Justice Delayed? Lisa Vanderpump Has No Power To Fire Max Boyens Over Racist Tweets
Jan. 21 2020, Updated 5:23 p.m. ET
Lisa Vanderpump "doesn’t have the power to fire" Max Boyens after his racist tweets scandal, a source exclusively told RadarOnline.com.
The newest addition to Vanderpump Rules apologized after a series of tasteless tweets he posted in the past were revealed. The show's matriarch released a statement saying he was contrite, but the insider spilled the details about his now-precarious role on the show.
“Lisa doesn’t have the power to fire Max,” the source told RadarOnline.com, explaining that Bravo "is going to let this season play out before they make their decision.”
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Max posted the shocking tweets in 2012.
“It upsets me that the word n**** is not allowed to be said unless you are black because quite honestly it’s my favorite word. N***********,” Max once wrote in a post that was just one of many racist messages littering his now-private account. Love Andy C revealed the controversial tweets.
Now, a second insider close to the show told RadarOnline.com that Vanderpump, 59, can't guarantee his job starring on the reality show or his position at SUR.
“There’s still a chance for him to be fired. Lisa is handling the situation and doesn’t want anyone fired with the show just starting," said the insider. "She’s heavily reprimanded Max and is discussing what will happen. Look at how many times she’s fired Jax Taylor and James Kennedy, that’s taken time and she’s still done it but she’s also let them back."
“Lisa and the show had Max put all his tweets on mute," the insider continued. "Max is not a favorite of Lisa’s she said that if he gets fired by the network people won’t be surprised. Lisa has a forgiving heart like a mother and does what she feels is best for them and her show."
Max isn’t the first Vanderpump Rules star to be accused of racism. After the 2017 Academy Awards, star Stassi Schroeder spoke out on her podcast, saying: “I’m like, really sick of everyone making everything about race. Everyone giving their impassioned speeches about race and all of that stuff, I’m like, ‘Why is it always just about African Americans?’”
The comments infuriated both fans and advertisers, and Stassi admitted she learned a tough lesson after the fallout.
“The whole thing made me realize that for better or worse, what I say has an effect,” she wrote in her book, NEXT LEVEL BASIC: The Definitive Basic Bitch Handbook by Stassi Schroeder.
“It’s hard to recognize that when you’re just on a reality show, because you just think: Who am I? I’m not a role model; I do shots and fight with people on camera as a job. But at that moment I realized my opinion did affect people, and it was scary, more than anything else," she continued.
Stassi also wrote that she understood how uninformed she was.
“It also made me realize that I am super ignorant about so many things and unaware and it has motivated me to want to sit and listen and learn from what everyone’s different opinions are, and to be careful about how I say something. I’ll always be opinionated, but I don’t want to be that person who is like, “Whatever—I tell it like it is so deal with it!” There’s a level of respect that everyone deserves, so I don’t have the right to say whatever I want. That was a hard pill to swallow," she noted.
Scroll through the gallery for details about Vanderpump Rules star Max Boyens' future on the show.
Damage Control
“I do not condone any of the heinous comments made in the past by Max and Brett and I am glad they understand the severity of their offenses and have shown utmost remorse and contrition,” Lisa said in a statement to PEOPLE after the tweets were revealed.
“I embrace a community of diversity and do not tolerate bigotry of any form within my workplace,” the restaurateur continued. “Max and Brett are both appropriately ashamed of their past obnoxious teenage arrogance and casual use of unacceptable terms. While both have now matured as adults, they have shown remorse for their prior reckless defamatory statements.”
“I do sincerely believe both have learned the power and impact words can have, and I have every hope this will be a lifelong lesson for them as we move into this new decade,” she added.
Tasteless Tweet
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“It upsets me that the word n**** is not allowed to be said unless you are black because quite honestly it’s my favorite word,” one racist tweet reads, according to screenshots from the Love Andy C page.
Shocking Words
“Theres this girl I see everyday@school, she looks like the girl from the movie precious& I’m not just saying this cuz she’s big and black,” Max wrote in another tweet.
Ignorant Admission
“Something about Asians that just makes me want to punch them in the suck hole,” was another of Max's shocking tweets.
Sincere Apology
“I want to sincerely apologize for what I tweeted in 2012 — it was wrong on every level,” Max told Page Six in a statement after the scandal broke. “It is not a representation of who I am. I am shocked I ever tweeted that — and I am disgusted and embarrassed — I am truly sorry.”