Lisa Vanderpump on Why She No Longer Supports James, RHOBH

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Lisa Vanderpump is dishing on the Vanderpump Rules reboot and telling all about her current relationships with the series’ original cast.

As she also looked back on her time on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, recalling an instance in which she attempted to quit and sharing what would make her return, Lisa, 64, offered a message to former castmate Teddi Mellencamp, 43, teased season two of Vanderpump Villa, and admitted she is no longer supporting James Kennedy, 33.

“It’s very rare that you see behind the scenes of a restaurant because no other restaurant is crazy enough to do that. When you get a lot of young, hot people, it always gets complicated,” Lisa said when asked about the Pump Rules reboot during an April 16 interview with Us Weekly.

According to Lisa, she felt that the series was a “sinking ship” before opting for a full recast at the end of last year, ahead of season 12.

“It didn’t make sense anymore. I’d always said I would rather quit when we’re on top,” she reasoned.

Still, she has found memories of the OGs of Pump Rules, and cited Kristen Doute, 42, when asked about her all-time favorite moment from the show.

“What made me laugh the hardest was when we fired Kristen [from SUR] and the chefs in the kitchen were jumping up and down, like, ‘She’s gone!’” she shared, adding, “You can’t write that stuff.”

While Lisa admitted to being relieved at Kristen’s departure from SUR, she didn’t have any reservations about having her join The Valley.

“I can’t let my good sense interfere with my choice as a producer. I never really got along with her. She always made things complicated, even as a waitress. But if she’s part of a group, it’s about the authentic story. You don’t always have to like somebody to enjoy them,” she noted.

Lisa is also not in a good place with Jax Taylor, 45, confirming they are “not close,” but stating that she did hope he would have “the strength” to stay sober after coming clean about his cocaine addiction.

“He shot himself in the foot when he left. He was like, ‘This is my show.’ And I was like, ‘No. This is my show. Bye,’” Lisa recalled, also sharing that she “knew” Stassi Schroeder, 36, and other cast members snuck drinks at SUR, as Jax revealed in a recent interview.

“I found a stack of bottles in the bathroom,” she explained. 

On the heels of Scheana Shay, 39, suggesting that Lisa only calls her when she needs something, Lisa confessed she “can’t talk to [the Pump Rules OGs] all the time” but clarified that she is “always there” if she’s needed.

Continuing on about the OGs, Lisa said, “I talk to [Tom Schwartz] quite a lot, [Lala Kent] occasionally. She always says, ‘I love you. My mother gave birth to Lauren, but you gave birth to Lala.’ I love all of them.”

Also speaking of Lala, 34, Lisa said she stopped her and Stassi from quitting Pump Rules years ago.

“I stopped [Lala] in her tracks: ‘You come back here. You do not run. You are not a victim,’” she declared. 

“I saw [Tom] Sandoval go through a hard time, so I tried to bolster him up even though he was a thousand percent wrong. I saw [Ariana Madix] having bouts of depression. I was very worried she would flounder with Scandoval, but she didn’t. She came right back, and I couldn’t be happier for her. I always say, ‘Don’t get mad, get even — and then some,’” Lisa continued.

As for James, Lisa said that after years of “patience,” she no longer supports him.

“I was so happy to see him with [Ally Lewber] and doing so well. I know it’s a disease, but at some point, you’ve got to say, ‘I cannot support this anymore’ with some people when they keep making the same mistakes,” she reasoned, signaling his December 2024 domestic violence arrest, which was reportedly prompted by an alcohol relapse.

Moving on to RHOBH, Lisa reflected on a time she nearly quit.

“I said, ‘It’s done, I’m leaving’ … I had a convertible, and the producers jumped in! I drove home and said, ‘OK, you! Out of the car!’ And one climbed my security gates, ran down my driveway, chasing me. I went back,” she revealed. 

While Lisa described herself as an “open book,” she admittedly struggled to film after her brother, Mark Vanderpump, died by suicide in April 2018.

“Grief can be hard because you don’t want to make a depressing show,” she explained. “So that’s why I said to [Andy Cohen], ‘I shouldn’t do [Housewives]. I would cry if I opened the fridge’ … I made the decision then and there [after her falling out with Kyle Richards]. I don’t have it in me to be combative. I’m done.”

For years, Lisa has made it clear that returning to RHOBH isn’t an option. However, she admitted there was one thing that would bring her back to Us Weekly.

“That’s a hard no, unless it was a group of different women I really liked,” she revealed.

Then, when she was asked if she considered reaching out to Kyle, 56, or Dorit Kemsley, 48, after their separations, Lisa shared that she did “feel bad.”

“I imagine how painful that must be. I think I’d have to bump Ken off rather than divorce him. The door’s always open to [Paul ‘PK’ Kemsley] … [I] know he was upset by things Dorit’s said about him. To me, he’s always seemed like a nice man who loves his children.”

Lisa may not have anything to say to Kyle or Dorit but she did express sympathy toward Teddi, who announced her brain cancer diagnosis earlier this year.

“I could only ever wish somebody prayers, positive thinking because that’s so, so difficult. It’s devastating. Of course, utmost compassion for that situation,” she stated.

Ahead of the premiere of Vanderpump Villa season two, Lisa had all good things to say about her Hulu series.

“This season, everything came to fruition. It’s richer, funnier, sexier. It’s hard work, finding the right blend of personalities and organizing them, but it’s glorious,” she gushed. “Everybody fell in love… and out of it. That was the more complicated part.”

Admittedly, Lisa was a bit tougher on her castmates this time around.

“There were a couple who thought they came to Italy to be famous, and that didn’t work for me. Shape up or ship out,” she stated.

Along for the ride to Italy was Stassi, who was described as a “special VIP” of the episodes.

“I love having somebody to play with. I don’t want to be the boss all the time. It’s fun to have somebody to banter with,” Lisa said of reuniting with Stassi for the cameras.

As for the addition of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast, including Demi Engemann, Jennifer Affleck, Jessi Ngatikaura, Layla Taylor, and Mikayla Matthews, Lisa said they “brought the right energy.”

“They were absolutely up for fun. And we had a couple of people who wanted to have fun with them,” she added.

Vanderpump Villa season two premieres on April 24 on Hulu.