Why We All Love To Hate Kim Kardashian

“I can’t believe you’re still writing about that Kim Kardashian.” I get this and other messages all the time when I write about celebrities who are in any way controversial, especially Kim Kardashian. I get asked a lot what I get out of the experience of writing these types of stories. Here’s my short answer: I am a writer first, a marketer second, which is why I make a relatively decent living doing what I do.

Now for the long-winded and 100 percent transparent answer:

Kim Kardashian sells. Her name brings in the numbers that create the paychecks. Some people may be disappointed at this explanation, but it is the first and foremost reason why she is consistently in my article rotation. From a very sterile, rational point of view, Kim Kardashian is highly marketable. This is probably one of the reasons why her own mother has taken it upon herself to handle Kim’s affairs (and take a nice little chunk of all Kim’s dealings in the process). Another reason why I write about Kim is because I am fascinated by her. And you know what else? I respect her. Yes, I respect her.

Before you get all high and mighty and start wagging your finger at me asking me what’s to respect, let me tell you. At least from my perspective.

I’ve heard it said that Kim is nothing but a puppet in the hands of Ryan Seacrest Productions and the Kardashian empire that her mother, Kris, has worked so hard to build. But I’ve also heard it said, by industry insiders, that Kim is one of the hardest working gals in show business. And yes, folks, it’s called show business for a reason. For those who question her real contributions to the world, her relevance may seem, well inconceivable. But for those of us with a marketing mind, her relevance is more than substantial.

You see, Kim and the whole Kardashian clan represent the state of pop culture as it exists right now. Their influence is certainly indisputable and, in their own way, the family represents what people-millions to be exact-are buying. To some, this may simply mean that we are living in a time when mindless sheep are following the flock, and I’d say, for the most part, that those people are right.

But I’d like to just offer a little perspective about which some might not have thought before when it comes to Kim Kardashian.

I was actually discussing Kim Kardashian as a concept with my husband, who, by the way, happens to think that pop culture is just a wee bit insane. He doesn’t really follow trends, nor does he care. But, yes, even he knows who Kim Kardashian is. At any rate, he presented a very interesting point: He actually compared Kim Kardashian to Marilyn Monroe, a comparison that I’ve actually heard before.

Now, before you get all indignant about that comparison, keep in mind that Marilyn Monroe was considered very scandalous for her time and was, for all intents and purposes, villianized, if you will. In fact, the argument could be made that Marilyn Monroe wasn’t even particularly talented but she definitely was hard-working and influential. Furthermore, while Marilyn’s star rose quite quickly, she didn’t really become an iconic celebrity who was lauded for her contribution to show business until after her death.

Kim has also been compared to Elizabeth Taylor for her track record with the men in her life. At 33 years old, Kardashian has been married three times and also involved in some very high profile relationships. Again, similar to Liz Taylor is Kim’s incredible fashion ups and downs and her over-the-top lifestyle.

It is conceivable that Kim is simply trying to emulate these leading ladies and it’s even possible that Kim respects and looks up to them in her own way. It may even be conceivable that Kim Kardashian is — gasp! — human. She has feelings and emotions and deals with the pressures of being in the spotlight, for the most part, with grace under fire. Sure, she has wealth beyond most people’s imagination, which could be seen as an advantage, but dare I say it, that was no accident. Furthermore, it is conceivable that whatever Kim has, anybody else can have with the same amount of determination and focus.

I would like to take a moment to talk about Kim’s mom, Kris Jenner real quick because it is a good time to bring up the fact that Kris has played an instrumental role in molding Kim’s career. She has been very deliberate in her approach and while some people consider Kris to be a glorified “pimp,” it seems pretty apparent that she takes her role as Kim’s manager very seriously. Everything she does is on purpose and, let’s face it, Kim would need a manager regardless of whether her mom was doing it or not. So how does the fact that Kim has chosen to work with her mom to fill that role change the situation? Again, as Kim’s manager, Kris has probably made some questionable decisions, but it seems that Kris truly understands that “with great risk, comes great reward.”

Now that that has been said, I’d like to offer some closing thoughts on Kim. Yes, it is true that her rise to fame was very likely orchestrated and was the result of salacious beginnings. However, despite it all, even though there are plenty of haters ready to jump on the “bash Kim” bandwagon, her star continues to rise.

And on a completely separate note, at least she has the means to provide an amazing life for her child. Baby Nori will never go without no matter what anyone thinks about Kim.

Furthermore, until you’ve walked a mile in someone else’s very expensive, designer, high heeled shoes, you’ve no right to pass judgment. From my perspective, if you really hate someone that much, why pay so much attention to them? And lastly, consider the fact that truly successful people, those who happily enjoy all the benefits of success, in whatever way they define that, tend to respect others who are as hard-working as Kim Kardashian. And whether you agree with that, whether you like that logic, you’ve got to respect it.

[Image credit: New York Daily News]