Barbara Walters didn't pull any punches interviewing the Kardashians on her eponymous 10 Most Fascinating People of 2011 special, which aired Wednesday on ABC.
In a sit-down with Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian and their mom Kris Jenner, the veteran journalist looked back on Kim's initial brush with fame: Her 2007 sex tape with Ray J that stormed the web and made her a household name.
"So, was it a good thing to have done?" Walters asked of the X-rated clip.
"Whatever you do, you might think," Kim, 31, replied, stammering. "I've made mistakes in my life for sure."
Added mom and manager Jenner, 56, of the brouhaha: "It was devastating for the whole family. You cry yourself to sleep for a few nights, then you hire an attorney."
While on break from interviewing the president, Walters leaned in and said, "I need one more interview with you because I'm retiring next year," not realizing her mic was still on.
Are those kinds of requests even ethical? It doesn’t really matter in this situation because according to
E! News, Walters was just joking.
ABC News’ senior vice president, Jeff Schneider, told the website that The View co-host will not be closing the book on her career.
"I just got off the phone with Barbara Walters and she's joked that she's retiring every year since the Clinton administration. This seems like a typical week in the life of Barbara Walters—from interviews with the president of Syria, to the president of the United States, to the Kardashians!!"
Speaking of that Kardashian interview, Walters wasn’t too kind to the reality TV family.
In an interview for her Barbara Walters’ 10 Most Fascinating People of 2011, she tells Kim, Khloe, Kourtney and mom Kris Jenner that, "You don't have any -- forgive me -- any talent!"
No need to ask for forgiveness Barbara, after all it is the simple truth. Catch more from the interview when the special airs on ABC Thursday night.
Steve Jobs might have been the Most Fascinating Person of 2011, according to Barbara Walters on her ABC special last night, but the Kardashians were most definitely the subject of this journalist's most fascinating interview.
At one point, Walters aired a video that gave a bit of background on Kim and her family, focusing for awhile on the 2007 sex tape she starred in with Ray J. A long while. We counted. For some reason, the network aired 24 seconds worth of footage from this tape.
Forget illegal downloads, fellas. Just sit back and watch this ABC-sponsored content now:
Asked if she regretted the video, Kim gave her usual, cliched, mannequin-like answer about how she's made many "mistakes" in her life, only for Kris Jenner to of course jump in and say her daughter has learned from them.
It's true. She's learned how to market her breasts even more.
To Walters' credit, though, she came right out and told the gals they didn't really have any talent, which prompted Khloe to actually admit this, and for Kim to offer up this gem:
Jenner told Walters the experience was "devastating for the whole family and you cry yourself to sleep for a few nights, then you hire a really good attorney and try to make something, you know, better happen."
Something better like a reported $65 million joint income last year -- a number that Jenner wouldn't confirm to Walters -- but it's safe to say the family has profited from Kim's infamous indiscretions and parlayed it into a international brand.
That may not be talent, but it's undeniably good business. Likewise it could be fair to say their 'talent' is the ability to leave audiences wanting more.
Added mom and manager Jenner, 56, of the brouhaha: "It was devastating for the whole family. You cry yourself to sleep for a few nights, then you hire an attorney."
Walters also brought up a frequent complaint about the family and other reality stars: "You don't really act; you don't sing; you don't dance,…You don't have any -- forgive me -- any talent!"
"I think it's more of a challenge for you to go on a reality show, and get people to fall in love with you for being you," Kim mused.
Added Khloe: "None of us think we have talent. none of us think we can sing or act or dance.
