You may have heard a lot about the Kim Kardashian West keynote during this year’s BlogHer. Now read how it really went down, and what I learned during her time on stage.
Leave it up to Facebook to let the cat out of the bag. When I logged onto the social network several weeks ago and read that Kim Kardashian West would be a keynoter at BlogHer in L.A., I was like HEY NOW!
Cue the controversy, dramatic prose, and the messiness.
The hate was mad real in the FB and Twitterverse. There were so many bloggers sharing their disdain for KK and dislike of BlogHer for their decision to give her a platform. Talking about they were going to sell their tickets because Kim was going to be in the house. Word? Are you that petty? Could you not do something else during the time Kim would be speaking?
There are plenty of things in this world to boycott—misplaced energy, maybe?
I, for one, am not the biggest Kimmy fan. It sometimes appears that she overcalculates and can be unauthenic—and dare I say that I feel like she is overexposed? But I would be a fool to not see why having her keynote would be a win for everyone in attendance.
WHY?
When talking social media and truly dominating the conversation, Kim Kardashian West is the best to ever do it. I don’t know about you, but honey, I want to learn from the best. I can sit in the audience and not condone or cosign her sex tape or her nudes. As long as she isn’t hurting people or being hateful towards humanity, I can hear what she has to say.
So when I plopped my booty down in the chair during Thursday’s lunch to witness and hear Kim drop her social media gems, I was focused. When she got on stage, I not only noticed her beauty and fabulously fashioned coutoure wardrobe, I became aweare of her humanity. Her nuances. How she interacts with others outside of her reality TV show.
What I saw during the Kim Kardashian West keynote at BlogHer was a person outside of the celebrity. A daughter, a wife, a mom, and yes, one of the dopest (and most successful) businesswomen around.
While I didn’t get to learn some of her social media secrets (as the questions were more broad and focused on her life and business accumen), I was educated on this other Kim Kardashian—the one that I didn’t know before this point.
Here’s my list of 10 things I learned during the BlogHer 2016 Kim Kardashian West keynote:
1. She still keeps things private
Before BlogHer’s controversial keynote, I thought that Kim pimped out everything for celebrity, ratings, page views, and money. What she shared during the chat was that she doesn’t share everything. She didn’t show her son purposely for months so that he could still have a semi-normal babyhood. There’s a percentage of her life that she still keeps to herself.
2. She’s not a feminist
This didn’t surprise me, but it showed me that she had balls enough to say it out loud during a time where people shame you for not being down for the cause. She could’ve been fake, but she wasn’t.
3. Her money spends like everyone else’s
When asked about her “non-talent”, she kept it real. She was able to parlay her 15 minutes of fame to a brand with longevitiy that scored her the cover of Forbes magazine. Despite the fact that she doesn’t sing or act, she still drives the same cars and lives in the same types of homes that those awesome performers do. To her, there’s no difference. (sidenote: have any of these talented people been on the cover of Forbes?)
4. More than a reality star
Kimmy is working on a show involving beauty bloggers and is currently in the middle of casting it. The show will be a Lifetime network vehicle, and she is very hands-on with it.
5. She’s an executive producer of a documentary
Yup, Kim executive produced the documentary Red Flag which focuses on mental health.
6. We have the same motto
Despite having hella haters, Kim lives with this principle: “always be kind”. I can dig it.
7. She interacts with her followers
Unlike many celebrities, Kim Kardashian West actually interacts with her fans online and will often inbox them to ask them questions or pick their brains. It really does go down in the DM.
8. She always wanted to have a reality show. Yes even before the infamous tape
Before Ray J, she wanted to have a reality show ala MTV’s The Real World. When her time came, she got one and acquired the same producers as The Real World had.
9. She says UM alot
Celebrities that have been uber trained and have taken elecution lessons don’t do this. And because of this, they can appear less “human”. Hearing her giggle, struggle for answers at times, and saying UM made me feel like she was keeping it real.
10. 9 truths and a lie
During Elisa Camahort Page’s conversation with Kim, she asked her if she does things intentionally to shock and awe. Kim’s response was that she doesn’t do it for that reason. Showing her body off isn’t a calculated move.
I don’t buy that one. I’m pretty sure that she knows what she is doing when she posts provacative photos and content. She intentionally wants to “break the Internet”—I wish she would’ve owned up to that.
All in all, I am very glad that I attended the Kim Kardashian West keynote at BlogHer, and if anything, it gave me encouragement to keep going even if not everyone is on board.
Some will like you. Some will hate you. Some won’t respect you, or want to boycott a conference that you are appearing at. That’s okay. Get your paper and stick to your mission anyway.
Sidenote: During Kim’s keynote, they had to open up more seating because there were so many people in attendance. People sitting on the floor, against the wall, and doubled up at all of the tables. I guess that boycott worked….--#shade.
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