Lala Kent‘s former assistant and podcast co-host Jessica Walter is breaking her silence on why she “suddenly disappeared” from Give Them Lala, nearly two months after the Vanderpump Rules star announced that Jess was no longer working for her.
As The Ashley previously told you, Lala revealed the shocking news about Jess’s departure on a November episode of her Give Them Lala podcast, during which Lala and her brother, Easton Burningham– who is also a co-host on the podcast– spoke highly of the assistant-turned-podcast co-host, while offering no explanation to listeners for Jess’s abrupt exit.
This week, Jess launched The Date My podcast and used the first episode of her new venture to address the fact that she “seemingly disappeared off that last podcast.”
“ … When I was off of that podcast so suddenly, you guys were so supportive and so kind in reaching out to me,” she told listeners. “And, you know, I miss you guys and with those connections I made, I think at the very least, you deserve what I can give you as an explanation for why I was suddenly gone.”
Jess went on to reveal that she thought she’d be “at that last job forever,” admitting she was “ready to be a lifer,” if not in the position she was working in at the time, at least within the company.
“I invested everything I had professionally in that last job and a lot personally,” she explained. “I was investing in a future that I thought we were all on the same page about … .
Jessica then detailed Lala’s unexpected reaction to having Jessica speak up about something.
“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 continued. “ … Honestly, I was taken aback. I was heartbroken at those responses. So, I sort of found myself in a position where I felt like I had no other option than to choose to leave.”
Jess went on to note that, in some cases, people invest all of themselves into a relationship, but ultimately “don’t get in return what we feel we deserve,” suggesting this was the case with Lala.
” … 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 it’s like, all these times I’ve made you feel safe and I’ve had your back and I, in these moments where I should feel the same, I don’t,” she said. “And it’s tough and, like I said, in many relationships, that happens. And I think just overall in general, you can invest a lot in a relationship and at the end of the day, it’s just not enough. And sometimes that’s the answer. Like, it’s just not enough.”
Despite the way her employment with Lala ended, Jess said she’s grateful for the experience and the opportunities it gave her, though she also gave herself credit for opening some of those doors.
“That doesn’t go away,” she said. “That’s not all nothing because of how it ended and I’m so grateful for that. And I worked hard to be in a lot of those positions and I won’t take that away from myself, because I am a hard worker and I will always be a hard worker.
“That is very important,” she continued. “But I’m very grateful for all of that.”
During a recent interview on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, Lala was asked about Jess’ departure from the podcast, with host Amanda Hirsch noting that some fans had been “freaking out about it for some reason.”
“It’s so wild because it’s like, where were you when [Jess] was on the pod? Nowhere to be found,” Lala said of those “freaking out” about Jess no longer being a Give Them Lala co-host. “All I heard about was get her off [the podcast] … .”
As you may remember, shortly after Lala revealed in November that Jess was no longer working for her, fans of Give Them Lala began taking to social media to express their shock over Jessica’s exit, as well as the way it was announced by Lala and Easton, largely due to how close Jess appeared to be to Lala and her family.
Last week, however, Lala seemingly downplayed her friendship with Jess– who, as you may remember, was in the room when Lala delivered her second daughter in September– by referring to Jess only as her “employee.”
“People, like, at the end of the day, she was my employee,” Lala said. “She wanted to go and move on with her life and I would be a crazy person to not say, ‘Go and achieve everything you want to achieve.’ And people are wanting an explanation. I’m like, I don’t know how to break this down.”
Lala maintained that it was Jess’s choice to leave the podcast, while acknowledging that some people have blamed her for Jess’s sudden exit. Still, Lala insisted that Jess didn’t need to publicly come out and set the record straight.
“At the end of the day, she was employed by Lala Kent,” she said. “You’re no longer employed. I wish you the best. Have a great life.”
As you may remember, nearly a week after Lala announced the news to listeners in November, Jess took to social media with a lengthy Instagram Story addressing her exit from the podcast and acknowledging those who had been asking why she left without saying goodbye to listeners.
“Of course, I would have said goodbye to you guys if I were given the opportunity. Of course,” Jess stated. “ … I would want to say, you know, how much I love and appreciate just connecting with all of you. So I’ll say that now.”
While Lala said last week that she doesn’t regret becoming so close to one of her employees, she said she plans to do things differently going forward.
“Every single thing that I’ve experienced in the past two to three years, I have learned something from,” she said. “I don’t regret anything, but I know how to make things different.”
Lala also revealed that she’s planning to hire another assistant to replace Jess, though whomever she ultimately hires should expect to be completely devoted to Lala.
“Let me tell you something … your big dream better be I only want to be the best assistant to Lala Kent in the world,” she joked. “Like, no dreams, no aspirations. You don’t want to build s**t … .”
RELATED STORY: ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Star Lala Kent Opens Up About Her Fractured Friendship with Katie Maloney: “We May Never See Each Other Again”
(Photos: Bravo; Instagram)
3 Responses
Lala is only looking out for Lala. She could care less about anyone else. People must be blindly loyal to this fool but she will never do the same. She found a winner with Scheana because she would do anything to be liked by people but others question that bs that comes with being friends with Lala
Lala will turn on you in a second if you express your opinion to her. She is dismissive & belittling to people she once claimed were her best friends. That’s why she loves Scheana. Scheana thinks what Lala tells her to think. It’s not a genuine friendship.
I didn’t listen to their podcast but Jess will be better off without Lala.
I wish Lala remembered that Jessica is the one who went above and beyond the role of assistant when she was going through her breakup. She has been shouting from the rooftops that the VPR audience didn’t support her through her breakup like they did Ariana but one person absolutely did and it was Jessica. She legit filled in as a podcast host because Randall (the original cohost) was out and Lala knew she needed someone. IMO it seems like Lala turns on anyone who doesn’t completely align with her beliefs and it’s sad to see. You’ve gotta give back what you get and Lala doesn’t seem to know how to do that just yet.