Kim Kardashian’s business advice in a new Variety interview caused a firestorm on social media, with even some celebrities calling her out. One of those celebrities is The Good Place star Jameela Jamil. Kardashian’s comments about working hard were seen as out of touch since many other people work hard but did not have the same advantages Kardashian had growing up.
In the Variety cover story about the new series The Kardashians, Kardashian offered “the best advice” for women in business. “Get your f—ing a— up and work. It seems like nobody wants to work these days.” Variety tweeted the comment on its own, giving critics a chance to pounce on Twitter.
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“I think if you grew up in Beverly Hills with super successful parents in what was simply a smaller mansion… nobody needs to hear your thoughts on success/work ethic,” Jamil, who was born in London and worked her way through the British radio industry before persuing acting in Hollywood, tweeted in response to Kardashian’s comment. “This same 24 hours in the day s- is a nightmare. 99.9% of the world grew up with a VERY different 24 hours.”
Jamil also responded to a few followers. “[Kardashian] came up from the mean streets of Beverly Hills with very successful parents/step parents… but in a *much* smaller mansion. A TRUE GRIND. An inspiration. A photoshop icon,” she wrote to one. “Dude if we just took away their photoshop they wouldn’t have what they have,” she wrote to another.
Jamil was hardly the only one disgusted by Kardashian’s words. Many felt that she was belittling all the people who are working hard but still struggle to make ends meet because they don’t have the same advantages Kardashian has. “Wow, this is really something, coming from someone who has benefitted greatly from privilege and generational wealth,” one person tweeted. “If hard work was all it took to get ahead, all of the janitors and retail/childcare workers in my family would be rich.”
A few celebrities also spoke out. “No, I have the best advice, be born into a rich family, get a s— ton of plastic surgery, film and then release an orchestrated sex tape, parlay that planned [notoriety] into a “reality” show exploiting younger sisters and…viola! Easy peasy,” comedian David Cross sarcastically wrote. “Also: be born rich. Really helps,” journalist Soledad O’Brien tweeted. “Kim really squandered all that goodwill she built up by handling her divorce like a grown-up, only to revert to this,” writer Britni Danielle added.
It’s unlikely that Kardashian will respond to the criticism of her Variety quote. In the same interview, she was asked to respond to people who think she is famous just for being famous. “Who gives a f—,” she replied. “We focus on the positive. We work our a-s off. If that’s what you think, then sorry. We just don’t have the energy for that. We don’t have to sing or dance or act; we get to live our lives – and hey, we made it. I don’t know what to tell you.” The Kardashians debuts April 14 on Hulu.
