The announcement of the end of Keeping Up With The Kardashians was a seismic shift in the reality TV world.
For 14 years, the whole KarJenner clan has kept the public enthralled and entertained. Although it doesn’t sound like there was any particular dramatic reason for the show ending, it couldn’t have been a decision the family made lightly, considering they built a sprawling empire out of that E! program.
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A source for People confirmed:
“This certainly was not a decision that was made overnight. It was the hardest decision, but ultimately what everyone feels is best.”
The insider reiterated what we’d previously heard — that there was no one particular reason the family called it quits, and it was a mutual consensus based on a lot of factors. However, while the decision was made as a family (and a network, LOLz) it doesn’t sound like everyone was so ready to walk away.
The source continued:
“For the show to work, everyone in the family needs to be involved wholeheartedly. This is not the case anymore. Kourtney has been over it for a long time. Kylie and Kendall as well. It’s basically only Khloé and Kim that still have fun.“
That tracks with what we’ve seen about Kourtney Kardashian — who left a while back, physically fighting her way off the show. And Kendall and Kylie Jenner certainly seem to have other priorities.
But inneresting to hear about Kim Kardashian West, whom we would have thought was one of the driving forces behind the show ending. Especially after she banned the show from covering her major marriage drama this year!
According to the source, the differences between the family members and their interest in the show have led to more fights than just what we’ve seen:
“The family has had a lot of conflicts about filming. Since not everyone is having fun filming anymore, they decided to stop while their fans are still happy.”
Plus, it makes sense to end on as high a note as possible, especially considering the ratings decline of later seasons. The source added:
“They all have successful business ventures that they want to focus on, too. It’s difficult to film, have special family time and focus on their other businesses. It’s time for them all to move on.”
A source for TMZ agreed that the family’s many side hustles — SKIMS, Good American, Poosh, and Kylie Cosmetics, to name a few — played an important role in bringing the show to a close. While TV used to provide a vital outlet to promote their personal brands, the insider noted that these days it’s much easier to connect with the audience directly through social media than through the whole song-and-dance of KUWTK. In other words, the KarJenner clan have simply outgrown the need for reality TV.
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Still, this era coming to an end marks a big change for the family. Matriarch Kris Jenner told Ryan Seacrest on Wednesday:
“I got very, very emotional this morning. I woke up and was in the gym at 5 with Khloé and Kim, and we just kind of sat there and looked at each other and said, ‘Whoa, what a ride.’ … We’ve had such an amazing run and we’re so grateful … for every single moment and everyone we work with.”
On or offscreen, we know we’ll be keeping up with the Kardashians for a long time to come!
[Image via Nicky Nelson/WENN]
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