James Kennedy Defends Ariana Madix Against Lala Kent: “She’s Forever Grateful”

James Kennedy is weighing in on Lala Kent's comments about Ariana Madix on the Vanderpump Rules finale. 

During the Vanderpump Rules After Show on Tuesday, May 7, Lala discusses something she said during Season 11, Episode 15 of Vanderpump Rules that's been teased all season. Specifically, that she's "never experienced someone [like Ariana] who gets cheated on and suddenly she becomes God." 

After a producer asks what she meant by her statement during the After Show, Lala doubles down. "I've never seen someone go from, like, the entire world being so indifferent to this person," she says. "It was like no one ever spoke about her and now what she says f-cking goes." 

James, however, notes that this is such a "Lala thing to say."

"I've seen someone that's very, like, 'Make the best out of a shitty situation that happened,'" he says in Ariana's favor. "She's forever grateful. She's been working her f-cking ass off."

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James adds that Ariana is doing the work when it comes to new opportunities that have come her way since her dramatic split from Tom Sandoval. "She's not half-assing anything," James says, joking that "you better get a little cocky" after finding yourself in that situation.

Ariana Madix reacts to Lala Kent's Vanderpump Rules finale comments about her

Ariana agrees. "I've worked hard to be able to be decent at the types of things I'm being asked to do. [I've taken] acting classes. I have a degree in theater," she says. "At any point in time, regardless of whether or not what happened happened, if those types of jobs came my way, those are the types of jobs that I was preparing for."

"It's just kind of like [Lala is saying], 'How dare she feel good about herself,'" Ariana continues. "Or like, 'How dare she find work and success on her own."

Ariana Madix appears on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen Season 21 Episode 76. Photo: Charles Sykes/Bravo

Scheana Shay reacts to Lala Kent's comments on Ariana Madix

Scheana Shay also chimed in on the drama. 

"I don't think [what Lala said] was resentful and I don't think it was jealousy at all," she says in the After Show clip. "Lala is very f-cking successsful. She's a badass and she has built an empire since she left a bad situation. She should be very proud of everything she's created for herself. I think Lala was at her breaking point at that moment."

Besides the fact that she was going through a lot on her own, Scheana thinks Lala probably wishes she got "more love from fans than hate" after her own breakup.

"It was just like, 'Wow, that would have been really nice if if I had that,'" Scheana explains. "You know, we've all felt that way in this group. You can still be happy for that person but be like, 'Damn, you know, it would have been nice if I got a little bit of that love, too.'"