Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney Laugh About 'Feral Energy' at BravoCon, Say Tom Sandoval Boos Were 'Expected' (Exclusive)

"I don't know what it is — it's a collective toxic energy that everyone already has on their own shows that comes together," Katie Maloney said of the drama that unfolds at BravoCon

Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney are telling it like it is.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE on the red carpet of BravoCon 2023, the two weighed in on all the drama that came out of Friday's Vanderpump Rules panel, including the constant booing for their VPR costar and Madix's ex, Tom Sandoval.

"BravoCon always brings this kind of..." Madix, 38, said as her voice trailed off, before Maloney, 36, chimed in with, "Feral energy!"

Maloney continued, "People go buck wild, it's crazy."

"There's always crossover show hook ups and panel drama," Madix said as Maloney noted, "And people stirring the pot. I don't know what it is — it's a collective toxic energy that everyone already has on their own shows that comes together."

Related: Tom Sandoval Can't Get a Word in at BravoCon 2023 as Fans Boo Him Throughout Vanderpump Rules Panel

Madix jokingly added: "That's what makes BravoCon so fun!"

Asked about their thoughts on the fans booing Sandoval, the two felt their actions were warranted. "It's to be expected," Madix said.

Friday's panel featured Madix, Sandoval and Maloney as well as the rest of their VPR costars, including Ally Lewber, James Kennedy, Lala Kent, Lisa Vanderpump, Tom Schwartz, Scheana Shay and Brock Davies.

The reunion came eight months after Madix and Sandoval, 41, split after nine years of dating following the news of the TomTom co-owner’s months-long affair with their friend and VPR costar Rachel “Raquel” Leviss (who was not in attendance for Friday's panel).

Right off the bat, tensions ran high as Sandoval was booed by the crowd and could barely get a word in when attempting to speak. "It feels good to be here in Vegas. It's BravoCon," he said as the crowd erupted into boos.

Related: Vanderpump Rules' Tom Schwartz Says He'll Support Tom Sandoval 'Til Death Do Us Part' After Rumored Fallout

Vanderpump, 63, quickly chimed in and attempted to do crowd control, saying of the scandal that rocked the show: "I love them all individually, dearly. They have all screwed up at some point — maybe not to this extent. I’ve seen them grow up, and I think the magic of this show is they’ve had these intense relationships with each since way before the show started — and also with me. So I can’t judge them on one episode."

"This season was extraordinarily difficult for Tom and Ariana … but for me as a maternal figure and a matriarch and a mentor to them … [I] try to facilitate some cohesion," she added. "This is Vanderpump Rules. It’s not Little House on the Prairie."

When asked what filming season 11 was like, Madix offered her perspective, telling moderator Karamo Brown: "It was weird, it was difficult, and I’m glad it’s behind me."

"I knew it was gonna be difficult, I knew it was gonna be weird," she later added. "I knew I was gonna have some very strong and ultimately negative feelings but I think if anything, the last year has shown me I can do hard things and it was hard but we did it."

Later, during the fan Q&A, Sandoval was asked if he has any regrets about the way things unfolded with Madix. He owned his missteps, saying, "Yes, of course, I would have done things differently. I can't change what happened."

Related: Tom Sandoval and James Kennedy Get in a Shirtless Pushup Contest at BravoCon — Find Out Who Won!

Madix was also asked if she ever received a genuine apology from her ex, to which she claimed, "No, any apology was rescinded after what was said, so no."

Sandoval continued to get booed by the crowd, which prompted Davies to stand up for him at one point and insist they are "friends." Kent also stood up for him, explaining, "In a weird, weird way, I don't know if it's respect, but with everyone really hating on Tom, he still went out, he still performed shows, he's sitting in front of y'all getting booed. If I were in his position, I’d tell y'all to go f--- off."

When asked why he chose to appear at BravoCon and take the heat instead of skipping out, Sandoval insisted: "I’d rather stand here and face it."

For more of PEOPLE's BravoCon coverage, click here. 

Ahead of filming season 11, the Single AF Cocktails author told The New York Times in May that she refused to engage with Sandoval on camera.

"I have nothing to say to either of them," Madix said of Sandoval and Leviss, 29. "Our show is very real and follows a real group of friends, and neither of them are in the group of friends, so, good luck."

As for Sandoval, he opened up to PEOPLE in September about how long he thinks the public will hate him for his tryst with Leviss.

“I would say that it's probably going to get worse before it gets better and don’t think for a second, ‘Oh, give it a week, give it a couple weeks, whatever,’” Sandoval said at the time. “No, this stuff stays with you for a while. I'm in this for the long haul. I know it.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Vanderpump Rules can be streamed on Peacock.

BravoCon 2023 is continuing through Sunday, Nov. 5 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.