivating the show becomes.

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2025-02-20 22:54