The Truth About Billie Lee And Lala Kent's Relationship
Historically speaking, the best way to nab a spot as a cast member on Vanderpump Rules (and maximize screen time) was to date another cast member. Other than the swarm of new additions on the most recent season, which didn't work out for all of them, the only new cast members that made an impression were Lala Kent, James Kennedy, and Billie Lee. Lala and James hit it off right away before their relationship encountered some drama.
The same can be said for Lala and Billie. Billie is no longer on the show, but when she was, she was immediately embraced and supported by Lala. In January 2018, Glamour reported Billie described Lala as "the only one I can, like, kick it with after work." Lala shared similar sentiments, saying, "I love and adore Billie. She's genuine. She's open about who she is. She just embodies everything a human being should embody." Sadly, the praise between the two former SUR hostesses didn't last for very long.
In December 2018, Lala dished on the disconnect between Billie and some of her co-stars in a Slice interview, explaining, "I just think she went about it the wrong way. There's a lot of things that could go wrong in this group – I definitely experienced that other side where you try to come in and be ballsy as f**k, and it doesn't work out the way you want it to." And unfortunately for Billie, she had a pretty rocky time on Vanderpump Rules.
Lala Kent and Billie Lee had some epic arguments
Tensions were high between Lala Kent and Billie Lee throughout Vanderpump Rules Season 7. Lala and Billie got into a screaming match at Scheana Shay's party. Billie told Lala that she's "not better than" her and mentioned Lala's "rich boyfriend," Randall Emmett, her now-fiancé, which is a known trigger for Lala.
Reflecting on that fight in January 2019, Lala told The Daily Dish, "I think she likes to stir the pot; I think she's looking for her five minutes and I gave that to her, so she's welcome, you know." She even said, "I think she's an extra on our show and she shows up and does a great job as such." But, at least she described Billie's style as "chic."
During a March 2019 episode, Lala and Billie got into another screaming match when Billie defended James Kennedy. That month, Billie told Us Weekly, "There's so many children out there that are being bullied by people like her." Billie explained, "She's very powerful, and when someone's powerful and they're mean, it really hurts."
In regard to Lala's behavior during their spats, Billie remarked, "I've heard things that, like... she's not sorry for any of it and she would do it over and over again," which Lala confirmed in an April 2019 WWHL appearance (via TooFab). Lala said, "The only thing I regret is saying the 'boring' comment. Other than that, I stand by the way I acted and reacted, baby."
Billie Lee supported Lala Kent's journey with sobriety
Amidst her feud with Lala Kent, Billie Lee told Us Weekly in March 2019, "I know she's going through her own battle," in reference to Lala's admitted struggle with alcoholism, which Lala went public with that month, according to People. Billie explained to Us Weekly, "I think a lot of us that work at SUR, we deal with addiction. It's all coming up to the surface right now and people are more likely to talk about it, and I think that's really cool. I know I have my own issues and my own addictions and I have a family history of addiction and abuse."
Billie added, "I know she's working on herself, and if she does apologize I could be open to that. I have love for her. I just am really hurt by her." She shared similar sentiments in a tweet, writing, "Let's all send love to Lala. Addiction is a very serious thing. On her journey to sobriety I hope she finds love/compassion for herself and others around her."
However, just a few minutes earlier, Billie slammed Kristen Doute for complimenting Lala, tweeting, "I'm officially dead. Is this real? Girl trying to keep her seat on that private jet. #fakeAF." That was a reference to Lala's man Randall Emmett, who's known to travel via private jet.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse and mental health, please contact SAMHSA's 24-hour National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Lala Kent helped Billie Lee cope with suicidal thoughts
Billie Lee and Lala Kent were back on speaking terms, according to a May 2019 TooFab interview. Billie shared, "I have a deep love for her. It's hard for us because we're very similar because we like to attack, but she's been through a lot, and I get it."
Billie also revealed, "I had some really dark times where I mentally had some issues where my mental health wasn't there, and it brought me back to suicidal thoughts from when I was 16." She admitted, "I felt like I was in high school all over again. It was a lot of triggers. Honestly, she was the one person that was really there for me." Billie credited Lala, as well as Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval, for being there. "I have a lot of love for her, and I think that we have a great relationship in the future," Billie said.
In August 2019, Billie told In Touch Weekly, "I wouldn't say that we are best friends and we hang out, but she was there for me when I hit rock bottom and reached out texting and making sure I was okay, and I really appreciated that." Since then, there haven't been any known incidents between the two women, so hopefully it's a case of "no news is good news."
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.