Ashlee Simpson-Ross told viewers on Watch What Happens Live that she is friends with Vanderpump Rules alum Scheana Shay, surprising host Andy Cohen and revealing a new Bravo-era connection.
Simpson-Ross made the disclosure during the Tuesday, Sept. 9, episode of the late-night Bravo series, saying the two are "mom friends" because their children attend the same preschool. The revelation prompted an audible reaction from host Andy Cohen, who replied, "You are? What?!"
Simpson-Ross, who is married to actor Evan Ross, said the friendship stems from their roles as parents. She has three children — Bronx Mowgli, 16, with ex-husband Pete Wentz; Jagger Snow, 10; and Ziggy Blu, 4, with Ross — while Shay and her husband, Brock Davies, have a daughter, Summer Moon, who is 4.
Evan Ross, seated in the audience, said he had known Shay even longer than his wife, prompting Cohen to joke, "Tell me you dated Scheana without telling me you dated Scheana." Ross denied dating Shay, saying he remembered her "doing music or something back then."
The conversation expanded beyond Shay. Simpson-Ross said the couple are also close with Danny and Nia Booko, who appear on Bravo’s The Valley. "Evan grew up with Danny," Simpson-Ross said, and Ross added that he took acting class with Danny when he was 15. The couple said they have been close with the Bookos for more than a decade, since Simpson-Ross began dating Ross.
Simpson-Ross acknowledged she was not fully up to date on developments in The Valley but said she had heard that the second season became particularly eventful. Ross described those reports as "on-brand" for their friends.
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen airs Sunday through Thursday at 10 p.m. ET on Bravo; new episodes are available to stream the next day on Peacock. Simpson-Ross’s comments add another link between the music-and-acting family and Bravo personalities, joining previous intersections between celebrity parenting circles and reality television casts.
The exchange highlighted the informal social networks that often connect reality stars with entertainers outside the franchise. It also underscored how common preschool and parenting circles can be a source of friendships that bridge different sectors of the entertainment industry, from scripted acting and music to reality television.
The Sept. 9 episode continued the series’ pattern of combining celebrity guests with conversations about pop-culture relationships and behind-the-scenes connections among Bravo talent and their acquaintances.