Talk about awkward! Vanderpump Rules star James Kennedy was tasked with presenting the “Dynamic Cast Returning” award after four of his costars were fired for resurfaced racist behavior.
During the 7th annual Reality TV Awards on Wednesday, June 24, the 28-year-old DJ virtually helped give out the award. The Bravo series was among the selected nominees alongside Dance Moms, Floribama Shore, Gold Rush, Hell’s Kitchen, Jersey Shore: Family Vacation and Martha & Snoops Potluck Party Challenge.
“Now just a little reminder that last year at the Reality Television Awards we actually won. Vanderpump Rules won ‘Dynamic Cast Returning’ — and here is my award,” he said while holding up the trophy.
After listing this year’s contenders, he announced MTV’s Floribama Shore as the winner. “Congratulations, wow,” he said thereafter. “I’m actually shocked they won, but congratulations Floribama Shore. You got yourself one of these babies.”
Vanderpump Rules lost out on the big prize weeks after Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute, Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni were terminated from the series. A source confirmed to Us Weekly exclusively that remaining cast members were “shocked” by the firing news.
“There was still no word to the cast about the plans for starting up filming for next season,” the insider told Us at the time.
Schroeder, 32, and Doute, 37, in particular, were accused of reporting former costar Faith Stowers to the police in 2018 for a crime she didn’t commit. Meanwhile, Schroeder also came under fire when her resurfaced photo showed her labeling her outfit “Nazi chic.”
Out of the four axed stars, the fallout has seemingly impacted Schroeder the most. The Next Level Basic author was dropped by her agent at UTA and her publicist at Metro Public Relations, her “Straight Up With Stassi” podcast was pulled from all streaming platforms and her Witches of WeHo Wine was yanked from shelves. (Schroeder cofounded Witches of WeHo Wine with Doute and Katie Maloney.)
Schroeder “does feel like she has lost everything she worked so hard for,” a source told Us exclusively. “Professionally speaking, Vanderpump Rules and her podcast were her main priorities and she loved working on both.”
Us broke the news on June 13 that Schroeder is expecting her first child with fiancé Beau Clark. She revealed on Tuesday, June 23, that their bundle of joy is a girl.
