Nothing makes me roll my eyes faster than people complaining that Kim Kardashian is famous for "no reason." The only thing worse is the notion that she's solely relevant because her sex tape leaked in 2007. While that infamous video may have piqued people's interest, it's herself and her accomplishments that have kept her in the spotlight nine years later. Anyone who underestimates the reality star may want to read her new Forbes cover story. In the magazine, Kardashian talks her tech success and the numbers are nothing to laugh off. And guess what? She's not going anywhere. The 35-year-old said,
"When people looked at me in a way like, 'Why is she stepping into the tech world? That’s not her territory! Stick to reality TV!' I was like, 'No.' ... This is fun for me. Now I’m coming up with Kimojis and the app and all these other ideas. I don’t see myself stopping."
Forbes cited a stat that the Kim Kardashian: Hollywood game "tallied $74.3 million in its first six months," and the numbers only grew from there. In the interview, Kardashian's quotes imply she didn't know the game would become so popular. She said, "I was like, 'I wonder if people are really going to … mimic my life.'" Based on the fact that the game has 45 million downloads and $160 million in revenue, the answer is a big yes.
As the game continued to grow, so did she. Showing her commitment to detail, Kardashian would have the app designers add new clothing items she was wearing to the game, so fans could wear them simultaneously. As someone who was pretty hooked on Kim Kardashian: Hollywood when it first launched (I may have even made a few in-app purchases — don't judge me), I can't pinpoint why exactly the game was so fun, but can attest to the fact that it was.
The thing is that Kardashian is constantly critiqued. Whether an outfit she wears or a selfie she posts, she's under public scrutiny what feels like 24/7 — yet she doesn't falter. She stays true to herself and doesn't back down. To say still that she's famous for "no reason" ignores the fact that she's built such a persona that people genuinely care about her actions (or pretend not to care and read about her anyway), and that in itself is pretty powerful. She also is well-aware of the negative perceptions. On Instagram, Kardashian shared her Forbes cover with a caption that simultaneously is heartfelt, but also puts the haters in their place. She wrote,
Such a tremendous honor to be on the cover of @forbes! I never dreamed this would happen and know my Dad would be so proud. #NotBadForAGirlWithNoTalent
Mentioning her dad, the late Robert Kardashian, is bittersweet, since she's talked before about his emphasis on the value of hard work. And see that hashtag? "#NotBadForAGirlWithNoTalent." She knows she is talented, even if that talent is having a knack for knowing what fans want. She also is undeniably business savvy, as seen in the success of not only this app, but Kimoji and the Kim Kardashian app. Essentially she's redefining what it means to be a reality star, as well as what it means to be a businesswoman.
So, congrats to Kim K on continuously proving people wrong — and earning millions along the way.
