The prestigious Commonwealth Club of California, which touts itself as the nation’s oldest and largest public affairs forum and has played host to such luminaries as Martin Luther King, Jr., Bill Gates and FDR, among many, many others, offered up Kim Kardashian West on its program in San Francisco the other week. Yes. There, among topics such as Ebola and the Evacuation of the Peace Corps in Guinea, adjacent to the promo for the appearance of the former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. was the promo for Kim Kardashian West Live! Exclamation point and all.
Tickets ranged from $50 to $220 the day of the event.
The topic was the objectivization of women.
I was … speechless.
That woman’s objectivization was the entire PURPOSE of releasing her sex tape. Did she want to be known for her intellectual capabilities?
Her talent?
Her business acumen?
No.
She WANTED to be famous by being objectifiedand that intimate tape was her vehicle. Her choice.
So does that qualify her to talk about objectivization as a tool for financial success?
Yes.
Does it qualify her to talk about it in any negative way? or from a feminist perspective? as a social issue? as a topic for public affairs (as we define it professionally)?
No.
Has that club lost its ever-lovin’ mind?? I did hear some side chatter, though, that so few tickets were sold they had to move to a smaller venue. Not sure if it’s true or not. I hope it is.
It isn’t as if this is the only sign of the complete decline of any values or even common sense in our nation. We all began seeing signs of THAT a long while ago.
But if you’re still waiting for a sign that the end times are near?
My thoughts? I am sick and tired of the Kardashians!! I mean, what is it exactly that they do except to be in the eye of the media? What “good” do they bring to society? Their daddy once defended OJ. Period. And that, in itself, is disgusting. ( I know, I know, everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but…)
Anyway, getting back to your question, why is the media so fascinated with them? Yes, of course. That’s it. The bottom line is readership and ratings. But what else is it that they DO? What? I don’t hear any answers. Crickets. End of story.
Ugh. Thanks for asking, Carol. I think we’re in agreement on this one, right?
Pathetic, isn’t it? Sex sells as the old adage goes … only now it’s the more vulgar the better. What new lows can be sunk to. Good taste, humility, decorum and manners are such a rarity it’s almost shocking to find them!
I would say “beyond comprehensible”, but it really isn’t. This society has slid into the crapper and continues to go down. The Kardashians aren’t leaving the public eye anytime soon. They have mastered the art of manuipulating the media. Sad and pathetic.
I guess her publicist is trying to help Kim become a performance artist now that she’s jumped the shark for being-famous-for-being-famous (the way the Gabor sisters were famous-for-being-famous in the 1970s)? If I had any belief that Kim could have a critical dimension, I might buy that. I think Lady Gaga makes me believe that her publicity “stunts” are really performance art. But I don’t think I can follow Kim down that path–unless Kim starts reading Continental philosophy on the evils of the hegemony. It’s the publicist trying to “grow” Kim’s public persona into a new dimension. Not buying it.
I think it’s the Commonwealth Club trying to appeal to a different demographic in a poorly thought through way. I don’t think her publicist even knew what the Commonwealth Club is.
I will agree with all of the above comments. I don’t get it either, and I can be pretty shallow. Hope this doesn’t offend anyone, but I heard this great joke. Kim, and her husband Kanye were at the Glastonbury music festival recently. One commentator let his audience know that by saying: “Kim Kardashian and her big ass are at Glasto.” Get it? 😉
That establishment has lost a ton of credibility. But I think they know that. Credibility isn’t what they were after. Money is what this is all about. The Kardashians are a black on to the American way of life. An embarrassment of epic proportions. They need to go away. Alas, I’ve been saying that for way too long, and like a cockroach …they outlast everything. Yup, it’s a sad state of affairs for the Commonwealth Club of California and all the rest of us who have to tolerate this bullshit (that’s French for nonsense).
The Kardashians have been the sign of the decline of civilization to me since I first heard of them. It is so sad that our society wastes so much time and energy caring about anything they do.
The reason they booked her is because there must be an audience for her. That is simply ghastly. Angelina’s rebranding is not real to me, I put her in the same place as so many other useless celebrities. Interesting celebrates need not apply
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My thoughts? I am sick and tired of the Kardashians!! I mean, what is it exactly that they do except to be in the eye of the media? What “good” do they bring to society? Their daddy once defended OJ. Period. And that, in itself, is disgusting. ( I know, I know, everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but…)
Anyway, getting back to your question, why is the media so fascinated with them? Yes, of course. That’s it. The bottom line is readership and ratings. But what else is it that they DO? What? I don’t hear any answers. Crickets. End of story.
Ugh. Thanks for asking, Carol. I think we’re in agreement on this one, right?
We are!
Pathetic, isn’t it? Sex sells as the old adage goes … only now it’s the more vulgar the better. What new lows can be sunk to. Good taste, humility, decorum and manners are such a rarity it’s almost shocking to find them!
I just do not get it. At all.
What?? So bloody cheeky!!
The fact that this public affairs club booked her astonished me.
Carol, Corinne, Beth, Cathy–I agree! It’s way past time for the Kardashians to ride off into the sunset.
I wish they would.
I would say “beyond comprehensible”, but it really isn’t. This society has slid into the crapper and continues to go down. The Kardashians aren’t leaving the public eye anytime soon. They have mastered the art of manuipulating the media. Sad and pathetic.
Seriously true.
I guess her publicist is trying to help Kim become a performance artist now that she’s jumped the shark for being-famous-for-being-famous (the way the Gabor sisters were famous-for-being-famous in the 1970s)? If I had any belief that Kim could have a critical dimension, I might buy that. I think Lady Gaga makes me believe that her publicity “stunts” are really performance art. But I don’t think I can follow Kim down that path–unless Kim starts reading Continental philosophy on the evils of the hegemony. It’s the publicist trying to “grow” Kim’s public persona into a new dimension. Not buying it.
I think it’s the Commonwealth Club trying to appeal to a different demographic in a poorly thought through way. I don’t think her publicist even knew what the Commonwealth Club is.
I will agree with all of the above comments. I don’t get it either, and I can be pretty shallow. Hope this doesn’t offend anyone, but I heard this great joke. Kim, and her husband Kanye were at the Glastonbury music festival recently. One commentator let his audience know that by saying: “Kim Kardashian and her big ass are at Glasto.” Get it? 😉
Oh, I get it!
Pass the spitoon — I think I am going to throw up. Seriously? So glad you pay attention so I don’t have to :)!
That establishment has lost a ton of credibility. But I think they know that. Credibility isn’t what they were after. Money is what this is all about. The Kardashians are a black on to the American way of life. An embarrassment of epic proportions. They need to go away. Alas, I’ve been saying that for way too long, and like a cockroach …they outlast everything. Yup, it’s a sad state of affairs for the Commonwealth Club of California and all the rest of us who have to tolerate this bullshit (that’s French for nonsense).
The Kardashians have been the sign of the decline of civilization to me since I first heard of them. It is so sad that our society wastes so much time and energy caring about anything they do.
If Angelina Jolie can rebrand herself at Mother Teresa then Kim Kardashian gets to become the next Gloria Steinem.
The reason they booked her is because there must be an audience for her. That is simply ghastly. Angelina’s rebranding is not real to me, I put her in the same place as so many other useless celebrities. Interesting celebrates need not apply
Holy….. Shit. That’s all I can think of to say. I think it about sums it up.
Unbelievable. Amazing that they can charge—and get—such fees for the tickets.
Yep, the world’s gone insane.
I can’t stand that entire family…Caitlyn included! they are all nuts if you ask me. I’m getting that app that blocks the mear mention of their name!