Over the weekend, former Vanderpump Rules star (and middling DJ) James Kennedy was forced to do one the many things he’s not so talented at: apologize. Why? Because he posted a selfie with than Andrew Tate and his less-known-but-still-terrible brother, Tristan Tate, the ultra-viral, ultra-misogynist influencers who currently face charges of human trafficking, sexual violence (including against minors), and organized crime.
On Friday night, Kennedy took a photo with two of the loudest voices in the “manosphere” while partying at LIV in Las Vegas. “That’s a bitcoin…,” he captioned the selfie which was posted to his Instagram story.
Less than 24 hours later (and, I imagine, following a lot of backlash from the Bravo girls, gays, and theys), Kennedy issued an apology: “I regret posting a photo with the Tate brothers at an event last night. I was unfamiliar with their content and the allegations against them. I only knew them as podcasters [who] had posted a viral clip about Vanderpump.”
“I have since educated myself and condemn their beliefs,” he added. “I am sorry to all that I offended.”
First of all, Kennedy either lives under a rock or thinks very little of his audience’s intelligence. Further, even if it’s true that he only knew of the Tates as “podcasters”…why are you so thirsty to pose with them, dude??
The pair have developed an alarmingly significant platform in the past few years, beginning roughly around when Andrew tweeted that women deserve to “bear responsibility for being sexually assaulted” in 2017. The brothers’ popularity then surged among the terminally online far-right. Both Tates had been held in Romania, where they’ve lived for years, due to their various serious criminal charges, until last month, when they returned to the U.S. There is wide speculation that President Donald Trump was behind their return. I don’t believe that Kennedy missed those headlines—he’s recently out of a job, after all, what else is he doing all day if not mindlessly scrolling?
It’s been a rocky few months for Kennedy. He was arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence in December, following police receiving “a call about an argument between him and a woman,” as TMZ reported. Ultimately, no criminal charges were pursued, but his girlfriend and former co-star Ally Lewber confirmed in a statement posted that they had since broken up.
Seeings as I don’t believe for one second that he didn’t know the Tates’ whole deal, perhaps following the allegations against him, he’s feeling some kinship with them?
- “Others would not have survived this brutal winter,” Karla Sofía Gascón said of being held accountable for her racist, hateful tweets. [The Hollywood Reporter]
- Paul Feig on speculation of bad blood between Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick: “Um…you’re wrong.” [People]
- Date night! Meryl Streep and Martin Short were spotted at a Saturday Night Live taping. [Page Six]
- Date night part 2: Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner watched tennis. [Just Jared]
- Matthew McConaughey thinks his season of True Detective was “one of the great events of TV.” And you know what? He’s right! [Variety]
- Rihanna gave birth (not recently!) in sunglasses and pearls. [E! News]
- The unthinkable happened: George Clooney dyed his grays. [Daily Mail]
- Tamra Judge is apparently quitting the Real Housewives of Orange County. [Us Magazine]
GET JEZEBEL RIGHT IN YOUR INBOX
Still here. Still without airbrushing. Still with teeth.
