A Vanderpump Rules fan was still furious that James Kennedy, 27, lost his DJ gig over his body-shaming comments about co-star Katie Maloney, 32. “She did get James fired running to Lisa like the fat disgusting cry baby she is,” the fan commented under one of Katie’s photos, which the Bravo star reposted to her Instagram Story on March 21. “I mean… I might have a mean streak in me. But I’m not evil like this person. GFY,” the SUR waitress wrote over the cruel comment, and then launched into how she’s been dealing with similar remarks for the past three years about her weight gain.
“Imagine finally finding the courage and strength to finally love yourself enough to stand up for yourself to then be ridiculed and torn down again,” Katie began in a lengthy message on her Instagram Story. “It took me 3 years. I was a very unhappy person. I took it out on everyone including myself. I was unlovable. I vowed to make changes. And I did. For the last 3 years I let MY BODY become a topic of conversation. I say ‘let’ because I didn’t have the courage or self love [to] argue it. FOR 3 YEARS.”
In a follow-up post, the reality show star continued, “I’m not perfect. I know who I am. But I’m not a weak b*tch. I am going to continue to grow and remind myself of my own strength. If that makes me a mean b*tch in your eyes then so f***ing be it! I’m remaining true.”
We saw Katie finally have the “courage” to stand up for herself when she approached her boss, Lisa Vanderpump, about James’ insensitive comments in the Dec. 23 episode of Vanderpump Rules. “I am not willing to work in a place where that is tolerated,” the waitress told LVP, which forced the head honcho to ultimately fire the restaurant’s longtime DJ (well, before she rehired him for special events). That same month, the Bravo show aired an episode during which James told Katie at SUR’s Pride event, “Those shorts aren’t working for you, babe. Lose some f***ing weight.”
Tom Schwartz’s wife also dealt with unwelcome comments about her body from another castmate, party planner Kevin Lee. He told her in a Feb. 2018 episode of the show, “What happened? You were much thinner than this. You gained a little bit of weight. You have to work on it. Seriously, I’m telling you as a friend. It’s out of control now. I can tell.” Katie has starred on Vanderpump Rules since its inaugural season in 2013, so she would’ve experienced natural body changes for a woman transitioning from her 20s and into her 30s.