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Tom Sandoval Shares What He Really Thinks About James Kennedy Renaming His Dog in Honor of George Michael
Hear the Vanderpump Rules castmates react to James Kennedy's reunion with the dog he once shared with his ex and his moniker's connection to his godfather, George Michael.
James Kennedy gave Tom Schwartz, Tom Sandoval, Scheana Shay, Lala Kent, and Brock Davies the surprise of a lifetime when he revealed that he had reunited with his dog Hippie, formerly known as Graham, just before traveling to Lake Tahoe on Vanderpump Rules Season 11, Episode 5 with his girlfriend and Ally Lewber. Once on the trip, the couple's castmates even got to see the pup for themselves.
But considering that James once shared Hippie with his ex-girlfriend Rachel Leviss, there were naturally some mixed feelings amongst the group — namely, for Sandoval. Now, he's sharing his honest thoughts on the matter on the Vanderpump Rules After Show.
To see what Sandoval had to say about James' rebranding of Hippie, as well as what led James to make that decision in the first place, keep scrolling.
Here's What You May Have Missed on Bravo:
James Kennedy Reflects on His Emotional, "Out-of-Body Experience" Reunion with His Dog
Tom Sandoval Tears Up Over *This* Emotional Moment During Tahoe Trip As One He "Didn't See Coming"
James Kennedy Reveals if He Would Ever Become Friends with Tom Sandoval Again
Tom Sandoval's Reaction to James Kennedy Reuniting with the Dog He Used to Share with Rachel Leviss
As Sandoval shared on the Vanderpump Rules After Show, his first thought upon seeing Hippie in Lake Tahoe was, "Oh sh-t, I got to talk to Rachel immediately. This is really bad.'"
Sandoval didn't reveal whether or not they ended up having said conversation, but he did go on to subtly acknowledge the dog's name change after Schwartz said he's "a fan of the rebrand."
"I like the new energy. Same heart and soul, but just..." Schwartz added before winking.
Sandoval's response? "Yeah, sure."
How George Michael, James Kennedy's Godfather, Inspired Hippie's Rebrand
James shared on Vanderpump Rules that his pup's new name "is an homage to my late godfather George Michael's dog, Hippie. That is the dog that I would see growing up."
On the Vanderpump Rules After Show, he elaborated on his decision to change the dog's name in the first place. "Let's be honest, he was never a f-cking Graham Cracker, was he?" James said. "He's Hippie."
Lala agreed, chiming in to note, "Can I tell you something? I always thought that was the f-cking stupidest name."
How James Kennedy Reunited with His Dog
Lisa Vanderpump helped facilitate the reunion at Vanderpump Dogs on Vanderpump Rules Season 11, Episode 4. "I got a call from someone that says, 'This dog has been in a foster home for two months and has bitten a couple of times, I'm dropping him off at the shelter,'" Lisa told James of how she came to discover the pup. "So, somebody said to us, would we take him?"
The rest, as they say, was history. Hippie has been living with James and Ally for a while now, and the couple told BravoTV.com at the Vanderpump Rules Season 11 premiere screening and cocktail party in January that he's "doing so good."
"[He's] such a good boy, so well-behaved," James said. "He's put on a couple of pounds — healthy pounds — and he's just, like the best. He's really my best friend."
Ally is equally thrilled to have Hippie in her life. As James put it, "We're reminded of that every single morning when we wake up and we see him. And we're just so happy that he's back in my life and our lives."
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