In 2011, Barbara Walters told Kim, Khloé, Kourtney, and Kris Jenner that they had no talent because they did not act, sing, or dance. Khloé answered that they still entertained people, and Kim emphasized the difficulty of making people fall in love with them for who they are. The Kardashians were experienced in presenting a version of reality that feels not quite real. Their show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, launched in 2007 and drew suspicion because it appeared listless and focused on becoming wealthier and prettier. Critics treated its popularity as an indictment of both the family and viewers. The show’s longevity, driven by fans and hate-watchers, illustrated the risks of remaking reality for ratings.
"“You don't really act; you don't sing; you don't dance. You don't have any-forgive me-any talent.” Had Walters been hoping to manufacture some drama with the remark-one of her own talents was her ability to make famous people cry on national television-she had underestimated the celebrities before her."
"“But we're still entertaining people,” Khloé replied, meeting Walters's barb with practiced placidity. Kim, taking her sister's cue, noted the challenge of making people “fall in love with you for being you.” Their serenity should not have come as a surprise. The Kardashians were professionally versed in treating the real as not quite real."
"From nearly the moment that their first show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, premiered, in 2007, its success had been met with suspicion. In its affect, the series was notably listless: Everyone involved (even the strivers it depicted) seemed a bit bored. It followed people who were wealthy and pretty, and their efforts to get wealthier and prettier. That it entertained viewers seemed, to its detractors, an indictment-not just of the family but also of the people who kept watching it."
"The anxiety the show provoked only added to its allure. KUWTK endured for an improbable 20 seasons, fueled by fans and hate-watchers and the fact that, co"
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