Whether audiences love it or hate it, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills is the ultimate reality TV series. The show revolves around a group of socialites who seem to have done it all. But, even as they reach middle age, these women show no sign of slowing down. With 14 seasons under its belt, the show has changed drastically over the years. Yet, one thing remains the same; these women will always desire the finer things in life.
For those who have been following the show since the start, the name Cedric Martinez will ring a bell. He and Lisa Vanderpump seemed to be glued to the hip, but partway through the first season, he seemed to fade into the background. So what happened to the Vanderpumps’ former houseguest, and will he be making another appearance on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills soon?
Cedric Martinez Was a Key Part of Lisa Vanderpump’s Life
Lisa and Ken actually met Cedric Martinez in London, when he was the face of one of the most popular gay clubs, the Shadow Lounge. He managed to become very close with the couple and their children, following them when they moved to LA. He then went on to work in one of Lisa’s most popular bars, Villa Blanca, which unfortunately closed in 2020. So, while he was trying to find his own life in LA, the Vanderpumps housed him and accepted him as one of their own. The pair would work out together and spend quality time together, suggesting that they were more than just business associates.
While their origin story seems decent enough, Lisa and Cedric’s bond was rocky from the start. During his appearance on Kate Casey’s Reality Life podcast in 2017, Martinez claimed that their friendship was on the brink before the show even began. Apparently, Lisa was in the process of auditioning for the show, and the producers asked Cedric if he would care to perform a scene alongside her so that they could explore their energy. But Lisa got the call to confirm her place on the show a year later, when the pair weren’t exactly on the best terms. So, Lisa offered Cedric an olive branch so that they could both appear on the show.
The Pair’s Feud Allegedly Helped Vanderpump Gain More Screen Time
Image via Bravo
So, with the cracks in their friendship already starting to show, it didn’t take long before their entire bond fell apart. At the time, Martinez was in a relationship with boyband legend Lance Bass, but when he caught him cheating, Cedric swiftly broke things off. However, the houseguest also revealed that Vanderpump was keen for the couple to stay together as it would be good publicity for her many business ventures. Plus, Bass is still quite good friends with Vanderpump, so it’s assumed that Lisa didn’t want their break-up to rock the boat. He stated on Casey’s podcast that:
I understand her thinking process because she has made a lot of sacrifices in her life, and she chose a certain path over something else, but I wasn’t willing to do this.
It seems that a lot of this drama was unfolding behind the scenes, but Cedric’s departure from the Vanderpump home was fortunately captured on camera. In Episode 13, Ken asks Martinez to leave the home so that he and his wife can resume their domestic life together. Throughout the first season, both Lisa and Ken commented on Cedric’s laziness and how he often struggled to do his part around the house. Lisa also expressed her concerns about the nature of their bond and how it blends the lines between the personal and professional. Because Cedric also worked for the Vanderpump family, Lisa sometimes struggled to find a balance between being his boss and being his friend.
Cedric Has Returned to His Native Turf
Image via Bravo
Admittedly, it seems that audiences will never really get to the bottom of Cedric and Lisa’s feud. One party argued that their divisive relationship goes back way before the show was even produced, and the other party believes that the bond fell apart when overnight fame came into the picture. Regardless, a lot of fans miss Cedric, even if he doesn’t really fit into the show canon anymore. Apparently, Martinez has returned home to the UK and is now working in London’s bustling hospitality industry. He briefly moved back to France to spend more time with his family and reconnect with long-lost relatives, giving him time to focus on what matters most.
While Cedric is not involved in The Real Housewives franchise anymore, he doesn’t hesitate to speak his mind on the dangers of reality TV. In an interview with Entertainment Now, Cedric comments that:
Reality shows should be banned… reality shows are actively hurting people. We’re supposed to be enlightened. We have to say this is hurting people. There has to be rules and regulations.
Cedric Martinez hasn’t been active on social media since 2020, when he used his Instagram platform to criticize the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. But for those who want to delve into more about his story, they can read his self-published memoir, The Real Permanent Houseguest of Beverly Hills. This book goes into more detail about his tumultuous time in Beverly Hills but also offers more insight into his traumatic past. Martinez has frequently mentioned that he had a difficult upbringing, which was unfortunately riddled with poverty and hardship. When talking to Out Front Magazine in February 2011, he explained that:
I don’t know my father, and my mother was a prostitute. She still took care of me the best she could, which wasn’t very good at all, so we did end up on the streets and we did end up having to beg, steal and borrow. … I’m not going to lie. It was a very horrible childhood.
The likelihood of fans seeing Cedric on their screens again is quite low, especially since he has also rejected a lot of other reality shows, including the UK version of Celebrity Big Brother. Yet, fans are still quite intrigued by Cedric, and many hope that he is doing well in spite of his previous struggles. Plus, since Lisa Vanderpump has washed her hands of The Real Housewives of Beverly Housewives, it’s clear that both of them are happy to leave this dramatic chapter long behind them.