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I hate the Kardashians.
Now, I don’t hate reality shows. Given the choice, I’d probably pick something scripted, because I love snappy dialogue, but plenty of enjoyable ones exist. If more don’t, it may be because we’re at the beginning of an art form with them as a format. In all likelihood, reality shows are going to evolve and get better, in just the way movies today seem better than the rather stiff acting we see in mediocre 1930′s melodramas, or television today – by which I mean Breaking Bad and Mad Men – is considerably better than many of the scripted shows of the 1960′s. And I think we see some reality television shows that are legitimately interesting – hell, Kidnation was pretty much just Plato’s Republic with a bunch of 8 year olds.
On a more practical level, there are dozens of programs that allow ordinary citizens to be seen for their talents. Top Chef? Sure. American Idol? If you must. X Factor? I’ve never seen that, but what the hell.
I just want to be clear that I don’t hate reality television.
But I do hate the Kardashians, because I’ve never seen any good reason not to. I have watched them snipe at one another, and wander around swilling from champagne glasses, and attempt ear candling experiments and snipe at each other some more, and I can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t find all of that a little bit repulsive. I’m not sure we’re to commend people for “putting it all out there” any more than we should commend someone for taking a shit in the middle of a stranger’s living room.
The difference between them and say, a contestant on Top Chef, is that the contestant there seems to be working towards a socially beneficial end. If he wins, and becomes famous through his appearance of Top Chef, he will be able to open a restaurant where he will be able to cook food that food critics agree is excellent. This will be a good thing for society at large, or, at least the portion of society that likes eating things.
I do not see what we gain from watching Kim Kardashian. I can only imagine it’s the knowledge that it’s okay to cry if you find you have psoriasis.
The 72 day wedding fiasco seems to bring all my worries to a head. I’m not troubled that it was a brief marriage – some marriages are brief, and we shouldn’t judge people for making missteps – but it seems like this was treated in a way that 1) on the E! Kim’s Fairy Tale Wedding special Kim made it clear that she was getting married because she was “in her prime” and she wasn’t going to photograph well forever and I guess I just want to say this is my new “worst reason to get married” and 2) Kim’s response to the divorce seemed almost comically blase in a time when so many people are fighting for the right to get married. In case you forgot, she claimed:
“I hope everyone understands this was not an easy decision. I had hoped this marriage was forever, but sometimes things don’t work out as planned. We remain friends and wish each other the best.”
And issuing that statement when her seemingly dimwitted husband is flabbergasted is wildly insensitive. ”I love my wife and am devastated to learn she filed for divorce,” he said to People.com. “I’m committed to this marriage and everything this covenant represents and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it work.”
Poor fellow. Surely everyone knew it was over the minute she said she could never move because it would interfere with her career, and he suggested that by the time she had kids in school, no one would care about her. That is because her career is based on a sex tape and a well shaped behind.
I understand that Kim Kardashian wants to be famous, but perhaps one’s all time “career high” should not revolve around a wedding. Because that is 1) not what weddings are for and 2) not beneficial to anyone except yourself and the staff of US magazine.
Fame is really is only a good thing when it’s used towards an end. If you are an actress and being famous will help you get better roles which will allow you to reach more people with you skills, that seems entirely sensible. However, generally if you are famous just because it seems cool to be famous, it doesn’t work out well for anyone – even the person who is famous.
When Andy Warhol said that in the future, everyone would be famous for fifteen minutes, he didn’t mean that as a really rosy outlook on things. It’s not a rosy outlook, because, unless you have a substantial accomplishment, it is over in 15 minutes. Apparently this thought never occurred to Kim Kardashian. Andy Warhol, on the other hand, was pretty familiar with what happened to people when you made them famous for no reason. They all died.
That’s the end of that story, they all died or at least enough of them did that every time you read a biography on Warhol’s superstars, you wait for them to get to the part when they OD’d on heroin or jumped out a window. When Andy Warhol told Edie Sedgwick’s mother that he thought Edie was going to be really famous, Edie’s mother memorably replied “and what would be the purpose of that?” Andy said “well, everyone wants to be famous.” Edie’s mother replied “I had much higher hopes for my daughter.” Edie died from an overdose at 28.
I worry that by becoming socially enamored with people like the Kardashians we’ve forgotten that there are higher things to hope for.
Someone once expressed surprise that I love the royal family but hate the Kardashians, when both fundamentally exist to put their lives on display for the public. That’s true, but one exists to do so well. If the royal family still serves a function, it’s to embody English values. Serving in the army. Committing one’s self to public service. Worrying about the well-being of your countrymen. Generally things that require a certain amount of self sacrifice and a willingness to help others. That’s not to say that they’re always successful in that goal (because they’re human beings) but that’s why it is a terrific scandal when one of them wants to dress in Nazi regalia for a costume party when they’re an idiot teenager.
That fact that Kim Kardashian’s is held up as America’s answer to Kate Middleton seems to signify that the quintessential American values are “a lust for fame at any cost.” I am reluctant to believe that that’s anything people are particularly invested in keeping up with.
I pretty much cant stand the Kardashians. The best way for me to put a label on them is to call them a waste of skin. The only one who even has potential is Khloe. Kim is an immature idiot who’s famous for her sex tape. Well at least she is good at something. Kort is so fridged and uptight shes going to explode. There are other people out there who deserve the spotlight not these idiots.
Please go away!!!
Your Family has NO talent!
Why are they even famous?
You guys are overseeing so much. Im not a big fan, at all. I only just watched a few eps. Theyre real people. With problems, faults and also pros. Theyre human. Give Them a break. You may call them bimbos/snbs. But they make money. You dont. Leave them alone, htey may need the media. But you guys are just hating on people you dont even know well. They are a fun family, with ups and down every now and then. Who cares if they fight? Everyone does. Stop hating, let them be. If you dont like them, dont watch the show. Simple as that. Now go do something useful.
I refuse to watch the show, or should I say shows, or buy any merchandise that has anything to do with the Kardashians. E used to be one of my favorite channels, but I can’t turn it on without seeing a show about that bunch, and I’m sick to death of them………..
I was just watching an old Keeping up with the Kardashians episode from right before the widely aired wedding episode and having seen it before I noticed a cut from one of the sentences said by Khole questioning the legitimacy of her marriage. My first thought was that the E cut it because they did not want to reinforce an idea that many people already have about the entire Kardashian clan.
I used to be a huge fan and now I feel guilty even watching an episode because I don’t want to be supporting the careers of these talentless snobs.
The fact that words were altered within the show proves how far from reality it is.
well for one, i was once a huge kardashian fan. i watched all their episodes, followed them on twitter and supported them by keeping up with them. however, after kim BIG middle life crisis, i am left confused. recent episodes of the kardashians (kenndels sweet 16 and kourtney and kim take new york) has shown me a different side to the people i once supported. kim is just confused as an 8year old kid. she doesnt really have any morals espically if she can marry a guy she hardly knew and got people to pay for such an expenisive wedding. RIDICULOUS. kournty.. she shold give scott a break in my opinion. yeah he has made mistakes but the way i see it, she acting like he has psycological problems and refers to eveyone man to have the same issue as him. im sorry babe but you have had your fair share of moments so i dont think tis right for you to be critising scott all the time. i dont have an issues with khloe, kenndel and kylie because i think they are very entertaining but KRIS!!!!!, the snake that lies within the show. im sorry but she is the the whole reason why many people hate them. she is so controlkling, it sickoning. the way she treats bruce.. man she doesnt realise how lucky she is to be married to a man like that who has stayed with her for so long. gosh be nice to the man coz im sure on numerous occasions he has thought of leaving you. we dont see alot of bruces kidz on the show which gives the impression that kris doesnt see them as a big part of the “kardashian lifestyle” but as they say family is blood. they should have more recongision. as well, if the kardashians are looking for more respect from fans, i think they should publicis more on their charity work instead of their buisness so much. it will help them out a lot, espically because a lot of people think they are self centered bitches who are tantless and get a lot of money just because they are pretty.
Yup I watched the keeping up with the kardashians reality show and I couldn’t stand it. Some of the Kardashians weren’t as mature as they are now. And, Kylie as well as Kendall behaved so worse!
If people stop paying attention to this lot of depraved mental midgets. they will fade into obscurity where they belong.
I LOVE the Kardashians. Now, They aren’t stupid. They are BRILLIANT businesswomen, who have built an EMPIRE. Kardashian Kollection, Kardashian Khaos, Kardashian Kolor, Dash, 2 books, all their endorsements. Apparently, Many people like them or they wouldn’t have one of the most popular shows on television or be paid 25,000 per tweet endorsing a product. Granted, They have made mistakes, but who hasn’t? I Believe that they do try and further their riches, but who doesn’t? That, my friends, is why the Kardashians are winning at life. Noone is forcing you to read/ watch the Kardashians, so if you don’t like them just don’t keep up with them! It’s that simple. :)
These talentless people are famous for sex tapes heavy thick makeup omg!!!-lies and last straw to get married in the eyes of GOD just for money it’s just not right and we have to put a stop to all this now as society can’t idolize people like this!! We do not want our children & future children living in a society where people like this are teen idols!!! If kim is not worried about her porno tape and it’s nothing to be ashamed of then i can’t wait until her little nephew gets old enough to see it, then see what she thinkS!!. She holds very little morals or common sense and if she does ever find someone again if they can ever trust a women like this and has kids will she be proud of her accomplisments “sex tape’ liar -phoney what is she famous for anway can’t act-sing too short for a model but i guess it’s easy to be on tv and fabricate your life for money and try to fool and con young adults to buy their mechandise and watch their shows!!! I hope that soon people will stop the madness and just say nooo to the kardashians before they take over the airwaves and endorse all the merchandise!!! BOYCOTT THE KARDASHIANS WHO HAVE NOOO SHAME!!!
they should do a play boy spread, they all hang out if you get the drift !!! and since they always want to show it off, they should do a spread ole hugh would make a bundle off of it now wouldnt he
they are just high priced over sexed bimbos
The Kardashians had the money to make money and will continue further business endeavors to keep the money train rolling, if people keep buying. I say, STOP BUYING THE KARDASHIAN PRODUCTS. Boycott the whole family! They have enough money! They really should lay low for awhile, but they didn’t, they were right back to business as usual after the news of Kim’s divorce. The rich get richer. Why? Because we support them. STOP THE MADNESS.
You say we should stop keeping up with the Kardashians and yet you continue to post about them….like really, 4 or 5 articles since you wrote this one. If media quit writing about them guess what – they’d disappear. Continuing to write about them is exactly what they want.
I’m still confused about how the Karshidians became famous. I mean did some one just decide to do a reality Tv show about them – if so why them? I’m just really perplexed about the whole thing.
It’s clear that if no body likes Keeping Up with the Kardashians, then it’s as simple as the ABC’s: Don’t watch it.
As for their popularity, it’s understandable that every headline in every magazine has to do with the Kardashians and it gets annoying, but it’s also not that difficult to ignore. We’re just feeding their ego even more by expressing our hate for them. We’re still talking about them right? So it’s pointless to make articles like this and commenting on how vain, rich, stupid, etc. they are. It’s simple just to ignore it.
And this article is too drastic…along with other people who say that they “hate” the Kardashians. You can’t “hate” someone if you’re only basing your judgment on their TV show or what you see on headlines. What’s wrong with the words, “annoyed of”? Expressing your strong emotion for them will only feed their egos even more.
It’s time to boycott. Don’t watch the shows. Don’t buy their products. E-mail their sponsors and products they endorse and tell them you will not purchase any products endorsed by this family. E-mail the shopping channels that hawk their merchandise. E-mail the stores that carry their lines. Let them know you’ll be boycotting not only K. products but the channel/store/product too. Commenting is fun but has no results – hit this family where they live, in the pocketbook.
Hmm. You’re pretty fired up aren’t you? :) I laughed when she tried to hawk Uma’s Poison Ivy at Halloween. There is and will only be one Poison Ivy. What was Uma’s Dr./Phd name? Kim can’t stand anywhere in the same ballpark.
Given the disrespect that she has shown to the socially important institution of marriage, and to her husband — who apparently took his commitment seriously — I think this is the right thing to do. I don’ t think I could bring myself to buy her products — it would just feel wrong now.
If YOU DONT LIKE IT DONT WATCH IT NO ONE IS FORCING THE KARDASHIANS TO BE APART OF YOUR LIFE. like seriously shut up! dont watch it
Go Rebecka, stop hating on others. Its their show on tv. They like it, some other people do to. Who cares? Zap away, dear.
Yes. Yes we do. I would love to see one day in which every legitimate news source in the country chose to purposefully exclude the Kardashians from mention from this point onward
Any person with such blatant disregard for marriage – a right that some people fight for – and mere self-respect should not be someone whose face still appears in the media. It promotes the type of meaningless pop-culture fascination to which the country is already subjected by way of silly shows – Jersey Shore, Teen Mom, etc – and other imbeciles – here, the entire Kardashian Klan.
I would love to see a day, just one, in which the media highlights true philanthropic work done by other celebrities rather than exploit the ones who just cannot get their shit together. Why not highlight leading psychologists, nutritionists, athletes, etc? Having people like the Kardashians in the media promotes the poor form of “entertainment” with which many people are now accustomed. After a period in which media exposure is refocused on people who actually make a positive contribution to society, perhaps the draw of the Kardashians will have dissipated
“Why not highlight leading psychologists, nutritionists, athletes, etc?”
I agree. Our attention should be given to people who represent better values. I used to admire Kim and think she was really beautiful (and want to be like her) but hearing about the divorce and reading these comments made me realize how I realize how completely shallow that was.
I have started a petition to e! Online to stop airing keeping up with the kardashians.
Enough is enough.
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/no-more-kardashian.html
Good job! I’ve sent out to all my contacts and posted on other blogs. Glad someone stood up to make a difference.