Tom Schwartz Explains Why He Still Calls Katie Maloney "Bubba" and "Bub"

Katie Maloney and Tom Schwartz may be divorced, but as the Schwartz and Sandy's co-owner explained during the April 5 episode of Vanderpump Rules, he still sees Katie as his "bub."

And believe it or not, the "platonic bub" is a lot different than "bubba," the moniker he and Katie frequently used when they were still together. At least, that's what Tom told the restaurant hostess upon arriving to the dinner he and Katie scheduled while in Mexico for Scheana Shay's wedding.

"My ex-wife, we used to call each other Bubba. It's more Bub now, you know?" Tom explained after the hostess expressed confusion when he said "Bubba for two" as the name of his reservation. 

"I know Bubba has lost some of its meaning," he further elaborated in a confessional, "but I don't know, I still feel like we're both Bubbas."

If Katie felt the same way, the disastrous dinner may have changed her mind. She and Tom had gotten together in honor of their anniversary and to celebrate the fact that they had sold their house, but things took a turn for the worse once talk of Scheana's wedding — which Katie was not attending — came up. Before long, the two were rehashing the issues that led to their split. 

"I was a great f--king husband," Tom said, to which Katie replied, "Tom, when did I say, 'I need you to go and defend my honor,' and you're like, 'Got it.' When have you done that for me? Literally never."

The dinner eventually ended with a teary-eyed Katie storming off. In a confessional, a Vanderpump Rules producer then asked her if she was ever able to "unpack" and "analyze" why Tom "couldn't take [her] side," no matter the issue. Her response? "The only thing I could ever come up with is that he just didn't like me. He might have loved me, but he just didn't like me."

Watch Vanderpump Rules on Bravo Wednesdays at 9/8c and next day on Peacock. And catch up on all past seasons of Vanderpump Rules on Peacock.