There’s a New Development in the Drama with Lala Kent and Her Ex-Assistant Jessica

Lala Kent's former assistant, Jessica Walter, is sharing some insight into why she no longer works for the Vanderpump Rules alum. 

ICYMI, after working for the mom of two for several years as her assistant and as a contributor to Lala's podcast Give Them Lala, Jess left her position in November 2024.

Jessica then released the first episode of her solo podcast, The Date My, on January 7, and she shared new details about her decision to take on other professional opportunities. 

"I want to address who I think are a majority of the people tuning in right now, who I’m very grateful for. And those are my loves. Those are my friends who know me from the last podcast I was on," she began. "I want to take this moment to address you guys because I seemingly disappeared off that last podcast."

Jessica went on to claim that her exit from the podcast happened "suddenly," and she was planning on being a "lifer" employee for Lala. 

"I was not at all expecting to leave. That wasn't the plan. If I'm being honest, I thought I'd be at that last job for forever," she continued. "I was ready to be a lifer, maybe not in the role that I was in, but at the company I was in. I invested everything I had professionally in that last job, and a lot personally."

Jessica added that she felt like she was "investing in a future that [she] thought we were all on the same page about." 

"Basically, what happened is I said how I felt about the way some things were being handled, and the response I got to that was, in my opinion, not good," she said, though she did not elaborate more on the nature of the conversation. "The responses I got, honestly, I was taken aback."

Reflecting on her experience with Lala, Jessica concluded, "I think sometimes we invest all of ourselves into a relationship and we give it our all. And at the end of the day, maybe we don’t get in return what we feel we deserve. What we feel we deserve can be as small as you don’t have my back. And it can be confusing for people who are like me and frustrating because all these times I’ve made you feel safe and I’ve had your back, and in these moments where I should feel the same, I don’t.”

Lala Kent responds to Jessica Walter's podcast comments

On the same day that Jessica's podcast episode dropped, Lala did an Amazon Live stream and addressed what was said. 

"I did not know that she dropped a podcast and no I have not listened," Lala responded to a fan who asked about the episode. "I don’t know how she is describing me. She and I both know how it went down and I will always have so much love for her."

"She was a huge part of my life and we did become very close," she continued during her livestream. "But at the end of the day, she was my employee first and foremost. She felt she no longer got what she needed out of this job. I encourage anyone who feels a piece of their life doesn’t work or they aren’t fulfilled anymore to make a change. We all have that right and it sounds like her podcast came out and I wish her all the success."

Lala also addressed Jessica's exit on the December 31 episode of the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast. 

"You know what? At the end of the day, she was my employee. She wanted to go and move on with her life, and I would be a crazy person to not say, 'Go on and achieve everything you want to achieve.,'" Lala explained on the podcast. "And people are wanting an explanation, and I don't know how to break this down... Go, be free. Fly."

When asked if she would want Jessica to publicly clarify that she left the position, Lala said, "No."

"At the end of the day, she was employed by Lala Kent. You're no longer employed. I wish you the best. Have a great life," she explained.

Stream Vanderpump Rules on Peacock now.