Ariana: Tom Was Being Pressured From Multiple Angles

Bravotv.com: What was the most exciting part of your birthday party?

Ariana Madix: It’s hard for me to single out one thing about my birthday because every single thing about it was everything I dreamed of and then some. There is something people may not know about. Tom surprised me at my party by flying in my best friend Whitney of 10 years who had never been to LA to visit before. She and my friend Meredith hid inside a two-person horse costume and after doing an adorable little performance, Tom and Meredith unveiled that Whitney was in the head of the costume. My friend Lindsay Hand also surprised me by flying in. I was surrounded by so many people who mean everything to me and I got to do flips on a bungee trampoline with sno-cones at the same time!

Bravotv.com: How did it feel when Tom went to Vegas after telling you he wasn't going to go? Were you shocked that he went?

AM: I wasn't shocked because we had talked about it a number of times leading up to it and I knew that if he didn't go, Schwartz wouldn't go, and then there wouldn't be a trip. Tom was being pressured from multiple angles. 

Bravotv.com: Do you think if you opened up to Tom sooner about your feelings around your birthday and their trip to Vegas, he would have stayed?

AM: My feelings were mostly revolved around the timing of the trip. We had a sleepover planned and things to do the next day together and Tom dipping out super early in the morning (all whilst leaving me to work at SUR and do "girl things") just annoyed me. I'd rather be on a bulldozer than getting my nails done. Being alone under the circumstances that I was reluctant to tell anyone was a much bigger feeling that I had. However, that was before I had any idea that Whitney and Lindsay were going to be flying in and staying the weekend with me. That coupled with how busy I became over those next few days lessened the worries I had previously about sitting at home and just thinking about my dad. If I knew all of that beforehand, I probably would have just told him to go. 

The Guys Get Naked in Vegas

Bravotv.com: Were you worried the guys were going to get themselves in trouble while in Vegas?

AM: No. 

Bravotv.com: It looked like you ladies had a lot of fun at Scheana's sleepover? Were you all just trying to make the guys jealous?

AM: No. That was just a joke someone made. We did have a ton of fun. We always do. 

The SUR Men Kiss in Vegas

Bravotv.com: How did you feel having Lala at the sleepover after you decided not to invite her to your birthday party?

AM: I didn't "decide" anything. I just didn't send an open invite to the 50 employees of SUR. I went out on a limb to invite Faith because we had spent more time together and gotten to know each other. She was the only person at my party that I had met recently. At that point, I didn't know Lala. I was open to it, but I don't typically make trips to the host stand from behind the bar, so there weren't many opportunities for that. If there was any one SUR employee I specifically didn't want to come, it was James. He was really on one at that point in the summer. It was cool Lala came to Scheana's because it allowed us to spend more than five minutes together. If that had happened before my birthday, I would be able to say "I know her" and she would have been invited.