James Kennedy from Vanderpump Rules keeps sharing his ongoing journey toward sobriety and serves as a role model for fans who are trying to better their lives. On the show, the British busboy turned DJ earned a reputation for disrupting anything and everything while he was intoxicated. At the same time, fans grew fond of James due to his honesty and sarcastic humor.
James' first love interest on Vanderpump Rules was Kristin Doute. The relationship was volatile, and the unstable partners didn't last. James had a one-night stand with Lala Kent, who was charmed by the funny musician. However, she then friend-zoned James, and the two became close as platonic pals. They also developed a business relationship as musical artists. Lala also had the tendency to act out when she was drunk. In 2019, Lala and James both decided to go sober. However, Lala went all the way, whereas James took the Demi Lovato approach of "California Sober," which permits smoking marijuana.
"California Sober" seemed like a step in the right direction for James. He mellowed out, and as his former fiancee Raquel Leviss noted, his skills in the bedroom improved drastically. Smoking weed seemed like a decent enough alternative for James from VPR, who appeared more stable than ever. However, in Vanderpump Rules season 9, James realized that smoking every day wasn't the answer anymore. He also recognized that he wouldn't have complete control over his addictions as long as he felt powerless when it came to marijuana. As his father's friend said, "being sober is the new high." The sentiment stuck with James, who shared his decision to quit weed with Lisa Vanderpump and Ken Todd.
When Lisa asked how often James smoked, he admitted, "every day." The reflection on smoking was a part of James' efforts to correct his anger issues, which recently damaged his relationship with Lisa's son, Max Todd. James has crossed many milestones but marijuana seems like the last one to tackle. When she asked him when he started, he explained the concept of "wake and bakes." A flashback then showed James at the peak of his smoking, saying, "I ate four brownies earlier, and I smoked two joints before I got here," and "I am very stoned, and I feel like I'm in space right now." Lisa said, "weed was pretty innocuous," but not if James used it as a crutch. Lisa and Ken remarked that they were proud of James for taking the plunge to stop smoking. His abandonment of alcohol seemed like a step in the right direction.
James' willingness to be authentic with his struggles on camera is a blessing to many people who are watching. Few can call themselves James fans without having faced some hurdles of their own. At the same time, some fans found James just as obnoxious sober. If James can keep being vulnerable and keep challenging himself to grow, he will be sure to inspire Vanderpump Rules fans for years to come.
Vanderpump Rules airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo.