James Kennedy Quotes About His Sobriety from Vanderpump Rules

James Kennedy has stopped discussing his successes – and his failures – on the journey to stay sober.

Bravo viewers were introduced to Kennedy when he joined Vanderpump Rules in 2015. After starting out as a busser at Lisa Vanderpump’s restaurant SUR, Kennedy quickly got wrapped up in plenty of drama on the screen.

Kennedy was often out with his costars – of troubled relationship with Kristen Doute to contend with Jax Taylor and questionable comments about numerous costars — and his relationship with alcohol didn’t help. After Vanderpump fired Kennedy several times, she made an effort to address his substance abuse issues.

In July 2020, Kennedy announced that he was celebrating a year of sobriety. The professional DJ later admitted that he was “California sober” because marijuana helped him stop using alcohol.

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“It helped me quit alcohol for good, you know what I mean? I will stop complaining too when the time comes,” he said on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in October 2021. “I don’t feel like I should quit right now, you know? There’s no point.”

Kennedy added: “It doesn’t hurt me. It doesn’t, like, affect my life in a negative way. So why give up?”

After it high profile division of Rachel “Raquel” LevissKennedy confirmed that he had started drinking again, saying on a February 2023 episode Vanderpump Rules“I learned a lot from not drinking those two years.”

Kennedy considered cutting out alcohol after meeting a new girlfriend Ally Lewber. Before season 11 of Vanderpump Rules began airing in January 2024, Lewber said in an interview with Bravo that Kennedy “has changed the most” over the years.

“Iago, he’s in therapy, he’s sober, I’m very proud of him,” he gushed the same month.

Kennedy addressed his sobriety in December 2024 days after being arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence. “I am committed to making meaningful changes in my life,” she wrote via Instagram Story. “I’m taking time to focus on my sobriety, personal growth, and being present for my loved ones.”

Charges against Kennedy were dropped a month later and the same month Lewber confirmed their split.

“I’m happy that prosecutors decided not to file against James, as I never wanted criminal charges,” Lewber wrote via her Instagram Story, explaining that even though she and Kennedy got into an “argument” at his home in December 2024 that she was “not physically hurt.”

She added: “We are no longer together, but I will always support James and wish him the best with his sobriety and recovery.”

Keep reading to see Kennedy’s candid quotes about sobriety:

Stop Drinking

Kennedy said only Us Weekly for the benefits of getting sobersharing in August 2019, “I’m 10 weeks (sober) this Friday. It has been very good. Everything is beautiful. I’ve been focusing on my sobriety and it’s been going really well. … My music has been so good lately. I haven’t been procrastinating on s—t.”

Make a Change

“Hey, everyone wanted to let you know that I reached my one year sober today. Quitting drinking was the best decision I ever made and I’m going strong. I don’t miss the drink …… I don’t miss the feeling …. I am so grateful for everything now and life has become more beautiful in many ways,” Kennedy said in an Instagram post in July 2020. “Thank you to my rock @raquelleviss for having me here I couldn’t do this without you. love.♥️ and thank you all for your support this past year.”

Proud of the Actions He Took

Before his two-year anniversary, Kennedy reflected on the lessons he learned while maintaining his sobriety.

“It’s gratitude. That’s the feeling of being so grateful for my sobriety. I wake up every day thanking God that I got him,” he said to sight360 A! News in May 2021. “My life has just gotten a lot better since I stopped drinking. I’m never hungover, I can focus on my music so much more. My relationships and friendships excel. When I see these wonderful things happening before my eyes, why would I want to go back?”

Kennedy admitted he had to deal with it a feeling of “missing out,” adding, “I got over that, in the first six months I was still struggling with the whole, ‘Well, everyone else gets to go out and have fun but I don’t.’ When I got over that hump and realized I could have as much fun, if not more, than everyone else drinking.”

He finished: “It was like a light bulb went off in my head and it’s amazing. Like I walk into a room now with people drinking everywhere and I’m so f—king happy, I don’t know? I’m so grateful and I feel so good about it. I can still be the life of the party, I can still be my charismatic self and I still chat even more than most people do to drink, they drink nothing but to become more talkative. But I’ve never needed that and I didn’t really realize I didn’t need alcohol until I gave it up. So being able to maintain the sobriety, thankfully, has been the easiest part of it.”

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Seeking California Sobriety

According to Kennedy, being “California sober” meant he still smoked marijuana daily and consumed edibles

“It’s wild and it’s a blessing. I thank God every day for my sobriety, to be honest,” he continued WWHL in October 2021. “Cutting out alcohol was the best decision I ever made, thanks to (Raquel). … It’s f—king amazing. I wake up every morning never hungover, just ready for life. And I know that sounds cliche, but honestly it’s so good.”

Reflecting on His Decision

In December 2021, Kennedy and Leviss announced their split after five years of dating. Kennedy discussed his relationship with Leviss influence his life while filming season 9 reunion, which aired a month later.

“This is not a product for me to control my life, Tom. This is a product of the truth. The second said, ‘We are not soul mates.’ For me, that was the enlightenment of the king. I realized that we love each other but we are not in love with each other anymore. She has made her decision. Her parents have always hated me. It has never been easy,” he said Tom Sandoval. “Even the guy who stopped drinking and changed his whole f-king lifestyle for this relationship (wasn’t enough). It wasn’t enough. I still have these anger issues, and I’m never doing this again.”

Walk Pick It Back

“After two and a half years of not a single drop, I decided to drink again, have a couple of drinks. After Raquel left, I thought I was getting married, I was engaged, you know what I mean? After all I healed myself, obviously it wasn’t enough,” Kennedy during the season 10 premiere Vanderpump Ruleswhich aired in January 2023. “And to tell the truth, it was a new f-king year. It was 2022, you know, what am I doing? I’m f-king James Kennedy. Like, let me live.”

In a separate conversation with Leviss, Kennedy said he has become sober because of it, adding, “If I quit again, it will be for me next time and not an ultimatum in a relationship.”

Fresh Start

“I don’t drink. Only Red Bulls and Fiji water. I meditate every day. I don’t think I’ll ever drink again,” Kennedy revealed on the season 11 premiere, which aired in January 2023. “Ally definitely didn’t give me an ultimatum this time. This is my decision 100 percent. Technically I’m still California sober. It makes my day better.”

Make a Change

“Obviously, when the Tom and Raquel stuff happened, there were a lot of emotions flowing. Ally and I fought a lot. Especially when we get drunk,” Kennedy recalled on Vanderpump Rules in February 2024 about what led to his sobriety. “Then she went and stayed at her friend’s house for two nights. I came home and the cats were gone. I was so upset because it was empty and didn’t have the energy that was there before. I was willing to do anything in that moment to get her back.”

He added: “The last time I stopped drinking, it was for the relationship. I stopped drinking for two and a half years and then I decided, ‘Fk it.’ This time, I’m doing it for myself. Because I’m doing it for myself, it will improve my life, improve my relationship, improve my friends and improve my career. I’ve seen those benefits before and I definitely want to see them again.”

Focus on Himself

“Navigating challenging moments is not easy but I am determined to learn, grow and move forward with the amazing support system around me,” Kennedy wrote via Instagram.

Kennedy’s legal team released a statement on his behalf after news of his arrest made headlines.

“We are in the process of conducting our own investigation into the allegations brought against James by the Burbank Police Department,” his attorneys said in a statement to Us after he was released on $20,000 bail. “We understand there were no injuries and we hope that after a careful review, the city attorneys will decide not to file formal charges.”