Friday, May 27, 2011

The Kim Kardashian Effect

Kris Humphries averaged 10 points a game for the woeful New Jersey Nets and he's on the cover of People magazine. Reggie Bush went from Heisman trophy winner to media sensation. Miles Austin started out a part time receiver and ended up being the biggest star in Texas. Lamar Odom went from Kobe's sidekick to Khloe's sweetheart. What do these 4 athletes have in common? The Kim Kardashian effect.

Kim Kardashian can make you famous. Whether you're the #2 pick in the NFL draft or a scrub reserve on a bad basketball team having Kim Kardashian on your arm puts you in the spotlight. The glamour queen has such an influence on pop culture her siblings even reap the benefits. Without the buzz surrounding Kim I seriously doubt the exploits of Khloe would warrant her having her own TV show. According to the Nielsen ratings more people watch shows about the Kardashians than watch the nightly news.

Kim Kardashian's impact on the sports world is superficial, but undeniable. Sketchers has her endorsing the same shoe as Joe Montana, Karl Malone, and Wayne Gretzky. ESPN goes out of their way to catch a glimpse of her at sporting events. Beat writers ask ridiculous questions about Kim instead of the team's performance. The trophy girl persona coupled with the superstar status is enough to turn a bench player into a household name. Kris Humphries will never make an all star team, but he might turn out to be just as popular as Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki, or Lebron James. If you stand next to Kim good things can happen to you. What does that say about our society as a whole?

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