Tom Sandoval broke his silence on the viral video of his sweaty armpits during The Traitors, addressing the moment via Instagram Stories on Thursday, January 23. The clip, which showed the 42-year-old reality star with noticeable pit stains, sparked a wave of memes and criticism from viewers and even castmates.
“Man, that video, I looked rough,” Sandoval admitted, explaining that his appearance was due to exhaustion and illness after a grueling 24 hours of travel, including an eight-hour layover. “My immune system took a hit,” he added, revealing he was battling a stye, canker sores, and a sore throat while filming.
The situation worsened when his airline lost his luggage, leaving him at the mercy of The Traitor’s wardrobe department. “They did a great job,” Sandoval said of the wardrobe team, though he noted one particular outfit—a thick wool sweater—left him “sweating his a** off.”
According to US Weekly, Laughing off the incident, Sandoval added, “At least I can laugh at it now, as you guys all have,” referencing the widespread social media reaction. Despite the viral moment, Sandoval’s debut on The Traitors hasn’t gone unnoticed. Host Alan Cumming even teased him during the premiere, while fellow cast members were quick to critique his gameplay.
Chrishell Stause, in particular, didn’t hold back. Calling Sandoval “loud and wrong,” she said, “He’s terrible. There was no reason for him to call me a Traitor.” The clip and ensuing reactions underscore Sandoval’s polarizing presence on the reality competition show.
While some fans have embraced the humor of his pit-stain moment, others, including his co-stars, continue to scrutinize his strategy and behavior. For Sandoval, the incident seems to have provided a lesson in rolling with the punches—and sweating out the drama in style.