Trigger Warning: The following material discusses domestic violence, rape, and human trafficking
James Kennedy is not currently a fan favorite. At one point, it was exciting to see him as the group’s number-one guy after Scandoval. But he hasn’t been able to hold on to the title. Instead, he has let multiple errors in judgment dictate his future, and fans are exhausted trying to keep up. It is my humble opinion that James needs a break from reality TV to sort himself out.
What happened between James Kennedy and Ally Lewber?
James and Ally Lewber broke up just weeks after his arrest for domestic violence. The night in question occurred after they attended Kathy Hilton’s Christmas party together on December 10th. Sources shared that James was acting erratic. On January 22, James’s lawyer released a statement thanking the Burbank City Attorney’s Office for “conducting a thorough and professional review of the matter involving my client, James Kennedy.” For her part, Ally was always gracious when speaking about James, even during their separation.
The statement continued, “Their diligent investigation confirmed what we have maintained from the beginning – there were no grounds for any charges to be filed against Mr. Kennedy. James is grateful to have this matter behind him and is looking forward to continuing to focus on his sobriety and his DJ career.” Ally recently spoke out sharing that she now knows it “was a toxic relationship.” She and James have been over for months, and she is moving on to bigger things.
James Kennedy was almost canceled
For a few months, James stayed out of trouble. However, the DJ found himself in hot water after posting a photo with Andrew and Tristan Tate. Andrew who is a self-proclaimed misogynist and his brother fled Romania where they are facing human trafficking charges, rape, and charges of forming an organized group to sexually exploit women The two English-American brothers built their social media empire off of offensive statements about women. So it didn’t exactly sit well to see James smiling in between the two men.
After proudly posting the photo, James lost 1,734 followers in a single day. At the time, James deleted the photo, stating he was “unfamiliar with their content and the allegations against them. I only knew them as podcasters that had posted a viral clip about Vanderpump. I have since educated myself and condemn their beliefs, [and] am sorry to all that I offended.” However, Andrew, via, TMZ, stated that James “begged and kissed my *ss for 30 minutes straight and called me a hero. He knew EXACTLY who I was and what content I made.” Naturally, the hypocrisy hasn’t sat well with Vanderpump Rules viewers.
It’s good for James Kennedy to take a step back
James has always been a polarizing Bravoleb. In the early days of Vanderpump Rules, he spit on Kristen Doute’s door. The English DJ also fat-shamed Katie Maloney and cheated on his fiancée with Lala Kent. James drank way too much, often allowing his anger to get the better of him. He finally decided to become sober and celebrated being two years sober in May 2021. But he eventually pivoted to become California sober. And as of Season 11, he was filmed drinking Pumptinis again.
In January 2025, he recommitted to living a sober life. James took to his Instagram to share, “I am committed to making meaningful changes in my life. I am taking time to focus on my sobriety, personal growth, and being present for loved ones.” The reality TV star can’t afford to make any more mistakes. Personally, I’ve stopped following him on social media as many others have due to his associations and domestic violence arrest. To really better himself, he will need to take full accountability for his wrongdoings and probably never drink again. Thankfully, Vanderpump Rules is being recast, which means we won’t be seeing James’ distructive attitude on the small screen for a while.
Vanderpump Rules is available to stream on Peacock.
