There’s rich, then there’s rich. After that comes ‘rent a private island and pretend the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t exist’ rich. Kim Kardashian falls into the final category, and she’s facing an internet shitstorm of her own creation after sharing her latest holiday snaps.
Taking to social media on Wednesday morning, Kardashian revealed she sequestered her closest friends and family (minus husband Kanye West, apparently) for a sneaky island getaway to celebrate her 40th birthday.
“40 and feeling so humbled and blessed,” she wrote, stretching the meaning of ‘humbled’ well past breaking point.
“There is not a single day that I take for granted, especially during these times when we are all reminded of the things that truly matter.”
For my birthday this year, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend it than with some of the people who have helped shaped me into the woman I am today. pic.twitter.com/sSZVCdbKH9
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) October 27, 2020
What followed was a set of happy snaps from the birthday bash, showcasing her siblings, various Food God-related entities, and Scott Disick.
How did she manage to corral so many maskless folks into the same undisclosed location in the midst of a pandemic?
Simple: “After 2 weeks of multiple health screens and asking everyone to quarantine, I surprised my closest inner circle with a trip to a private island where we could pretend things were normal just for a brief moment in time,” Kardashian said.
After 2 weeks of multiple health screens and asking everyone to quarantine, I surprised my closest inner circle with a trip to a private island where we could pretend things were normal just for a brief moment in time. pic.twitter.com/cIFP7Nv5bV
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) October 27, 2020
Of course, that particular message has drawn the most ire.
Folks who do not have the financial means to temporarily time-out from reality have co-opted her message, sharing their own versions of the tweet. Fun amendments include references to The Wicker Man, Jurassic Park, and, of course, Fyre Festival:
After 2 weeks of multiple health screens and asking everyone to quarantine, I surprised my closest inner circle with a trip to a private island where we could pretend things were normal just for a brief moment in time. pic.twitter.com/TlS3KCCHVY
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) October 27, 2020
After 2 weeks of multiple health screens and asking everyone to quarantine, I surprised my closest inner circle with a trip to a private island where we could pretend things were normal just for a brief moment in time. pic.twitter.com/HcNrQr6NYl
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) October 27, 2020
After 2 weeks of multiple health screens and asking everyone to quarantine, I surprised my closest inner circle with a trip to a private island where we could pretend things were normal just for a brief moment in time. pic.twitter.com/WL3GGLTpMv
— Dana Schwartz – on hiatus (@DanaSchwartzzz) October 27, 2020
https://twitter.com/kelleent/status/1321220858640101377
after 2 weeks of multiple health screens and asking everyone to quarantine, i surprised my closest inner circle with a trip to a private island where we could pretend things were normal just for a brief moment in time. pic.twitter.com/ZJDYZJZarj
— lemon (@thatbitchlemon) October 27, 2020
While it might seem a bit passé to hang shit on a public figure whose every move is likely to draw some criticism, Kardashian’s posts appear to strike a different tone. More accurately, they miss the tone entirely: broadcasting that outrageous good fortune during a period of global distress suggests, at best, an unbridgeable gap between her and the lives of her followers.
Curiously, her final addition to the tweet thread appears to acknowledge that distance.
“I realize that for most people, this is something that is so far out of reach right now,” Kardashian said. “So in moments like these, I am humbly reminded of how privileged my life is.”
We danced, rode bikes, swam near whales, kayaked, watched a movie on the beach and so much more. I realize that for most people, this is something that is so far out of reach right now, so in moments like these, I am humbly reminded of how privileged my life is. #thisis40 pic.twitter.com/UYOcVBpytW
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) October 27, 2020
Looking at the piccies, I am humbly reminded of the dude, potentially a hospitality staffer, wearing a mask in the background of one of her shots. I wonder if he felt blessed at the time.
