NEWSVanderpump Rules' James Kennedy Was 'Barking Orders' at Friend Hours Before His Shocking Domestic Violence Arrest, Nick Viall Claims
James Kennedy was 'barking orders' at a friend hours before his domestic violence arrest, Nick Viall claimed.
James Kennedy’s temper was front and center hours before his shocking arrest.
The Vanderpump Rules star was spotted losing his cool at DIRECTV’s Christmas at Kathy’s party on December 10, according to Nick Viall, who attended the event with his wife, Natalie Joy.
Nick Viall attended DIRECTV’s Christmas at Kathy’s party with his wife.
"I'm the only one who saw this. Natalie didn't even see this. Natalie was immersed in a conversation with the other person we were talking to," Viall recalled on his podcast, “The Viall Files,” on December 12. "James walks by, and then James turns around and he says to his friend — I forgot his friend's name. Let's say his friend's name is Sam. And [James] goes, 'Sam! Hold this! Now.' ... And his friend just grabbed the drink and James kept walking and I was like ... That was insane."
"I was like, 10 minutes earlier I met this guy who he introduced as his best friend and then 10 minutes later he was barking orders," he added.
According to a source, Kennedy was released on $20,000 bail.
An insider backed up Viall’s account, describing Kennedy as “super aggressive” during the party.
"He was acting so erratic, running back and forth to the bar and body-checking people along the way,” the source told People. “He appeared inebriated. Spent the evening mostly alone but when he did speak to people, he appeared irritated and rude."
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James Kennedy and his girlfriend, Ally Lewber, are living together.
Just hours after the bash, the DJ was arrested at his Los Angeles home.
“On December 10, 2024, at about 11:30 pm, Burbank Police were dispatched to a residence regarding an argument between a man and a woman,” a spokesperson for the Burbank Police Department confirmed.
“The investigation determined it was a domestic incident, leading to [Kennedy’s] arrest,” they said in another statement. “[He] was booked for misdemeanor domestic violence and later posted bail. Formal charges are pending review by the Burbank City Attorney’s office.”
Ally Lewber was seen outside the house following her boyfriend's arrest.
It’s unclear if Kennedy’s girlfriend, Ally Lewber, who was also at the party, was involved, but TMZ reported that a witness saw the DJ get physical with an unidentified woman. However, officers on the scene did not observe any injuries.
Later on, he was released on $20,000 bail.
Kennedy, a Vanderpump Rules regular since 2015, has had his fair share of issues over the years. From feuding with castmates such as Jax Taylor to being fired multiple times by Lisa Vanderpump, his tumultuous personal life has often overshadowed his career as a DJ.
In recent years, Kennedy celebrated milestones in his sobriety journey, marking one year alcohol-free in 2020.
However, he admitted to relapsing after his split from Rachel “Raquel” Leviss. “I learned a lot from not drinking those two years," he said on the show.
His arrest came months after Lewber, whom Kennedy started dating after his breakup with Leviss, revealed that he had finally let go of his bad habits.
“James, he’s in therapy, he’s sober — I’m really proud of him,” Lewber shared in January.
