James Kennedy and girlfriend Ally Lewber are fighting back against Rachel “Raquel” Leviss‘ suggestion that Lisa Vanderpump purposefully located and rehomed her dog Graham, who she previously shared with her ex-fiance, to James in an effort to create a storyline on Vanderpump Rules season 11.
After Raquel, 29, made the claims on her podcast, Rachel Goes Rogue, James, 31, and Ally, 27, fired back with Lisa, 63, as they also discussed their future plans to get engaged.
“It’s like, ‘Get over it,’” James told Entertainment Tonight at last week’s season 11 premiere party, calling Raquel’s comments about Graham, who has since been renamed Hippie, “bullsh*t.”
According to James, the accurate story will be featured in season 11, as will the cast’s reaction to the rehoming, which occurred after Raquel surrendered the animal to trainers at California Doodle Rescue as she entered a mental health facility last April.
James also revealed that Lisa didn’t simply adopt the dog to give to him and Ally, who were already considering adopting another animal, for fun. Instead, she did so to avoid the euthanasia Graham was facing.
“When you abandon your dog, you don’t get a say anymore. He’s happy, that’s all that matters,” added Ally.
As for Lisa, she too responded to Raquel’s story about the dog.
“If that’s the way she feels, betrayed, look, I have saved thousands and thousands of dogs. That’s something that I think I know a little better than her,” Lisa noted.
Although Lisa attempted to convince Raquel to return to Pump Rules for season 11, she ultimately opted out.
“I actually spoke to her. She reached out to me about something that transpired in the show, and I called her. I do think sometimes there’s a moment when you should walk away. It would have behooved her to come back and show some level of understanding and remorse,” Lisa explained.
Two years into their romance, James and Ally are looking to the future.
“It’s been an amazing year, you know,” he said at BravoCon in November, via The Daily Dish. “Obviously, I love Ally more than anything, and I see [marriage] in our future. But, again, we’re not rushing anything. It’s been an amazing year… I’m over the moon. I haven’t been this filled with joy in so long. I love our little family and our little house in Burbank, and everything is just sweet.”
Meanwhile, Ally expressed that she is on the same page in regard to their potential engagement.
“James bought a house this year. We’re now doggy parents, so yeah, things are going great,” she said. “I don’t think we’re in a huge rush for that. We’re really content with where we’re at… We’re good.”
James and Ally also spoke of their future at last week’s premiere event.
“We’re always talking about fun fantasies in the future, stuff like that,” James told The Messenger. “I want to do it up big and special for Ally and when we choose to do that… You know, I would marry her tonight! I’ll marry her tonight! But, like, what’s the rush? What’s the bloody rush?”
Ally added, “We talked about it, but honestly, he’s so busy. He has shows a lot. I’m busy starting my astrology business and doing readings, so we’re just really happy [right now].”
Vanderpump Rules season 11 premieres on Tuesday, January 30, at 8/7c on Bravo.