Did Kim Kardashian Deliberately Leak Sex Tape To Become Famous?
Kim Kardashian leaked a sex tape in 2007 to become famous, according to a new book by Canadian journalist Ian Halperin. The book, titled Kardashian Dynasty, claims the second eldest Kardashian sibling was advised by a friend to not only produce, but to also deliberately leak, a sex tape in order to achieve fame. Kim Kardashian took that advice and made a sex tape with former boyfriend Ray J in 2003, which was then leaked four years later, allegedly with the help of her mother, Kris Jenner.
Thirteen years ago, when Kim Kardashian decided to make a sex tape, the now-35-year-old American reality TV star was only in her early 20s, and already somewhat famous thanks to a public friendship with another very well-known American socialite and reality TV personality, Paris Hilton. Kim’s father, American attorney and businessman Robert Kardashian, had also already put the Kardashian name in the spotlight nationally when he represented accused murderer and retired American football player O.J. Simpson back in 1995.
But Kim Kardashian reportedly wanted wider notice for herself and her family name. She wanted to be “put on the map,” according to author Ian Halperin, who recently wrote the tell-all Kardashian book, Kardashian Dynasty. The 304-page, extensively researched book that’s currently only available for pre-order, accuses Kim Kardashian, as well as the Kardashian matriarch, Kris Jenner, of planning, making, and leaking a sex tape to the adult entertainment industry via a third party.
Hollywood Life reports that Jenner was really the one to push Kim into taking the idea of a sex tape and making it into a reality, citing an unidentified friend of Kim’s as the source of the sex tape scandal reveal.
“It was Kris who engineered the deal behind the scenes and was responsible for the tape seeing the light of day.”
American pornographic film production company Vivid Entertainment obtained a copy of the Kim Kardashian, Ray J sex tape in early 2007 from an unknown third party. Vivid Entertainment then reportedly contacted the Kardashian family and talked them into releasing the sex tape for pay, saying it would eventually be leaked, anyway.
“Why not work for us, and we’ll make sure that it will not only get out, but that it will be distributed the way you want. You’ll get a nice payment for it.”
Kim Kardashian has not commented on whether or not she actually did deliberately make and release a sex tape to gain fame, but shortly after the sex tape’s release in 2007, the Kardashians made a deal that same year with American cable network Entertainment Television, or more commonly known as E!, to star in a reality TV series called Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
Debuting in October, 2007, with American Idol host Ryan Seacrest as executive producer, Keeping Up with the Kardashians is still in production today, making it the longest-running reality television series in the country, with 11 seasons.
But did Kim Kardashian deliberately make a name for the Kardashian family with her now-infamous sex tape? A rep for Kim says definitely not. In fact, People reported in February, 2007, that Kim Kardashian sued Vivid Entertainment for distributing the sex tape that was allegedly meant to be something private between herself and her then-boyfriend, American singer and songwriter Ray J.
“I am filing legal charges against the company who is distributing this tape since it is being sold completely without my permission or consent.”
Vivid Entertainment said from the beginning that they had permission and every legal right to put the Kim Kardashian sex tape out there, and TMZ later reported that Kim Kardashian dropped the lawsuit in April, 2007, settling with Vivid Entertainment when her sex tape became a bestseller, putting more than just the Kardashian family name on the map.
The Kim Kardashian sex tape ultimately paid off big time for the entire Kardashian clan, but do you think it was all planned? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
[Photo by Mike Windle/Getty Images]
