Kim Kardashian Works Harder than You

First off, I think we probably have different definitions of “work”. Technically, I guess Kim is right that she’s “working” by making appearances and promoting…things. And, truly, there aren’t many people that could attract as much attention just by showing up someplace as she does right now at this particular moment in history. I would argue that Kim deserves what she gets paid because she is doing a job that someone finds valuable enough to pay her a stratospheric amount of money for. Let me be clear: SHE DESERVES HER PAY. What I take issue with is her claiming that she “works” harder than most people. She throws down the gauntlet for anyone else to try what she does and see how they do. But, it’s not a fair argument. She’s confusing a celebrity’s idea of “work” with what people in the real world consider work. Let me give you a couple of examples of why she’s so, so wrong and so, so offensive.

Kim Kardashian came to El Paso a couple of years ago to promote the grand opening of a nightclub. She received over $100,000 for a one night appearance. She was given luxury accommodations, air travel and limos for her AND her entourage. The night of the event she was whisked in the back, seated in a VIP area where no “regular people” were allowed anywhere near her. She got on a microphone a couple of times and welcomed the crowd. Not once did she deign to descend from her lofty perch of velvet roped seclusion. As far as I know, she never had to interact with anyone outside her personal circle of hangers-on.

Now…I’m sure from her perspective, she was “working” that entire time. I mean, it must have been so demanding to come to, of all places, El Paso, Texas and have to be in the same room with…ugh…regular people. I’m sure there were many other places that she would rather have been. I’m also sure that there are not many people in the world who could have done so little but still have attracted so many people. Everything that to you and I would have felt like VIP treatment was probably drudgery…that is, “work”…to her.

Showing up to promote a new vodka or a new fashion line or a new book of pictures you took of your own giant ass IS NOT work in the same sense as tarring a roof or working in a steel mill is. This bring me to my next example.

I’ve done both kinds of work. I’ve worked in a factory AND I’ve made paid appearances as a “celebrity”. I think I have a little perspective on this. When I worked in a factory, I didn’t make as much money. I didn’t have ‘fans”. Nobody asked to take a picture with me. The only encouragement I ever got from my bosses was that if I didn’t do a good job there were 100 people who would be glad to take my place. So now when I go out to make an hour-long or two hour appearance I am nothing but grateful…truly grateful…that I can show up, talk a little bit, say hi to people who are exited to meet me, take a few pictures AND GET PAID MORE IN TWO HOURS THAN I USED TO IN TWO WEEKS!! I’m sorry to ALLCAP out on you but it really, really pisses me off when celebrities have such little perspective and self-awareness that they actually think what they do is “harder work” than what millions of Americans do every day.

And here’s the kicker: you know how I said how grateful I am and how I realize that what I do is so much easier than actually working for a living? It’s not even a fraction of a fraction of how awesome Kim Kardashian has it. Her payday is so much bigger, her level of comfort is so much higher and her level of adulation is so much greater it makes me look like a guy busting rocks in a gravel pit for 2 dollars a day.

So, yeah, Kim you work so hard and you challenge “regular” people to do what you do. I challenge you to do what they do, and for the same pay. Give it a shot. I DARE you! One day would be enough to make you grateful for the rest of your life.