How The Kardashians Keep The Media Blitz Going Strong

The Kardashian family has become the first family of reality television. Many would think the reality show franchise would be enough, but this family has gone on to write books, endorse multiple products, start clothing lines and run their chain of clothing stores. The family has had no problem keeping their lives in the spotlight and becoming tabloid headlines. Many even accuse them of doing things to keep themselves in the magazines. All of the these money making ventures are driven by the family matriarch, Kris Kardashian Jenner. The former wife of Robert Kardashian is now married to former Olympian, Bruce Jenner. Together, Kris and Bruce, have 10 children between them. Kris has made her children the stars of her empire.

The breakout star who started the madness is Kim Kardashian, the second oldest child of Kris and Robert. She became famous for her friendship with Hilton Hotel heiress, Paris Hilton and her sex tape with Ray J. a hip hop artist. In 2007 the family's reality series premiered and before the world could stop it the Kardashians had taken over. Kim was joined by her older sister, Kourtney and younger sister, Khloe on the the reality show and being a part of most of the money making projects. The girl's brother, Rob has done a few projects with the girls, but has not been in the spotlight outside of the reality show much.

Kris Jenner's husband, Bruce has been pushed into the spotlight by his wife as he has become more of a Hollywood joke than the Olympic athlete that he once was. He has shown some hesitation with Kris pushing their daughters, Kendall and Kylie into the spotlight, but that has not slowed Kris down. Bruce has four children from his two previous marriages. His children have made a few appearances on the reality shows, but for the most part have stayed out of the spotlight. The only one who has been in the media is his son, Brody Jenner. Brody appeared on the MTV reality series, The Hills from 2006 to 2010.

Also part of the family circle on the reality series are:

• Kim's former boyfriend, Reggie Bush.
• Kim's estranged husband, Kris Humphries.
• Kim's current boyfriend, Kanye West.
• Khloe's husband, Lamar Odom.
• Kourtney's boyfriend, Scott Disick.
• Kourtney and Scott's son, Mason Dash Disick.
• Kourtney and Scott's daughter, Penelope Scotland Disick.
• Multiple friends of the family have also appeared on the different series.

The family's multiple ways of taking over pop culture are broken down below and could make the complex plan they follow clear. Please feel free to add anything I might have missed in the comments.

Kris Jenner (formerly Kris Kardashian) has been the driving force behind making her family reality stars turned the ultimate celebrity brand. She has been criticized for selling out her children for money. She has been called a puppet master and even a monster. The self-proclaimed "MOMANGER" sometimes forgets where the role as manager ends and mom begins. She made her family $65 million in 2010 and in 2012 the family signed a $40 million contract to make the Kardashian reality show for 3 more years. This did not include the spin off series. She manages all five of her daughters, helped her son, Rob start a sock line and even assisted her son-in-law, Lamar Odom with his projects.

However, being this good in business has made her enemies in Hollywood and has made her the topic of many tabloid stories. Her marriage to Bruce Jenner has been said to be on the rocks for years, but they still keep it together. Many have blamed her for bringing down an Olympic hero and making him a joke. She has been called a terrible mother, an alcoholic, a party queen and a cheater. She admitted that an affair ended her marriage to Robert Kardashian, her first husband and many think she will do it again. Her fashion style and denial of her age keeps her on the worst dressed lists. She works her butt off and even with the money rolling in she never gets a break from the bad press. Is she money hungry or just trying to what she thinks is best for her family?

The shows:

• Keeping Up With The Kardashians (2007) Seven seasons and it is here to stay until at least 2015.
• Kourtney & Kim Take New York (2011) Two seasons have aired so far.
• Kourtney & Khloe Take Miami (2009) Miami started with two seasons of this sister combo.
• Kourtney & Kim Take Miami (2013) This is the first season with these two starring in Miami.
• Khloe & Lamar (2011) This is the first and only show to end. The couple ended it after two seasons for personal reasons.

The Specials:

• Keeping Up With The Kardashians: The Wedding (2009) The wedding of Khloe and Lamar was the first big special for the family.
• Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event (2011) This is when the Kardashian brand started to take over the world.
• Kendall's Over-The-Top Sweet Sixteen Birthday- A Kardashian Event (2011) This was the least watched of the specials.

Before they were known everywhere the three girls started their clothing store DASH in California and now they have locations in New York and Miami as well.

The sisters have launched a nail polish line called Kardashian Kolors and a clothing line available at Sears called Kardashian Kollection. (The plus size line is called Kardashian Kurves and is also available at Sears.)

Books are another way the family makes money. The family has three books published:

• Kardashian Konfidential
• Kris Jenner: All Things Kardashian
• Dollhouse: Kourtney, Kim, Khloe Kardashian A Novel

Kim did a few ventures on her own including a watch line and sunless tanner. Kim also appeared on shows by herself including including: CSI:NY, 90210, The Apprentice and Dancing With The Stars. Her most famous non-Kardashian "acting role" was her infamous sex sex tape with Ray J. that was made public in 2007 that led to the family's reality series.

The longest running drama with the Kardashian clan is the question surrounding Khloe's paternity. Many people including her own sisters and brother have questioned her being a Kardashian. The family has talked about it multiple times on the reality show and Kris and the other kids tried to get her to take a blood test to put it to rest once and for all, but Khloe would not do it. This was probably a viewer ploy, but it still shows there are questions. Many magazines have made money telling people why Khloe is not a Kardashian including:

• Her height
• Her complexion
• Her inability to conceive
• Her facial features

The newest claims are that Kris' hairdresser of 30 years Alex Roldan is her father. Many say Kris paid Alex to keep quiet. There have been other people claiming to be her father, but no one has shown proof. The photos of Khloe next to photos of Alex are the only ones that make me wonder if Robert is really not her father. Her feature are very similar to Alex, but is still not proof.

Khloe is the Kardashian that has spent the last 5 years be called names for her weight. The 5'-9" Khloe as been compared to her sisters Kim who is 5'-2" and Kourtney who is 5'-0" tall. They should never be the same weight and their body measurements will be completely different. Still the media has been cruel calling her "the fat sister" and more. Khloe's own mother called her fat on the reality show. That caused a problem for the family that played out on screen. In the last year, however, Khloe has been able to lose weight and become comfortable with her curves and final not compare herself to her sisters.

Kim is now the one with the negative press about her weight. Kim announced her pregnancy with hip-hop singer, Kanye West's child and soon her weight gain was front and center. The magazine's have claimed that at the 6 month mark she has gained 65 pounds. Others have said she is topping out at 200 pounds already.The negative press can, however, can be a money maker. The girls have already pushed weight loss products and have been on the cover of magazines with their weight loss tips. Kim could follow the steps of celebrities, Jessica Simpson and Mariah Carey and sign a multi-million dollar deal with a weight loss program after the baby arrives. She also gets a great deal of attention for packing on even more pounds. It sells magazines. This keeps Kim in the spotlight when she cannot do her normal club appearances and swimsuit covers this is a perfect way to keep herself relevant.

Kourtney Kardashian is the oldest of the famous generation. She has only made headlines for two things: boyfriend Scott Disick and their children. Kourtney has never wed her boyfriend, Scott Disick despite their long relationship and having two children together. The couple started dating in 2006. They faced many ups and downs before the birth of their first child, Mason Dash Disick in December 2009. The couple continued to have rough patches before the birth of their second child, Penelope Scotland Disick in July 2012.

Thing seem to have improved since their daughter arrived, but Kourtney has yet to take the walk down the aisle. Being the most levelheaded of the Kardashian clan she has kept Scott at a distance. She does don't believe he has changed his partying ways and while her sisters have both married, Kourtney has not shown an interest. Kourtney has put her focus on her two children and the DASH clothing stores.She has been the subject of tabloid headlines for her and Scott's rocky relationship, her great pregnancy style and the fact that she delivered both her child herself. Scott has been the bad guy in the press. People have said he is a mean boyfriend, a bad father, spoiled, lazy, no good, a moocher and dangerous when he drinks. Fans even started a petition for Kourtney to leave him. Kourtney is reasoning her two children wonderfully, but in reality she has three children, because she is raising Scott.

Her sister, Kim can now use her pregnancy and childbirth advice with her first child expected in July 2013. While Kim was already in the headlines for her divorce drama and new relationship with Kanye West she added more with her pregnancy. Kim is still married to Kris Humphries, but the divorce is expected to have been settled before the birth. Kim has not followed Kourtney's pregnancy style and has been bullied for her choices. Many are sitting back to see if Kim will be selfish like her mother or put her child first like Kourtney has with her children. Only time will tell who she will take after.

The diaries of Robert Kardashian, the late ex-husband of Kris Jenner have been released by his third wife. The tabloid magazine, In Touch released parts of the diary in their weekly magazine and have released the diaries in full for a special collector's edition. The writings are very damaging to Kris Jenner and paint her in a very poor light during the final year or so of the couple's marriage around 1989-1990. The works accused her of child abuse and child neglect. There are multiple times she is accused of coming home drunk. Robert also accused Kris of having affairs during this time. Kris has said that she did have an affair with soccer player Todd Waterman and that it caused the divorce. Robert's kids have admitted that the diaries exist, but are very angry at the release. A lawsuit has been fired against Ellen Parsons Kardashian for compensation of over $500,000. They do not want her to make any money from these writings. After all they do paint their mother in a terrible light. The question is are they angry that the diaries have been released or do they see is as a way to add money to their bank accounts?

Kim Kardashian made money and kept her name in headlines concerning her 72 day marriage to NBA player, Kris Humphries. The whole drama started in December 2010 when the couple started dating. The engagement was announced in May 2011 and the wedding took place on August 20, 2011. On Halloween day, October 31, 2011 Kim filed for divorce. In less than a year the romance had come and gone. Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event, a two night special on E! Network aired on October 9th and 10th, 2011.

The wedding itself was event. It reportedly cost $10 million, but most of that was covered by the vendors. The broadcast brought in over 5 million viewers and gave the vendors the perfect way to get more business. The actual cost to the Kardashian family is unknown. It was reported that Kim made around $8 million for the wedding, Meaning that bride may have made money on the big day instead of spent money on the big day like most brides.

These days the drama is far from over for the former couple. Kris has fought the divorce filing wanting Kim to be charged with fraud to annul the marriage. Kim denies a fraud was committed. The divorce will go to court next month. The drama sounding the whole relationship and break up has kept Kim on the front of magazines and the topic of talk shows. When people think of Kim her sex tape is no longer the first thing they talk about. They talk about her 72 day marriage. This will likely be a part of her legacy and forever be remembered in late night television monologues.

Khloe's marriage to NBA player, Lamar Odom was a ratings winner for the reality series in 2009. Khloe's wedding 30 days after meeting her groom made many people question her judgement. However, Khloe's marriage has made it past the three year mark and is still going strong. (Tabloids have said it is failing, but there is no proof.) This quickie marriage made for great special and the couple's spin off show was a big hit. Compared to her sister's love lives her marriage has been the without drama. The two show their love regularly in public. In the last few years the couple's inability to conceive a child has become a big issue for Khloe. It has put her on the magazine cover, in the spotlight on the reality shows and has been the number one question she is asked in interviews. Many has said it might be because she is not a Kardashian considering both her sisters have conceived easily. Khloe has laughed that off. In the latest spin off series, Kourtney and Kim Take Miami Khloe's infertility was a hot topic. Kourtney even offered to be a surrogate for Khloe. Whether this will happen and play out on their shows is still to be seen.

The youngest members of the Kardashian-Jenner clan Kendall (17) and Kylie (15) have been in the spotlight since the premiere of the family's reality show when they were 12 and 10 respectively. During the first season of the reality show both girls made it clear they have been exposed to a grown up world when they worked the stripper pole located in their parent's bedroom for the cameras. Kendall started modeling at the age of 14 and Kylie started modeling along with Kendall not long after. Kendall does done a few shoots that have caused people to shake their heads when she posed in barely there bikinis. The ultimate question being raised for these two is that have been exposed a very adult and public world at very young ages and how will they turn out? Has their mom, Kris found her latest meal tickets and put them at risk for more money and fame? Only time will tell with this one. One can only hope the girl's father, Bruce will keep them grounded. Both girls are home schooled so that they can put their focus on working.

The family will endorse about anything you can think of. The three sisters have endorsed QuickTrim weight loss, "For Every Body" candles and workout DVDs. Kim has pushed products than her sisters including Shoe Dazzle, Famous Cupcakes, Carl's Jr. and Sketchers.

The younger girls of the family. Kendall and Kylie Jenner have followed in their older half-sister's footsteps promoting an OPI nail polish line and Venus Gillette razors.

The girls other projects including their clothing stores, clothing lines and more are listed above in the Kardashian Brand Products section.

The Kardashians continue to be a driving force in pop culture with all these different aspects of their lives out there for us to see on a daily basis. I will admit that I have watched most of their shows, read the tabloids and do find them interesting. I believe it is the "you can't look away from a train wreck" problem that many people find interesting. I do have problems with some of the things they do and at times wish they would disappear back into the world of the unknown, but part of me is glad I can watch their antics. The negative aspects that they bring with their celebrity makes me feel better about myself daily. Many people have issues with the fact that they are famous for doing nothing. They may not have starred on a scripted television show, recorded music or starred in a blockbuster movie, but they have found ways to become famous. Whether we like it or not the first family of reality television may be here for a long time to come. Please feel free to share your positive and negative thoughts about this family in the comments.