Kim K Break the Internet

 

Some people argue that Kim Kardashian’s rise to fame is not one to be respected, considering the fact that her infamous sex tape Kim K Superstar is practically the root of her stardom. Many things are associated with the name Kim Kardashian including (but not limited to): her sex tape, her seventy-two day marriage, her newest accessory rapper Kanye West, and of course her beautiful daughter North West. Although many do not approve of the various ways Kim Kardashian chose to rise to fame and remain in the spotlight, it is no question that she is one of the most talked about celebrities in our modern society, and she does in fact influence many women, though I am not one of them. One of the recent topics of conversation is Kim’s partnership with Paper Magazine in winter of 2014 with their “Break the Internet” campaign. The campaign was not only tasteless and offensive, but also lacked creativity and is a prime example of how celebrities today will do just about anything for fame and money – even if it includes mocking a culture.

Although I disagree with the entire Kim K spread, I always attempt to give credit when credit is due. In my opinion, it was a very logical business decision by Paper Magazine to choose this reality television icon to be on the cover of the magazine. Aside from the fact that the magazine is a fairly prestigious one, it is still very small and does not compare to the “big boy” magazines such as Vogue and Time. This is why apart from Kim’s voluptuous body catching my attention, I noticed that in the top right hand corner, along with the very few words printed on this cover, was the price of the magazine – a whopping ten dollars!  This is about double what any other popular magazine company charges for each issue, which makes it apparent why they had Kim K in all of her risqué clothing (or lack thereof). Although it is not known how much revenue this photoshoot generated for the magazine, a representative from Paper told E!News that “Kim was not paid to appear in the magazine”, which means this was a huge win for them. Aside from the expenses of carrying out the photo shoot, Paper Magazine only gained and didn’t lose

However, the magazine’s revenue came at the cost of a lot of controversy, as it not only offended not only the African American culture, but also a lot of women in general.  When I first saw the cover of this magazine it screamed out cultural appropriation, and like many others I was very offended. Although some praise Kim for her role on the magazine’s cover, I find it to be inconsiderate on both her part, and the photographer’s part.  Not only this but it lacks creativity, considering this image was already created by the photographer, Jean-Paul Goude with another model who of course, is not nearly as famous as Kim Kardashian. At first glance, I noticed an immediate parallel between the image the photographer/photo editing portrayed, and Saartjie Baartman. Baartman was a Khoikhoi woman from South Africa born in the 1800’s who was sold at an early age and shipped to Europe. Due to her admirable body (which was seen ass taboo at the time) Baartman was treated as a circus act, and traveled all across Europe with her thick nude body on display for the white men and women to see. She was treated inhumanely and lived her life in poverty, and even after her death she was not laid to rest, but instead dissected and put on display in a museum for the world to see. In my opinion, Kim Kardashian’s spread with Paper Magazine mocks and makes light of the racism, sexism, and outright abuse that Sarah Baartman unwillingly endured in her time. Not only is it distasteful, but it is offensive to a myriad of individuals.

 

3 thoughts on “Kim K Break the Internet

  1. It feels like this is just another example of a company wanting to stir up attention by being as controversial and offensive as they could possibly be without being burned at the stake for it. Personally, I feel like Kim Kardashian has long overstayed her welcome in the spotlight, and cheap stunts like this seem like the only way she will be able to extend her time as relevant. I know I sound bitter, but honestly I feel like she is better off ignored.

  2. There is no doubt that the image has very deep roots and a horrific background. I understand that Kim is all about art and I understand she was trying to capture her body in its best form but there should be a respect factor along with it. If the image was a tribute to Saartjie Baartman then thats understood but only she and the photographer know that. Instead of always causing controversy she could help the Black community since her husband is black and daughter half black as well as the female community since she is also a woman. Its time to help those communities instead of just attract attention for money purposes.

  3. I remember when this came out and I read an article about the parallels between the Kim K photo and the one of Saartjie Baartman and I was shocked. Not only is Kim Kardashian’s photo making light of sexism and racism, she has the power to change the way people look at things in the world. Unfortunately, although she lacks talent and sometimes it seems, a brain, she is worshipped by people and has A LOT of power. She has the power to take a stand and educated people and encourage the end to racism, sexism, and other ethnic issues. I hope one day she will realize this and put her fame to good use.

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