Recently, a new show, “H8R” (a texting abbreviation for “hater”) debuted on the CW. The debut of the hour-long series showed a Black woman flipping on Kim Kardashian.
Kim’s “hater,” Deena, unleashed a profanity-laced rant about the curvy celeb. “All the sudden we got Kim K. and all these white [expletive] have a**es,” Deena ranted. “It’s [expletive] the game for me!” She added critiques about Kim rocking cornrows, and her lack of support for the Black community.
Kim dutifully explained that curves aren’t just a Black thing, that Armenian women are also known for them. Notably, she’s gone so far as to have her bum X-rayed on her uber-popular show, “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” to prove its authenticity. (Do you believe her? Hold up, do you even care?)
To claims that Kim has done nothing for the Black community — I’m sorry. I’m unclear on why she should be obligated to. Because she dates Black guys? — Kim responded, “You didn’t hear about [me going to] New Orleans, or building the homes or meeting this family,” Kim says. “Or going to Africa –- [Keeping Up with the Kardashians is] filming in Africa this season. I’ve been to Africa three times.”
After Kim responded, Deena lightened up, which is the purpose of the show: to expose misconceptions about particular celebrities.
“I was really surprised to hear about the work she’s done in Africa and New Orleans,” Deena said. “I was just shocked to know she’s done some great things.”
I can’t be the only one baffled by this confrontation. Kim’s never given the pretense of trying to solve world peace. She’s just this sort of lighthearted woman whose dramatic life is manufactured by her mastermind mother. You can’t go a day without seeing what she’s up to — on the cover of a magazine or the homepage of your favorite gossip site — yes, even the Black ones (but not this one). And I get how anyone could get fatigued. (Kim was voted “Most Annoying Celebrity of 2011” in a recent Parade magazine culture poll.) But hating on the girl because of her backside — real or not — or expecting her to give back to the Black community because she dates Black men? Where they do that at?
Kim K. is famous for being famous, and as many like to point out, she initially got that way on her back. Despite such, she’s dated men some Black women fantasize about and became a media darling with access to a life some of us only dream of. She’s been given a pass for many of the acts, which if Black women were to commit, they would never socially recover, much less become famous — not infamous.
But for those who are jeal… —er, mad at Kim, I ask you: Is this about Kim? Or is it about a culture that uplifts and credits non-Black women for the same reasons it craps on us? Maybe in this instance, women who are fed up with Kim Kardashian should hate the game and not just the player.
Demetria L. Lucas is the Relationships Editor at ESSENCE and the author of “A Belle in Brooklyn: Your Go-to Girl for Advice on Living Your Best Single Life” (Atria) in stores now. Follow her on Twitter at @abelleinbk