Kendall Jenner: My ‘family name’ didn’t start my career, ‘I worked hard’

Kendall Jenner

Kendall Jenner is still basking in the glow of her Estee Lauder contract that was annouced over the weekend. The reactions to Kendall’s new gig were mixed, but that’s good for the brand. Kendall’s name and likeness stir up a buzz, and that’s in the interest of any cosmetic company. Teens find Kendall influential, and she’s already helped Estee Lauder’s Instagram page score an extra 50,000 followers in only a few days.

Kendall sat down with Nightline to talk about her modelling career. She insists that the Kardashian-Jenner namesake did not win her any built-in connections in fashion. I sort of agree with her. If Kendall didn’t have “the look,” she wouldn’t be on runways. But in the case of many brands, Kendall’s preexisting KUWTK fanbase matters to create buzz. Here are some interview excerpts:

On nepotism: “I’m not trying to use a family name or anything. In reality I worked pretty hard for this … It wasn’t like I just got it magically and it just happened.”

On wearing a sheer top for Marc Jacobs: “Who’s going to argue with Marc Jacobs when he’s putting you in an outfit, you know what I mean? It was an amazing moment. And I do not regret it.”

On “banning” Kim from her runway gigs: “It was more of a mutual understanding. I remember getting a phone call from Kim … ‘I just wanted to let you know, I just got an invite to the Marc show. I don’t think it’s a good idea that I go. Do you agree?’ And I was like, ‘I completely agree’ … She obviously is who she is, and it would’ve almost taken the attention away from me.”

Kendall wants to be an idol: “I would just always be looking at these supermodels who were just so amazing to me. They were like superheroes. … They were magical. … I want to be some little girl’s superhero. I want to be, I want to be the best role model I can be to a little girl or to a little boy or to anybody.”

On Kris & Bruce’s divorce: “It sucked, but it’s not– I try to think of it as it’s not the worst thing that could have happened. I still am so close with both my dad and my mom. Nothing has really changed, except for the fact that now my dad lives on a beach, which is awesome. That’s not that bad … everybody’s happy.”

On online criticism: “I don’t feel the need, you know what I mean? Let them do what they want to do. Let them sit behind a computer and write stupid things about a young girl and make her feel bad about herself. I think it’s cruel and it’s evil.”

She’s not worried: “Why would you ever want to live your life like that? So like, just traumatized, by what everybody is saying about you? If you just ignore it and go on and you’re like, ‘I know what’s real.’ My family, my friends, they know what’s real. So what else, why does that matter?”

[From ABC News]

Kendall makes several decent points, especially about her critics. People criticize her all the time online, and she has the right attitude about it. She is still a young girl (at age 19), and people tear her down … why? Because she’s part of the Kardashian-Jenner Klan. Kendall isn’t perfect. She acts bratty sometimes when she’s off-duty, but we haven’t heard any reports of her lack of professionalism. Give the girl a chance. Her fellow models should give it a rest too.

Here’s the clip of Kendall’s Nightline appearance.

Kendall Jenner

Photos courtesy of WENN

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162 Responses to “Kendall Jenner: My ‘family name’ didn’t start my career, ‘I worked hard’”

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  1. Totes says:

    I am sick of this homely girl.

    They have really gassed this girl up into thinking she’s Kate Moss but she’s not.

    • SkinnyFatHunnam says:

      Kate Moss? This girl will be over in a couple of years; Kate’s a classic.

    • Jedward says:

      This family lies more than they breathe

      • Doris says:

        I agree with you 100%. She is pretty but doesn’t really have the “it” factor that the Supermodels usually have. Family name, reality show and connections opened ALL the doors for her. I still can’t believe Estee Lauder is using her as a their model/spokeperson. I use their products and this girl definetely does not represent the Lauder culture, I am moving to Clinique. Lol.

      • Harryg says:

        Doris, Estee Lauder owns nearly every cosmetics company! How about Burt’s Bees? 🙂

    • BooBooLaRue says:

      I read “Kendall wants to be an ‘idiot;” et voila!

    • Ashley says:

      you’re all serious trolls! How can you say she’s anything but a beautiful girl? Homely?! Come ON. Kate Moss may have a mysterious “it” factor but I certainly think Kendall Jenner deserves more respect as a human being at this point. That could change, but I think she has a good head on her shoulders and a very versatile look.

      • Chem says:

        I think kendall already answer to this criticism above:
        “I don’t feel the need, you know what I mean? Let them do what they want to do. Let them sit behind a computer and write stupid things about a young girl and make her feel bad about herself. I think it’s cruel and it’s evil.”

        At the end, she is the one winning. Funny that they read her thoughts about online criticism and how she feels and they keep doing it.

  2. elisabeth says:

    I’m sorry but I don’t believe that her name didn’t get doors opened for her that normally wouldn’t be…just no.

    • Mrs. Wellen Melon says:

      Her connections saved her a lot of time. Without them, she would not yet have the FB and Twitter followers and, therefore, the EL gig.

      • Lucy2 says:

        Exactly. If she manages to stay in the business, then that is due to her and her work, but to pretend she got there on her own is ridiculous.

      • Someonestolemyname1 says:

        Exactly her family connections got her BIG Agent,Management group behind her to push her.
        She is delusional, BEAUTIFUL, but delusional if she thinks her mom and family and E! Network connections didn’t open up doors for her.

        Why is she being so defensive, she should just sit back and enjoy the ride.
        Loads of hollywood kids get jobs because of their connections.

        If she were just some young model starting out, she’d be doing Catalogue weekend paper inserts for Local stores, working her way up.

    • Size Does Matter says:

      Yeah, she can sell that line to Tori Spelling. But I do believe she hustles now after it got her in the door.

    • TX says:

      It’s not that I don’t think she works hard- she may. But what celeb kids fail to realize is their name opened the door- which is the hardest part.

      • L&Mmommy says:

        I don’t think Kendall realize how many beautiful and tall girls like herself are trying to get into modeling that will never make it or if they do will never be given the opportunities that she got. She is successful because of her looks, hard work AND the Kardashian-Jenner name. I mean she got an EL contract and she hasn’t even been a hardcore model for a year. WAH? She got the opportunity because of her family name recognition. Let’s not kid ourselves Kendall.

      • word says:

        @ L&M

        This is what Kim and Kendall have in common. They can’t admit how they really got their success. Kim through a sex tape, and Kendall through her family name and Kanye’s connections. Most models have to sleep in tiny apartments with 5 room mates…Kendall is currently living in Kanye’s luxurious apartment in NYC ! She gets picked up in a nice car and taken to wherever she needs to be. Most new models take the damn subway. This girl has no clue what real hard work is. She has had most things handed to her. People would like the Kardashian/Jenner clan more if they were just honest and owned up to their easy lives. Just say “yeah I know being a Jenner and related to Kim and having Kanye’s connections helped me get to where I am”. Is that so hard to admit Kendall ?

      • Sabrine says:

        So what she got in because of her name? She had 15 Million followers before she even signed on and now 50,000 more have signed on to EL’s Instagram. That’s the whole idea. They’re not going to hire a nobody. She’s young and a breath of fresh air for the company. Whether she stays in will be up to her and how hard she works. She seems like a nice girl and she rarely gets into trouble with drink or drugs. People want to tear her down probably out of jealousy judging by the catty comments on here, but I think she’s going to do just fine.

      • Falkor says:

        @Sabrine
        “So what she got in because of her name?”
        She denies what you said right there. She says she got “in” without the help of her last name and that’s a lie. This is why people are giving her the bitch please side-eye.

    • Erinn says:

      Yeah, she’s naive to think her name didn’t get her the opportunity. She had the connections, and she had the money to be able to engulf herself in fashion from a young age.

      But – I would like her to succeed at something that involves work. If she can manage to stay in that line of work, and make a little living for herself, that’d be great. I know everyone hates everything to do with this family, but you know, that’s kind of a sucky attitude to automatically have with the younger girls. They’re still young enough to do something differently, and hopefully they will. I might not be holding my breath for it, but it’d be nice to see ya know?

      • Someonestolemyname1 says:

        If she can work at modeling for a decade and branch it out into other areas more power to her. She’s beautiful, she’s young and she should take the opportunities, but she is delusional to think her connections didn’t help her.
        Modeling is work, IMO. It’s not just showing uo and looking pretty, takes discipline, keeping schedules, working with clients. It’s a branch of advertising really, except you as a model are the seller of yourself.

        I don’t see the problem with her working as a model and I think it’s a good career if the girls handle it like a business and realize it’s not going to go one forever and branch out into other things.

        The problem is she is delusional in thinking that her family connections didn’t open up doors for her, of course it did. She would be doing local LA catalogue inserts, if she wasn’t a Kardashian, E! Network connected commodity.

      • Sabrine says:

        You’re not reading what I wrote. I said of course she got in because of her name and that’s not a bad thing. If she says otherwise, she’s being careful not to gloat or sound braggy…what do you expect her to say? “Yes, I got in because of my name.”

    • doofus says:

      agree…and as the article says, if she didn’t have the look, she wouldn’t get work, but she shouldn’t pretend that the door didn’t open because of who she was.

      it’s funny, I was thinking about this one compared to another sister of a famous person who wanted to be a model…one Ali Lohan. The Lohan name got her a bit of attention but after that?…I’ve never seen her on a runway or being announced as the new face of a major cosmetics brand. because she didn’t have IT and Jenner does.

      same reason that some kids of actors/actresses get work and continue to work (Kate Hudson) and why some get some initial work and then go NOWHERE (Rumer Willis).

      • OriginalTessa says:

        We had very similar thoughts, doofus. Celeb spawn and siblings can only go so far on the name. They have to actually have the goods to stick around. Some do, most don’t.

      • Kitten says:

        Precisely, Doofus, you nailed it again. I do think she’s very pretty and has a model-y look. The problem for me is that she looks like SO many other young aspiring models.
        As pretty as she is, there is simply nothing unique about her.

      • doofus says:

        Kitten, I agree on her look. she is pretty and can do the model-thing well, but she does look like so many others.

        that’s why when you see someone like Giselle, or Cara Delvigne, or Linda Evangelista, they stand out because (yes, they’re beautiful, but…) they have a different look from a “run of the mill” model.

      • OriginalTessa says:

        I think she has a very wholesome/girl-next-door kind of quality. She’ll probably do Victoria’s Secret soon.

    • OriginalTessa says:

      A better thing for her to start saying would be, “I know my name opened the door, but I’m busting my butt every day to keep it open.”

      She works hard, no doubt. She’s been working and travelling and walking in a ton of shows. None of that is easy. And not every child or sister of famous people makes it. They have to prove themselves. Kendall, strangely, is killing it with this modeling thing. She’s actually good at it, unlike Lindsay Lohan’s sister, or Alec Baldwin’s daughter. Kendall is the real deal.

    • Pandy says:

      Of course her name opened doors. I see girls who could model walking by me on the streets and in the malls all the time. Ken-doll is pretty, no doubt about it, but she’s just not that interesting to look at, so yes, it IS her name that opened doors. She’s free publicity for a designer. Her Estee Lauder contract does not inspire me to buy Estee products. I resent being sold cosmetics and creams by a teenager, you know (by any brand). And so what if she got EL more FB followers. Teenagers can’t afford EL products so really, what’s the use of social media followers by Ken-doll’s fanbase? It won’t translate into $$ at the registers.

    • Moohoo says:

      She is a pretty girl. But there are thousands of pretty girls and many work as hard as, if not harder than her and have none of her family advantages. What sets her apart, is her name and, as a result, the number of followers she has on social media. This is why she got the deal, not because she is a hard worker.

    • Christo says:

      AGREED totally. If you look at the countless examples on an anecdotal level as well as some of the more detailed studies on income/wealth distribution, you will find time and time again that the children who are assisted by their parents financially end up further ahead than those who do not. What you will find is that most of the people that struggle at the bottom remain at the bottom. And, especially in the current economy which emboldens and solidifies the 1%, most opportunities increasingly are the direct result of the wealth, nepotism, sexual relationships, and the influence of parents.

      Look at all the singers, actors, politicians, moguls of today (Kate Hudson, Chelsea Clinton, Jaden Smith, Willow Smith, Ronan Marow, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston…and the list goes on). I would challenge you to find 5 people who didn’t inherit their wealth or had their parents pay for their college tuition, car, home, inheritance, etc. Typically, the first generation to have fame/stardom/money will burn out with all the pressure to do so (Amanda Bynes, Lindsey Lohan, Justin Bieber) without having any base of financial/emotional support afforded them by their parents. Granted, there are the rarities such as Oprah and Steve Jobs.

      For the most part, these mythological “bootstraps” types that many cling to are a relic of a simpler time when the US had a certain mix of opportunism in a New World, where the industrial revolution and booming Post WW2 capitalism were to take hold. Sadly, such opportunities have reached a critical mass.

      As much as a side-eye every single thing that Pimp Mama Kris does, she has certainly harnessed whatever questionable talents her children have to ride the social media/reality bandwagon to an economical useful end for her family.

    • MG says:

      I hear her say “I work hard” and Kim says that all the time too, and I just wonder what does “working hard” mean for this privledged family. I doubt they really know what “working hard” means. Kim talked about that fact that she films 15 hours a day for her show. Umm, they are filming your “real life” of getting all dolled up for hours to go and meet a friend for lunch and go shopping. This is her life. Maybe I’m oversimplifying, she does travel a lot and that can be exhausting, but c’mon, these people have no idea.

      • Eve says:

        I agree with your comment and I must say I am also puzzled on what they do that is sooo hard. I think they think that if they keep saying they work so hard all the time then the public will take them seriously as “business women” and not the underprivileged airheads they are.

        As for Kendall, I think she is pretty and has the model requirements needed but I remember this one episode at KUWTK that aired few years ago when Kendall expressed to her mother Kris that she suddenly wanted to become a model and Kris right away called her connections at some of the best modeling agencies and instantly her mother got her a modeling contact with Wilhelmina models agency and a Forever 21 campaign. So basically Kendall only had to ask and Kris and the K brand opened the doors to the modeling world with the VIP treatment, something that the average aspiring model could never experience or even imagine.

        In another episode, Kim herself to Kendall to New York and hired some of the best people in the modeling industry to photograph and catwalk train Kendall, while Kendall herself was acting a little like a spoil brat not wanting to do it.

      • Eve says:

        There is no shame in having connections to boost your career opportunities, who does not want that or take advantage of that themselves but there is not point denying something so obvious, especially when it has been filmed and televised, Kendall!

  3. Loopy says:

    It is very naive of her to really think that and I don’t think she does, but I am sure she can’t just say ‘Yes I got all these deals because of my family’ I mean who would? And they give Kendall a hard time but don’t ever mention Cara who was shoved down everyone’s throat until we were convinced she is the next Kate Moss,she too got here through connections and an elaborate scheme to promote and make her A list.

    • Charlie says:

      She could say: “I know my name opened some doors, but I had to work hard, too.” That would be enough. But all of these celebrity kids with famous parents and little talent pretend it’s all them, like they would be where they are even if their parents weren’t who they are, which is simply not true.

      • Jackson says:

        Exactly. Getting a foot in the door, getting a look from someone important, is THEE hardest part of starting out. She fails to acknowledge it as do other celebrity children. It’s grating. Sorry, Kendall, there are at least a few thousand other special snowflakes out there who are more striking than you and who are working harder than you just to get a look from a lower tier designer. You just had the good luck of being born into your ridiculous family. Until she acknowledges that, I have zero interest in ‘giving the girl a chance.’ It will be a good day when the media stops covering this entire family.

  4. Eleonor says:

    She is not the first celebrity “sister-daughter of” if she can build a decent career I am ok with that. I think her name opened some door, she can bring publicity and attention, but to get gig after gig she has to work.

  5. SkinnyFatHunnam says:

    Oh please, she’s only 19 and she thinks she’s worked hard? Her sister and name got,her where she is. Personally, I don’t see a supermodel in her at all. She’s your average girl.

  6. Micha says:

    thing is though, she does not have the look.

    • Jenna says:

      I agree. She’s pretty and has a nice body, sure, but there is nothing about her face that would make me stop and look twice if I saw her on the street. I’m sure she is working hard but there is no doubt her family name is what let her get started.

  7. Jess says:

    Ha, that’s funny. She may work hard but her family name gave her a huge head start, please.

  8. Tiffany27 says:

    Why is she on Nightline?

    • whatevs says:

      That is exactly what I was coming to say!! I don’t watch Nightline (too late for me lol), but I thought they were a news show and not a gossip show. Did I miss something? 😱

      • Kitten says:

        Shows like Nightline and 20/20 have been trending towards tabloid-y shit now for years. Sad.

        Dateline is still bomb though.

    • HappyMom says:

      Seriously. And why did the NYT interview those ridiculous Smith offspring? Ugh.

    • zinjojo says:

      Exactly! Nightline, what happened to you? You used to be a news program (and a hard hitting one at that) and now Kardashian-Jenner interviews? Wow, must be trolling for ratings now.

  9. Allie says:

    I don’t want to give her a chance. Her name and connections definitely gave her these opportunities, not her “hard work”. Now, if she didn’t have the “look” of a model, (aka she was short and bigger), I’m sure her connections would have given her a different opportunity, like TV, music or movies. I know nepotism happens everywhere, but that doesn’t mean I have to be ok with it. I had to get my job the old fashion way, so I’m not going to cheer for some uneducated teenage brat because she has some critics who don’t think she deserves her millions. That waitress story still makes my blood boil. Also, its too early in the morning, so sorry I sound cranky!

  10. minx says:

    IMO she is average looking. And my daughter is 4 years younger than KJ and speaks more coherently.

  11. perplexed says:

    I thought what she said in reality came across more reasonably than the interpretation in the headline posted. I do think she’s benefitted from her family name, but what she actually said sounds much different and softer than the headline which interpreted her words.

  12. Kara says:

    “it would have taken the attention away from me”

    If you are simply a working model, why would you care?

    The more I hear from this girl, the more I don’t like her attitude. She thinks very highly of herself.

    • Loopy says:

      I also found that statement odd, she should have said the show/clothes not HER. Unless your a mega supermodel the only focus on the runway is suppose to be the clothes.

  13. BeckyR says:

    Define “hard”.

  14. Dena says:

    Bullshit. If it weren’t for her momanager & her sister & the show, she wouldn’t have even gotten off of the runways at the local mall. She may work hard when she is working but the ground was ploughed for her. Her response is typical of the type of inherited (often ingrained) privilege some people refuse to see. Born on 2nd or 3rd yet feels she hit a double or triple.

  15. greenmonster says:

    The correct answer would be “Yes my family name opened doors for me, but I work hard to stay where I am or to get even further.”

    • whatsmyname? says:

      That’s all she needs to say and no one would argue with it.

    • noway says:

      You win perfect response you should be her publicist.

      The only thing about a lot of these sisters, brothers and just entitled kids of the rich and famous is they seem so sure in their knowledge. I can give Kendall the Smith kids and others a pass for being so young and naive about the reality of others, but it still bugs me a bit. Her definition of hard work and nepotism and mine are obviously two different things. We will see as they get older what happens.

    • NewWester says:

      Exactly

    • Jana says:

      Exactly this.

    • Charlie says:

      I didn’t see your post, I wrote the same thing above.
      The only people I ever heard say something like that were Brendan Gleeson’s sons, who are very talented and and I actually believe they would have made it by themselves.

      • SpookySpooks says:

        Did they say that? That makes me live Brandan even more, and you’re right, his kids are actually talented.

  16. GoodNamesAllTaken says:

    Of course her name opened doors for her. It’s silly to say otherwise.

    She doesn’t bother me, but I find it sad that young girls look to models as superheroes or role models. Because they’re famous (for 30 seconds) tall and thin? How very admirable. I guess it’s no worse than boys worshipping sports stars because they can throw a ball, but it would be refreshing to see young people admire someone for their brains or the good they do in the world.

    • Lucy2 says:

      That bothered me as well, but given her upbringing I can’t say I’m surprised. Maybe if she had been allowed to stay in school, she would’ve found role models worth following.

    • LahdidahBaby says:

      Exactly, GNAT.

  17. NewWester says:

    Does anyone get the vibe that there is a little jealousy going on between Kim and Kendall? For someone who has grown up in the spotlight she is coming across not very media savvy. PMK did not get that lesson across

    • Adrien says:

      She’s just young.

    • snowflake says:

      No I dont think so. In the article, kendall says kim didnt come to her show b/c it would take attention away from kendall. kim might be jealous because she couldnt be a model, but I think she loves Kendall and it doesnt sound like she’ taking it out on her. if kim was, she would have gone to the show intentionally to take the focus off kendall and put it on her.

    • Heather says:

      I think you hit on something NewWester regarding the jealousy thing …on a recent episode of KUWTK (yes, I watch it!) Kim announced she got the cover of Vogue. It was the one where it was she, Kanye and the baby. Her sisters were all un-supportive and eye-roll-y about it, but NONE MORE THAN Kendall. It was pathetic actually, Kendall looked at Kim like she wanted to kill her. And the look on Kendall’s face said “b&tch, I am the real model, it should have been MEEE!” Honestly, I started to dislike her in that moment. Anyone who would not be happy for their sister is a self-centered witch that I just can’t tolerate. And incredibly immature and jealous.

  18. Emma - the JP Lover says:

    “I’m not trying to use a family name or anything. In reality I worked pretty hard for this … It wasn’t like I just got it magically and it just happened.”

    Hey, good on Jendall, but she should ‘own’ the advantage she had in her career instead of making it seem like those other ‘losers’ are just mad and jealous because she had more talent and drive than them and was able to make it when they didn’t have ‘it.’

    Kendall may have ‘the look,’ but so do hundreds of other young girls who can’t just drop out of school to be chauffeured around to pursue their dream. Other girls didn’t have the luxury of going to celebrity events based upon nothing other than their family name nor did they have a pushy celebrity stage mother making deals at celebrity events and other venues. Other young girls won’t even–if ever–be able to make it through the door at a modeling agency or will sit forever in the waiting room with hundreds of other talented girls with ‘the look.’ Kendal’s name and her family’s notoriety got her through the door and past a seat in the waiting room, not her hard work or ‘the look.’

    • Kitten says:

      Exactly and I said something similar above. How many aspiring models are there out there? I mean, it’s an incredibly competitive industry. Why not just admit that she used every advantage she had?

  19. Nya says:

    Please child. Modeling these days has nothing at all to do with talent, and everything to do with name recognition and social media (see also: Cara Delevigne). Sure, she’s a pretty good model, but if she was just some nobody from Iowa with 20 Twitter followers she’d be nothing. Her name is the ENTIRE reason she got to where she is.

  20. Adrien says:

    Sure, whatever. Kendall won’t even standout in a sea of Robert Palmer’s Simply Irresistible models. Pretty girl, but not intimidatingly pretty. She’s more actress looking than modelesque, like Kate Upton. At least Kate Upton has sex appeal. You can say Giselle is equine looking but that woman has an unreachable quality to her looks.
    You know I’d rather see her on the ramp and editorials than Suki Pricewater or Cara Delevigne. I just don’t get those British gals.

  21. Kat says:

    Yes, this is a gossip site but I don’t get what’s fun about trashing a 19-year old on-line at 8am. Kendall is beautiful.

    • Alexis says:

      Consider frequenting sites other than gossip sites if this sort of thing bothers you.

      • snowflake says:

        okay, so if we dont like it, go somewhere else? no, dont have to. kat has the right to express her opinion just like people have the right to post bitchy comments. i hate it when people say go somewhere else, why, cause we don’t agree with the party line? it’s called freedom of speech. so if someone doesn’t agree with the majority, they have to go somewhere else? uh, no, that’s rude to say

      • NeNe says:

        @snowflake:

        ++++++++++++++++1

        BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Jenny says:

      Uh, because she’s part of the worst family ever? It’s not like she shies away from the spotlight like her brother (Brody). She is an active participant in infecting the world with the Kardashian/Jenner virus.

    • Darlene says:

      Agreed. She is beautiful. She’s kidding herself about her name not getting her anything in life, but she’s beautiful and no one should bash her.

    • snowflake says:

      exactly. yeah her name did help, but cmon. how many people have gotten jobs through connections and then claim they didn’t? what is she supposed to say? obviously, if she didn’t have the look, she wouldn’t be walking the runway, otherwise, kim would be. social media presence counts in this day and age, all the money shes made off utilizing social media and taking pictures. I feel for kendall because I’m sure models are catty enough to other models, throw in a model with a famous family like Kendall and I’m sure they really gave her hell. Yes, her family name helped but don’t think she hasn’t gone through hell because of her family name too. she seems like an okay girl to me, certainly not justin bieber level of entitlement, I think people should give her a break.

      • caitrin says:

        I have no interest in giving this bratty, spoiled, self centered girl a break, maybe partly b/c her whole life has been a series of just that: lucky breaks. She has a self entitled air that many children born into extraordinary privilege possess, and the few scraps of interviews/ stories about her I’ve seen do nothing to make me warm to this girl in the slightest. (That story about her outrageous rudeness to a waitress–I was one myself for 4 years–still makes my blood boil. ) But it is her outright delusional lie that her family name and family connections did not help her get where she is that makes me dislike her most: a gracious, intelligent young woman would *acknowledge*that, yes, she got initial jobs due to her family. Unlike Kendall, a girl w some sense of both reality and humility might add that, nonetheless, she wouldn’t have gotten those first huge jobs and contract if she hadn’t had inherent talent–or the right looks–for them, too, and that she is currently working as hard as any other established model at her job. If she would just simply *admit* she would NOT be where she got so fast if not for her family, I would be fine w her—but the fact she chooses to lie, instead, makes her seem too much like Kim, who I can’t stand. Granted, she’s much younger, and might change/improve w experience and time, but right now I see no reason to cut her any slack: her attitude is simply too arrogant and disingenuous and deluded. Plus, though she’s clearly pretty, a dozen years ago I did some minor modeling, and there were many girls *much* prettier/ more striking/more memorable than this forgettable, interchangeable looking one, who were struggling to get Sears catalogue jobs, jobs at all. There is simply NO way this bland girl would have gotten an EL contract if not for her family and the resulting social media fame it has garnered her. For her to pretend otherwise is offensive to actual struggling models.

    • Kat says:

      @snowflake Totally agree!

  22. Decorative Item says:

    None of them would be anywhere if it wasn’t for their father. Just like the Hilton’s, if it wasn’t for name recognition no one would care who was pissing on them.

    • Mzizkrizten says:

      Their father? As in Robert Kardashian? Pfft. Their fan base is too young to know anything about OJ and Nicole Brown. No one cares who their father is. Nor is their fan base interested in an Olympian from the 80s. WTmotherF are you talking about?!

      • Decorative Item says:

        Of course their family name got them famous. Everyone knows their father in California, (he had tons of connection) and the entertainment industry thanks to OJ. And, just like the Hilton s, people like to see inside the lives of the rich and famous. Their fan base has developed over the years to be young people, because adults mostly know better, but they got their start through name recognition.
        WTF you talkin about?

      • Denise says:

        Right. Kris totally would have got the E! show if they weren’t Kardashians with Bruce Jenner as new dad.

    • MinnFinn says:

      Decorative-You’re so right.

      Wealthy celeb lawyer dad had the money, right house in the right neighborhood and connections that enabled Kim to become friends with Paris Hilton and Kris to hobnob with Beverly Hills set. Those beginnings all thanks to RK are exactly why they have their show et al today.

  23. Mzizkrizten says:

    Honestly, all she gets because of her family is hate. And how can anyone say she is homely?! She is gorgeous, head to toe.

    • snowflake says:

      Yes, 100%. i sense a lot of jealousy. yes, i said it jealousy! i think she’s gorgeous

    • me says:

      She is pretty that is very true. But she needs to be more honest and stop telling people she got to where she is on her own. That is false.

      @ snowflake – there may be some who are jealous but the majority of people have many legitimate reasons not to like this family.

  24. Talie says:

    Her name and Kanye’s connections helped her jump up the line a bit, but Karl Lagerfeld would not have cast her in favor to Kanye. He doesn’t deal with him. Like most models today, her social media presence is what drives her success in a big way.

  25. Anna says:

    Wow! she really has her head in the clouds. She may have convinced herself that she worked hard and did this on her own……but sorry honey, you are where you are mainly due to your last name. Luckily for her, she will never have to experience true struggles to get something. Her family name will open doors for her that others never have the opportunity to dream of.
    Thats the reality, just embrace, and work your ass off to prove yourself.

  26. Birdie says:

    These kids think they are God’s gift. She doesn’t know what hard work is, her connections brought her where she is. She had to do tests, but who brought her to the tests? Exactly, connections.

    • Chrissy says:

      Agree, Birdie. She never paid her dues and her connections allowed her to jump the queue! She looks spoiled and foolish for not acknowledging this

  27. PoppyBlack says:

    No one is saying that Kendall didn’t work for it. However, it’s because of her name and family connections that she has gotten these opportunities. It’s disingenuous for her to claim otherwise. Kendall may have a great work ethic but that’s not why she got this contract. This attitude so common among privileged people they never wan’t to admit that they got help.

    Kendall looks the same in every photo. She’s not a high fashion model for print or runway.

  28. Hideyocomments says:

    I find most egregious about this girl’s story is that all she aspires to be, with such wealth and privilege is a… model? A supermodel? An icon? Someone to look up to? Someone everyone pays attention to. Ugh.

    Thank god, my beautiful daughter, doesn’t give two hoots about this girl or any other vacuous celebutart on the ‘net. She probably doesn’t even know this girl’s face or name. And I pray that most of the young female population gives her a passing side eye as they head off to college to become doctors, scientists, engineers, teachers, researchers, social workers, hell be a damn good parent and keep an excellent home for your family, that is a wonderful goal too. But don’t aspire to be a model, and think that is working hard and hope that the best thing you’re remembered for is that you walked up and down a platform as a dressed up doll, starved yourself, stayed up too late so that you could make it to all the “right parties”, and then cried yourself to sleep on countless nights because random strangers say sh*t about you online. Yah, that’s living the dream, girl.

    SHeesh.

    • Onthefly says:

      This. x20001010982 times 🙂

    • Chrissy says:

      Thank you…. This girl should be in college not talking such crap. Why should anyone consider this semi-literate, spoiled brat someone to look up to and consider a success in the bigger scheme of things? SMH

    • Jackson says:

      Great post.

    • Green Is Good says:

      I stand and clap, Hideoyo!

    • snowflake says:

      I give Kendall props for working hard. Yes, her connections helped her but they probably also hindered her too. You might not have respect for models but at least shes working and earning her own money. There are plenty of rich kids that don’t work, at least she is.

    • Josefa says:

      What’s the problem with wanting to model? If I had the body and face I’d love to make some money out of it while I’m still young. I’ve always loved the fashion industry and the job is more or less travelling the world wearing pretty clothes. I can see why so many women would aspire to that.

      But I guess the difference most women would probably move onto something else after that. I don’t really see Kendall going to college once her modeling career is over. Which will be pretty soon considering how disposable models are.

    • vauvert says:

      Best comment on this thread. With all the opportunities available, instead of asking for tuition to an Ivy League university and actually becoming a role model in a worthwhile career, all she aspires to is modeling, and even that is accomplished because her mom called the right people to sign her up to be a model. Hate her? No, I feel sorry for the young women who aspire to be her. Because other than being a pretty illiterate born in a rich family whose biggest struggle is to get up, eat what the chef cooked, dress in stuff the maid washed, get in a car that is chauffeur driven to show up and sit in a chair to be made up and coiffed, what else does she do?

      As far as Lauder goes, I never bought their products. I buy small, natural, organic brands that are being made in the States and Canada and which are sold based on ingredients and results, not on a “celebrity” endorsing the products, but that’s just me. I know Lauder doesn’t want my business, because I am not a KKK Twitter/Instagram follower. I hold a grad degree, own a home, manage a team of good people and actually earn a living, so definitely not their desired customer:-)

  29. nk868 says:

    other than wintour putting “deeply tasteless” kim on the cover it seems like the kardashians have ZERO credibility/power in the fashion industry and are laughed at more than anything. maybe her name/social media presence due to her family’s fame helped her get where she is, but if anything i would have thought her sisters would have hurt her chances of having a successful (legitimate) modeling career

  30. Eleonor says:

    I am going to throw a bomb: even Angelina Jolie Angelica Houston and Jane Fonda come from a famous family but no one is blaming them for their family connections, and the way they were helped at the beginning.

    • Jenny says:

      Have they ever acted like they totally got to where they were on their own?

    • Courtney says:

      Those women have long careers to back them up. And I don’t think anyone would deny that all of them got a serious leg up due to their names/family.

    • Kitten says:

      If Kendall starts contributing the same amount of time, money, and energy into humanitarian efforts that Jolie has, I will take everything I said back.
      How’s that?

  31. scout says:

    I like her, different from K’s and prefers to be around Jenner clan.

  32. Sam H xx says:

    It’s as simple as this: Kendall’s career only started because of her BIL Kanye West. As for longevity in a fickle yet shallow industry then she can say she truly worked hard to stay in the business as long as possible couple of years down the line.

    I still can’t shake off the story about her throwing money in that waitress’s face. Looks like her camp was threatening to sue as an intimidation and bullying technique.

  33. Avalita says:

    Kendall probably walked about 10 shows and she’s now a brand ambassador for Estee Lauder …

    Does she seriously believe she would’ve made the same rapid strides had she been born in regular family with no connections whatsoever?

    How many 19 years old can afford to move to Los Angeles, take a break (or drop put entirely) from their education just to be lucky enough to get to walk in a few shows and score a coveted make-up contract all within a year?

    • Santia says:

      She’s delusional if she honestly believes that. Makes my butt itch when priviledged people don’t realize how priviledged they are.

      • MinnFinn says:

        Kendall does not know anything about ‘hard work’ and ‘sacrifice’.

        She needs to swap places for a week with one of the myriad U.S. teens in high school or college that are in class 6 hours per day PLUS part-time jobs PLUS homework.

  34. Green Is Good says:

    B*tch, please.

  35. Mellie says:

    This “working hard” spiel is getting old coming from this one and the other (Kim). I, for one, am getting sick of hearing it. Someone on another site mentioned a time early on in the reality series when Kendall stated she wanted to be a model, her mother promptly picked up the phone and viola, a meeting and a ‘go see’ with Forever 21 was scheduled…. No family connections? Really? Just shut the heck up and be grateful that you are pretty and have the “job” you have.

  36. swack says:

    Let’s see where she is in say 5 years. If she is still walking the runways then she has the beginning of a career until then it’s just a job. One year on a job does not make a career.

  37. The Original G says:

    Sorry to sound old, but 19 year old is not exactly reliable narrator of this situation. She is both very beautiful in a particular way and very lucky. Neither of which have much to do with hard work.

    6 months as a model is at least a decade short of “a career.” I think she’s promising and good luck to her.

  38. Lorelai says:

    How adorably clueless

  39. snowflake says:

    The headline is misleading, she does not say that in the interview. she says she didn’t try to use her family name. Of course, Kris is going to try to use her connections to help Kendall get a leg up. You would too if you were a mom and your daughter wanted to model. Just like the parents that use their connections to get their kid a good job. but she still had to put in the work. Yes, she wouldn’t be the face of estee lauder without her social media following, which is helped by her family name. maybe she did act like a brat with a waitress, i know I was a brat at 19. but i like her, I’ve watched the show. I think people are giving her heck because she has advantages a lot of people don’t.

    I worked my way through college. met kids who had parents with money, who helped them with money, so they didn’t have to work, so they had plenty of time to study and get As. and could intern and get experience because they didn’t have to work. and got jobs from their internship and their connections, and their fraternity or sorority. met a girl whose sorority had copies of the teachers’ test they passed around and memorized. so they got great grades and since they didn’t have to work, had plenty of time to do extracurricular activities and pad their resume. so they had a lot of stuff on their resume I didn’t because I had to work, pay for a place and food and study after class before work. and they got great jobs out of college, thanks to the advantages they had. and yeah it sucked and I was bitter. Unfortunately, life isnt fair and some people have advantages in this life over others. but it’s wrong to take it out on a teenage girl. jmo

  40. Tracy says:

    Her name got her everywhere. Shut it, girl.

    • word says:

      Yes, her family’s name and Kanye’s connections got her to where she is. She’s just like Kim, won’t admit the truth ! She literally told her mom she wanted to be a model and the very next day her mom told her she got her a shoot with Seventeen Mag (at least this is how they portrayed it on her show…may have been another mag or company I can’t remember exactly). That’s how easy it was for her…and at the time Kendall was having issues with her skin…major breakouts. Any other girl who wanted to model would have been rejected based on the bad skin alone. Her skin is a lot better now. But honestly, we all know this girl did not “work hard” to get where she is. But then again this family has a different definition of “hard work” than most of us. Kendall got to skip right to the head of the line.

  41. Dawn says:

    I laughed out loud when I read that she said “she worked hard” for the EL contract. Isn’t that the go to sentence they all use? I think PMK has to come up with a new saying for the Jenner girls because “works hard” is just so laughable. People are upset by this hiring because truly Kendall just looks the same in every pose and picture and she has dead eyes just like Kimmode. She just doesn’t have a great look. I also read that EL is all happy because their IG has been getting more hits. But hits do not equal sales as they are soon to find out. And all this crap about Kendall doing this on her own and distancing herself from her family is also just crap. We all saw her vile birthday pictures of her and her vile sisters. and know better.

  42. Blythe says:

    Kendall is very pretty and she doesn’t have that annoying tone of voice that Kim, Khloe, or Kourtney have. It’s that nasal-y screech that bothers my soul.

  43. Santia says:

    B-tch, please.

  44. Godwina says:

    Whatever you say, born-on-third-base lady.

  45. Josefa says:

    Her look is not what’s in demand in fashion at all. She’s very pretty, but in quite an ordinary way. If it weren’t for her family name she’d only be doing catalogs in smaller markets. And ffs, if there’s one industry were nepotism takes you a long way, it’s modeling. How many rock star daughters have done modeling again?

  46. ketjo says:

    Come on ……she work really hard 4 or 5 hours a day begging Mommie Dearest to get her modelling jobs……
    I find her pretty but bland…and blank…. not remarkable at all….line her up with 20 other pretty girls and she would not stand out at all…just blend in…….
    Her nose is too wide for her face….I got my Victoria’s secret Christmas catalog this morning and she would never have fit into those girls category….No matter how much they other hype her

  47. Gypsy says:

    When I saw that her national modeling exposure started with all of Kanye’s friends.
    Balmain – First Paris or anywhere Runway walk.
    Givenchy – Second Runway walk and photos with top designers
    Wintour – Vouge shoot
    Presently she has only walked for one fashion house that Kanye doesn’t have known influence in.

    So, conclusion, it was all her hard work, if it wasn’t said and repeated many other models would hate her and snipe at her.

  48. Catriona says:

    I remember watching an episode of KUWTK wherein Kim has to basically, twist Kendall’s elbow just to help Kendall to try out modeling (Kim was really understanding and patient about it though) and Kendall was acting rather bratty about it. Also, iirc, Avril Lavigne (who was Brody Jenners gf at that time) let Kendall and Kylie walk her Abbey Dawn fashion show because they are the sisters of the guys she was dating.

    Two instances I always remember, apart from having being internationally known because of KUWTK and, as much as I hate to admit it, Kim K, that helped give her more experience and to begin the portfolio she needed to make it where she is today.

    So, nope. While she has grown as a model and has proved she can do it for a living (after a few years of training and her natural good looks) she is a dime a dozen and if not for the “Kardashian” as a sister, she wouldn’t have made it very far in the modeling world, let’s get real.

  49. Abigail says:

    Eh, her name certainly opened doors for her, but it wasn’t the only factor in building her success as a model. Her younger sister — with the same name, family and connections — tried to model, too, and didn’t make it, whether it was due to a lack of talent, looks or drive. And she has worked for some legit people – I think Kendall may be the only Kardashian to have been photographed in Chanel or at a Chanel show. I don’t think Karl gives a damn about the family, Kanye included.
    I don’t really care about her either way. Maybe if she has a chance to do something apart from her awful family she stands a chance at being a decent human being.

  50. Nev says:

    Go on Kendall!!!

  51. Mischa says:

    I think that Kendall is a beautiful girl and has a very all-American wholesome look. I think she was chosen by Estée Lauder because of that in part. But she is deluding herself if she doesn’t realize that the Kardashian name and her fame didn’t help to open doors for her. I don’t doubt that she works hard, but she would’ve had to do a lot more go-sees and all of that to try to break in if it wasn’t for who she is.

  52. pantalones en fuego says:

    She is very pretty but IMHO she does not have a “model look”. I refuse to accept that she would have gotten so far in such a short time if it weren’t for her family.

  53. Penelope says:

    “I worked hard for this my family/name/trashy sister didn’t open any doors!”

    That’s her story and she’s sticking to it. Too funny.

  54. DanaG says:

    Kendall is as delusional as Kim the ONLY reason she got the breaks she has is because of her last name and that reality show. The fact she got a major contract after a year is because of her name and the reality show she has a fan base it isn’t because she is an amazing model. She isn’t and in the real world she would be lucky to be getting any work at all. Kendall creates buzz and that is what the clients want she is fooling herself if she thinks it’s because she is the next Giselle. There are far prettier and harder working models who will never get the opportunities she has because of her last name. I’m sure she will play model for awhile then hookup with some famous guy. Let’s hope she doesn’t try acting aka Rumor Willis! Never worked out Kate Hudson she is just annoying and the Smith kids need to go away maybe go find a nice spaceship and fly to somewhere their intelligence and beliefs in controlling time will be regarded.

  55. jwoolman says:

    Kendall probably does think she works hard, while actually she’s just sporadically rich-people busy. No way would she be where she is now with the fame acquired by those awful K Klan shows. She wouldn’t have the Twitter followers that attracted EL to her in the first place. Kanye may have some influence getting her jobs also, but the free tabloid publicity is probably the bigger draw.

    Kendall is a nice looking girl without a lot going on upstairs, but the world is full of nice looking girls her age. I don’t think the K Klan shows have helped her mature, just the opposite. But they certainly got her on the fast track to getting modeling jobs. If she doesn’t realize that, then she really is unintelligent as well as uneducated.

  56. gooner says:

    Just like GOOP. Born on third base and fronts like she hit a triple.

  57. cbreader says:

    She got where she is because she’s FLAWLESSLY BEAUTIFUL. And, unlike the rest of her family, she carries herself with class. She’s doing well in SPITE of her family.

  58. Flower says:

    This total denial of the facts is what gets up everyone’s nose. If she just admitted that her name had allowed her to get a foot in the door, then said she knows that it will only be her hard work that will keep her being successful in the modeling world she wouldn’t be getting such flack from other models and the public.

  59. otaku fairy says:

    It doesn’t seem like she’s denying that her connections have helped her get started, it just seems like she’s saying that she isn’t sitting back and coasting off of her family name. She’s not trying to use being related to the Kardashians as her everything- she’s working to be successful in her own right. If she were conventionally unattractive and not willing to put in the effort required to be successful, I don’t think the Kardashian name alone would be enough to score her modeling gigs. But I don’t think she’d be as successful as she is in her modeling career, get the covers that she’s gotten, or even have a book out if it weren’t for her connections. I don’t have a problem with someone being a model, flipping burgers, reviewing videogames or almost anything else a person chooses for a living, and feel that looking down on people for how they make a living is usually self-righteous, elitist, or a sign of a little bit of bitterness. No job-snobbing here!

    I’m usually a little skeptical when celebrities- especially those from my own generation or those who are A-listers- say that they don’t spend their time looking at harsh comments that people write about them online. How can you resist? But if she’s telling the truth about that, I think that’s for the best. It can’t be healthy for anybody to become preoccupied with what strangers are saying about them online.

  60. Marianne says:

    Im not saying the girl is lazy or talentless, but she can’t be so naive to think her name didn’t help open the door in the first place.

  61. Katija says:

    I’m not bilingual because I was born to an immigrant family, I’m just SUPER smart. <<< That's me trying on some Kendall logic.

  62. embee says:

    Beautiful girl. Maybe in the very beginning her name opened the first door. If she wasn’t worth their time and money would she still be getting calls?