Kris Jenner has been making a tremendous impact on America since 1979, when she gave birth to her first daughter, Kourtney. Over the course of the next two decades, she brought Kim, Khloe, Rob, Kendall, and Kylie into the world. Her children would go on to accomplish great feats, ranging from gaining the tremendous honor of marrying Lord Scott Disick or Kanye West, making cinematic masterpieces (including a 2003 short film starring Ray J), founding a designer sock line, and working hard to improve their selfie game by posting hourly photos featuring their eyebrows or cheekbones. Sadly, in October 2013, Kris Jenner, socialite and TV personality, announced that she and husband Bruce Jenner, 1976 Olympic star, would be splitting. For those who “Keep Up” with the family’s high-quality reality show on E!, this announcement came as no surprise.
“It was coming anyways,” said senior Nicole Beck. “Kris is super controlling, and [Bruce] needed his independence.”
Since their separation last fall, Kris and Bruce have been living apart; 58 year old Kris in Calbasas, and 64 year old Bruce in Miami. This is not the first time that Kris has gone through the divorce process. In 1991 (the same year she married Bruce), Kris ended her 13 year marriage to the late Robert Kardashian, a celebrity lawyer known for his defense of OJ Simpson. In recent years, Jenner’s children have also been experiencing issues with their spouses. In December 2013, Khloe Kardashian filed for divorce from Lamar Odom, a former LA Lakers player whose alleged drug use and extramarital relationships wreaked havoc on their four year marriage. Some viewers keep coming back to the show because the family’s struggles to thrive in such a terrible world are more humorous than heart-wrenching.
“[The show is] so trashy it makes me feel good about myself. Seeing their problems makes me feel better about myself,” said Beck.
Many Americans would go so far as to cite any member of the Kardashian clan as their least favorite celebrity, while certain loyal fans do not think that the family is all that bad.
“Intelligent? No. But I do think they are nice people. I mean, aside from having billions of dollars, they are pretty normal,” said Beck.
It is a valid argument that if you, your family, or your friends’ families were filmed (and edited) and put on display for millions of viewers to critique, it would not turn out very well.
Certain viewers feel ashamed though because they think that it is unacceptable to condone the actions of these ill-behaved adults by tuning in on Sunday nights.
“By giving [the Kardashians and other celebrities] attention, we are creating a monster,” said Spanish teacher Ms. Anne Wynne.
While the fate of Kris and Bruce’s marriage remains to be seen, it is clear that the family will never have to worry about decreased viewer ratings, or lack of attention. As long as people are willing to watch, the Kardashians will continue to influence the world through their selfies, footwear and clothing lines, and prime footage editing that keeps the show from revealing too much about the real people under heavy makeup and hairspray.
“We are feeding them. The audience is what keeps them alive,” said Ms. Wynne.