‘Pump Rules’: James Kennedy on Putting His ‘Fighting Boots On’ for Reunion (Exclusive)

“Extra” chatted with James Kennedy and Ally Lewber as they stepped out for the Vanderpump Dogs Gala 2023 in L.A. Thursday, just one day after the explosive “Vanderpump Rules” finale aired!

James spoke about watching the episode back and getting emotional, and also weighed in on how and if the friend group can move on. Plus, he reacted to the news that Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss have split and talked putting his “fighting boots on” for the upcoming three-part reunion!

Kennedy explained, “It’s always an experience watching an episode back, I think last night was the cherry on top to the whole season, the saddest cherry I have ever seen.”

“It was a lot… I had to watch it twice really to grasp it. You know when you watch a movie, there wasn’t tears flowing, but when you feel it, you feel it. I did feel it a few times during the episode for sure. I even got emotional in the episode.”

So what is the dynamic in the group now and how will they move on? “It’s definitely going to move along. We are a tight-knit group, all of us… even excluding Tom and Raquel, I still think we are a very tight group… I am definitely as tight as ever with Scheana [Shay], Ariana [Madix], Lala [Kent], so it's all good for me.”

James reacted to the reports that Tom and Raquel have broken up after their affair. Does he believe it? “I can’t spend too much time thinking about it. I am leaving it up to everybody else to decide, really.”

Thee three-part reunion begins airing next week, and clips show James going to bat for Ariana and fighting with Sandoval. “I was the only guy on that side of the room. I had to put my thinking cap on and my fighting boots on and get down.”

Saying he hasn’t met Ariana’s new beau just yet, James said, “I see the pictures and I see her smile ear to ear — that’s all that matters.”