‘Vanderpump Rules’: Lala Kent Admits Why Being Single and Sober ‘Freaks Me Out’
For some, being sober and single is a usual way of life. But for Vanderpump Rules star Lala Kent, it was uncharted territory. Since her split from fiancé Randall Emmett, she’s faced her life in an entirely new way: without alcohol. And though that’s a positive and healthy choice, Kent recently admitted it freaks her out.
Lala Kent says flirting and dating while sober makes her nervous
Recently, Lala Kent gave BravoTV.com a series of updates on her life, including her daughter, Ocean. Kent marveled at the toddler’s many milestones, including working on potty training and her love of high fives.
The reality TV star also touched on a milestone of her own: celebrating four years of sobriety.
Now that she’s back on the dating scene, Kent admits things are more awkward than they used to be.
“I haven’t flirted with a boy since I was, like, 25 years old — and I was usually liquored up, so I was great at it,” the Vanderpump Rules castmate admitted. “This is the first time in my life that I have ever been single and sober. The thought of just meeting any guy and being like, ‘We’re gonna do this!’ — I don’t have anything to kind of lube me up. It really freaks me out.”
Lala Kent and her ex Randall Emmett had a rocky romance
Kent met Emmett in 2015 while she was filming Vanderpump Rules Season 4 at Lisa Vanderpump’s West Hollywood restaurant SUR. However, the two didn’t start dating immediately because Emmett hadn’t finalized his split from his wife, Ambyr Childers. Kent finally announced the film producer as her boyfriend in January 2018, a month after he finalized his divorce. He popped the question about a year later.
However, they had to postpone the wedding, first due to COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 and then Kent’s pregnancy. But by October 2021, the two had announced their split, with Kent accusing Emmett of repeatedly cheating on her. She later admitted she was also unfaithful, hooking up with castmate James Kennedy in the early stages of her relationship with Emmett.
Unfortunately, Kent and Emmett’s breakup has been less than amicable, with the former couple locked in a custody battle over their daughter, Ocean.
The ‘Vanderpump Rules’ star coped with grief through alcohol before finding sobriety
Kent’s alcohol consumption became a problem while she was engaged to Emmett. But their relationship didn’t lead to her drinking — it was the pain of losing her father in April 2019. The Vanderpump Rules star admitted she drank morning, noon, and night to process her grief.
“It was how I was coping,” Kent shared with E! News. “When I went on the full binge drinking for, I believe it was, three or four days straight, I just woke up with that feeling of being out of control, not knowing what I did, just the guilt and the shame. And that was the moment I said, ‘I’m taking my life back. I’m not living one more day this way.’”
Kent got sober that year, which has been a blessing because she’s been able to enjoy her daughter’s earliest moments with a clear mind. Still, when she began her sobriety journey, she never imagined she’d be single again.
How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
