The Unexpected Backlash 60 Minutes Faced Over Kim Kardashian's Interview
Kim Kardashian is no stranger to controversy. Her entire career has been riddled with it, from the moment she broke into fame, through the entire run of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," all the way to the current day and her dealings with controversial ex-partners. However, even in the midst of all the drama surrounding her, she somehow still managed to keep her business empire growing, and continue increasing her net worth.
Nowadays, Kardashian appearing in late-night talk shows or serious news programs is something no one would think twice about. She is a permanent presence not only on social media, but also conventional outlets — and it doesn't really shock anyone when her opinion is sought out on a number of topics. It wasn't the case not that long ago, though. Merely six years ago, CBS was met with a barrage of criticism from viewers for a "60 Minutes" segment they did featuring Kardashian.
People didn't like that 60 Minutes devoted screen time to Kim
In 2016, "60 Minutes" aired an episode devoted to social media influencers and their rising popularity. Seeing as Kim Kardashian is considered by many to be one of the pioneers of building a highly-lucrative career around her Instagram presence, it seemed like a reasonable choice for the segment's main interview. However, after airing the interview, CBS was heavily criticized by users online for merely giving Kim a platform. One Facebook user even went as far as saying, "'60 Minutes' is doing a story on Kim Kardashian ... I don't want to live on this planet anymore," per CBS. Another person took to Twitter to proclaim that the show is "officially dead" because Kardashian appeared there.
The interview itself wouldn't be considered controversial by today's standards. Kim was asked about the details of her rise to Instagram stardom and what "talent" she possessed that allowed her to gain popularity so quickly. She answered, "It is a talent to have a brand that's really successful off of getting people to like you for you." Seeing as many of the critical comments came from outrage at Kardashian's perceived lack of talent, her response to that question seemed to answer the haters even before they saw the "60 Minutes" segment.
Since 2016, Kardashian has become a pop-culture icon, and has appeared on plenty of other "serious" news channels, including CNN, where she explained why she decided to pursue a law degree. She was also invited to the White House by former President Donald Trump to voice her convictions and concerns about prison reform (via ABC13/YouTube). Among these major events in her life, she was also involved in a tough divorce with Kanye "Ye" West, and a short-lived relationship with "SNL" star Pete Davidson.
Looking back on the "60 Minutes" interview, Kim may have been right about saying that being able to lead her lifestyle "has to involve some kind of talent."