Tom Schwartz knows it’s time to clear the air.

The Vanderpump Rules alum clapped back after a tabloid published a paparazzi photo of him in Los Angeles with the headline: “Tom Schwartz is unrecognizable as he shows up dejected at 43.”

“His trademark breezy exuberance seemed nowhere to be seen,” says the July 22 article, which also details how his and Tom SandovalThe Hollywood bar Schwartz & Sandy’s had closed, while the LA sandwich shop owned by Schwartz’s ex-wife had closed Katie Maloney “remain open.”

Well, Schwartz didn’t exactly raise a glass at the way he was portrayed. On July 23, he joked on his Instagram Story, “You sleep better with one eye open, @DailyMail,” alongside a screenshot of the story, alongside a sobbing emoji.

His girlfriend Kiana Carroll He also jumped to his defense, sharing a boomerang video of Schwartz at a pool with the caption: “It was a bad angle guys.”

And while Schwartz and the 43-year-old Sandoval’s friendship hit a rocky patch in the final days of “Schwartz & Sandy’s” — which were preceded by the infamous Scandoval cheating controversy and a complete overhaul of the VPR lineup — everything is underwater for the “Valley” star.