File photo: James Kennedy (Picture credit: AP)
James Kennedy, a former star of Bravo's Vanderpump Rules, was arrested on Tuesday night in Burbank, California, on charges of misdemeanour domestic violence, reported TMZ.
The incident occurred at a private residence where Kennedy and an unnamed woman were reportedly involved in an argument.
The
Burbank Police Department
confirmed that officers were dispatched to the residence at approximately 11.30 pm (local time) after receiving a call about the altercation. A witness allegedly saw Kennedy getting physical with the woman, though law enforcement noted no visible injuries.
After investigating, the authorities deemed the incident domestic in nature and arrested Kennedy.
The DJ was booked and later released on $20,000 bail. The Burbank City Attorney’s Office is currently reviewing the case for possible charges, as per police sources quoted by TMZ.
It is not yet clear who the unnamed woman was but Kennedy and his girlfriend, Ally Lewber, had attended Kathy Hilton’s holiday party earlier that evening.
According to a source cited by People, the couple appeared distant throughout the event, and Kennedy reportedly exhibited erratic behaviour. Witnesses at the party claimed he seemed inebriated, acted aggressively, and was "running back and forth to the bar."
Lewber was seen alone at a public event the following day, smiling for cameras and participating in activities, such as getting a temporary tattoo, hinting at her apparent composure after the incident.
Kristen Doute, Kennedy’s former girlfriend and Vanderpump Rules co-star, responded to the news by sharing a screenshot of the TMZ article on her Instagram Stories, captioning it “Finally.”
Doute has previously implied abusive behaviour from Kennedy in her 2020 book, ‘He’s Making You Crazy’, though she did not explicitly name him.
Kennedy, known for his turbulent personal life and struggles with alcohol, documented his sobriety journey on ‘Vanderpump Rules’. In 2021, he celebrated two years of sobriety but later revealed he was “California sober,” consuming marijuana while abstaining from alcohol.
Kennedy’s arrest comes at a time of transition for Vanderpump Rules, which recently announced a complete cast reboot for its upcoming 12th season.
While Kennedy is no longer part of the series, his association with the show and its controversies, such as the "Scandoval" cheating scandal, has kept him in the public eye.