Stassi Schroeder is no stranger to reality television. In fact, Vanderpump Rules is her third show. After stints on The Amazing Race and The N’s Queen Bees, Schroeder began working on the Bravo hit show and coming into her own. Now you can catch her on the show falling in and out of love and working to mend broken relationships. When she isn’t filming, Schroeder is busy hosting her podcast Straight Up with Stassi, and fashion blogging. We sat down and talked to her about the show, her ventures outside of it, and her hopes for future.
At just 28, she is the host of the Straight Up with Stassi podcast, a fashion blogger, and a cast member on the hit show Vanderpump Rules. Schroeder is a busy woman who credits just being herself as the thing she does every day, but her fans know the real work she puts in. In fact, when we spoke to her for this interview, she had plans to spend the day answering emails and still found herself relaxed. While wearing all of those hats can be a lot at times for Schroeder, she says it’s worth it.
“It gets hard, but my podcast especially has been one of the most rewarding things that ever happened to me because I did it all by myself,” she said. “I don’t have a producer who writes lines out for me; I do it, and because it has become so popular, it makes everything I do fun.”
Photographer: Martina Tolot, Hair: Katie Maloney, Makeup: Francesca Tolot, Stylist: Stassi Schroeder // Top: Stassi’s own, Shoes: Christian Louboutin.
On Straight Up with Stassi, which airs on Thursdays, no topic goes uncovered. Schroeder says whatever is on her mind and enjoys the aspect of “saying what everyone else is thinking.” She and her guests cover everything from relationships, fashion, and pop culture to things that go on in her daily life. In an episode with Stephen McGee from Bravo’s Summer House, the two Bravo stars discussed the Oscars, the lack of political correctness on the show, being the kind of person other cast mates tell their secrets to, and funerals.
Her favorite guest on the show so far has been Rachel Zoe, an idol of Schroeder’s since she was a teenager. It helped that meeting Zoe was the opposite of what Schroeder thought would be a Devil Wears Prada moment.
“The vibe in her office was just so warm and so fun. I was like, ‘Can I be your intern? I want to be here every day,’” said Schroeder.
When she isn’t hosting the podcast, Schroeder is blogging about fashion at JustStassi.com and her favorite items right now are slides and mules. In fact, in between emails and just before our call, she was searching Neiman Marcus because they had a sale on slides.
My podcast especially has been one of the most rewarding things that ever happened to me because I did it all by myself.
After moving into her two-bedroom apartment, turning the second bedroom into a closet, and ordering ten new pairs of slides, she realized she had to stop. She is also into the idea of making activewear girly and loves the trend of a tracksuit with heels and jewelry, which is fitting considering Kate Hudson is one of her dream guests to have on her podcast. Maybe Hudson can show her a few of the best ways to dress up the activewear from her line (wink, wink).
If you are unfamiliar with Schroeder’s blog and podcast, chances are that you know her from Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules. The thing about reality television is, despite the name, audience members may never truly know what is real and what is fake. When some things end up on the cutting room floor for various reasons, the audience is left to make assumptions about the things that happen and the kind of people they happen to. For Schroeder, those assumptions aren’t always accurate or kind.
“[Some viewers] think that I am a bitch. That’s the biggest misconception. In fact, even when I watch it back and I look at my Twitter and see people calling me a bitch, I don’t understand. Are we watching the same television show? I am not mean to people,” said Schroeder. “I am always friendly and if I get into an argument with someone, it’s because we are dealing with an issue. I am from the South and I believe in having Southern manners and being kind and polite until someone does you or someone you love wrong.”
Photographer: Valorie Darling, Hair: Trace Henningsen, Makeup: Stevi Christine, Stylist: Alexandra Renee Scott // Body suit & bottoms: Alix, Crown: Trace Henningsen Bridal, Cuff: Stylist Own, Chokers: Eddie Borgo
Luckily, Schroeder copes with the media attention and an onslaught of negative comments with her podcast. Without it, she isn’t sure she could cope. With an outlet like her podcast, she feels like she can be an unedited version of herself and get out her frustration. Still, she believes that her reality show is among the most genuine on TV today. As to be expected, the show has caused some shifts and changes in the relationships with the cast mates when the cameras stopped rolling because even though they started off as friends before the show began, they don’t always stay that way.
“With reality TV, it is your job to fight and it’s your job to call each other out,” said Schroeder. “It is a very weird thing to do when you’ve been such good friends with people. Not only do we take that home with us when we are filming because it hurts our feelings, but then once it airs and we have to do press and talk about things that happened, you’re getting hurt all over again—especially when you listen to a friend’s interview and they say something ugly about you,” she said.
In the first couple of seasons, when she would watch the show back, Schroeder heard a few things that surprised her in terms of how some of her cast mates felt about her. However, now that they are all so open and tell each other everything, there aren’t any surprises. The newest season may have just wrapped, but Schroeder and the fans are both hoping for another season.
As busy as Schroeder may be, when she isn’t working, she prefers to be at home with her two dogs, Zoe and Luda, watching The Bachelor and drinking wine. She would also love to turn her podcast into a visual venture as well. She hopes to become a better host, and with her work ethic, anything is possible.
“I often joke that I feel like I don’t work. I feel like a lazy-ass who doesn’t have a job and then I remember, oh, I actually like what I do so I am always working,” said Schroeder.
Photographer: Martina Tolot, Hair: Katie Maloney, Makeup: Francesca Tolot, Stylist: Stassi Schroeder // Top: Zara, Shoes: Christian Louboutin.
See more exclusive photos in our April/May 2017 issue of Cliché Magazine.
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Stassi Schroeder Talks ‘Vanderpump Rules’ and Her Popular Podcast // Featured image: Photographer: Valorie Darling, Hair: Trace Henningsen, Makeup: Stevi Christine, Stylist: Alexandra Renee Scott
