Keeping Up With the Kardashianswas once known for sharing the Kardashian sisters' daily lives during the peaks of their triumphant business success and the valleys of their often maddening personal histories. There were so many fascinating events happening in each of the sisters' lives onthe reality series, that at one time each episode of the family series felt unmissable.But their meteoric rise to fame was driven by the extreme level of accessibility the family was once known for when it came to willingness to say and share whatever arose during filming. Now, after most of the famous sisters have shrunk from the spotlight and refuse to share the authentic details of their personal lives,the family is falling apart.
Kim Kardashian,in particular, has made a career for herself by associating with whatever is either fashionable or provoking, a trait she shared with her one-time husbandKanye West. Whether it is high-end designer labels, her Tesla cybertruck, or brand collaborations with trending actors, athletes, and celebrities,Kim has always made sure to align herself with whatever conversation is top of mind in culture and fashion at the moment, whether controversial or otherwise. But this obsession has been a disservice toThe Kardashians.
Kim’s Obsession With Americana Used to Be Limited to Fashion
One of Kim’s well-worn stories is the narrative she shares about the time she was young and living next door to pop-iconMadonna, when she and her sisterKourtney Kardashianvolunteered to walk their famous neighbor’s dog and were rewarded in exchange with a shoebox filled with her bracelets.Kim’s desire to mimic iconic moments from American history continued with an early obsession withCher. When Kim and her friends attended a Cher concert in Season 15 ofKeeping Up,Kim made sure to wear an outfit inspired by one of the singer’s iconic looks from the past, and even went to the extreme of wearing a piece of vintage jewelry that had once belonged to the singer. Kim has also been known to pull archival fashion pieces that were worn by figures likePrincess Diana,Janet Jackson, andElvis Presley.
North West Is the Best Thing To Happen to ‘The Kardashians’
It’s North’s era.
An obsession with iconic moments in fashion history is one thing. Scenes of Kim squeezing herself into Marilyn Monroe’s gown for the Met Gala were another thing entirely, and a lot can be said about that choice in itself.But now Kim’s obsession with culturally relevant individuals has taken a turn for the macabre, after herSeason 5 scenes withGypsy Rose Blanchardand the family’s meeting with"longevity expert"Bryan Johnsonin Season 6.
Kim’s Need to Be Relevant Is Ruining ‘The Kardashians’
While Kim’s desire to align herself with popular figures from American history can be seen as a quirky personality trait, her recent pivot to featuring popular or salacious topics on the reality series comes across as an intended distraction fromthe lack of substantial storylines in recent seasons. The meeting that occurred between Kim and Gypsy Rose has yet to provide any prison reform work on record. And in the meeting with Johnson, Kim and Kris were in such schmooze mode that evenKhloé Kardashianfelt the need to call them out for being incredibly fake in their responses to the “longevity expert.” It’s similar to the conversation that Kim, Kris, and Khloé had regarding the Menendez brothers once playing tennis in their yard,it comes across as a desperate ploy to take up air time with a topic that risks revealing nothing personal, while attempting to always affiliate the family with whatever topic is trending.
These scenes featuring individuals that have become cultural obsessions in the media for sinister or shocking reasons tell viewers nothing about the Kardashian family on a personal level, other than their level of access and privilege. More than that,they run the risk of alienating an audience that is waiting for the return of the authentic and in-the-moment family drama thatKeeping Upwas once known for. By wasting air time with these fluff pop-culture scenes, rather than returning to the way the family series once operated,the experienced entertainment industryveteran has wasted the opportunity to correct the imbalance of fake storylines that have taken overThe Kardashians.
The Kardashians
Follow the Kardashian family as they celebrate new ventures and navigate through their new normal: motherhood, relationships, and career goals.
