LOS ANGELES (AP) — Talking trash about the Kardashians is a common pastime for many ordinary Americans. On Monday, some were allowed to do it in the face.
Kim Kardashian, her mother Kris Jenner and her sisters Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner all sat on the front row of a Los Angeles courtroom as potential jurors expressed their feelings about the famous family and the four women, all of whom were accused in one of Rob Kardashian’s lawsuits were former fiancee Blac Chyna.
“Anything to do with their names is a big no to me,” said one man. “I don’t think reality TV is good for society.”
Chyna, whose real name is Angela White, is suing the Kardashians, claiming they destroyed her television career, and during jury selection her attorney Lynne Ciani asked dozens of candidates about their feelings toward the plaintiff and the defendants, and reality shows where the case came from.
Another said: “I sincerely hope none of these people get richer from this.”
One woman said her teenage daughter tried to watch Keeping Up With the Kardashians when it first came on, but gave up.
“I don’t think they were the best role models,” she said. “I wouldn’t let her see anything that concerns her.”
One panelist couldn’t wait to be asked. Shortly after he sat down, he was asked to provide his name, occupation, marital status and hometown, before adding, “And I just want to say that I have a very negative perception of the parties and I’m not sure I do.” could be impartial.”
The defendants did not appear to be defensive about the disrespect. They chatted to each other and smiled during the breaks.
Judge Gregory W. Alarcon, however, was not entirely happy with the tone.
“I appreciate your honesty. You’re certainly not shy,” he told the panel. “But this is the sort of case, like all cases, where everyone is entitled to a fair trial. There’s a jury statement that says that the wealth of a party or the poverty of the party does not matter.”
The story goes on
Jury selection is expected to continue on Tuesday, with opening statements to follow. The Kardashian women are expected to testify during the trial and were expected to attend at least parts of it, but their appearance for the jury’s selection came as a surprise.
Dressed in loose-fitting business suits, the mother in white, her daughters in black and grey, they were ushered in by security at the last moment before the jury was brought in.
A trainee juror who has worked on other cases said he did not like the spoiled treatment of the defendants.
Michael G. Rhodes, the Kardashians’ attorney, stated that court security drove her into the courtroom and escorted her into the courtroom for a reason.
“Do you understand that celebrity has a dark side,” Rhodes said, “and that famous people sometimes need extra security?”
“Does that mean they need Fijian water delivered to them personally when they sit in court?” the man replied.
The family also had supporters in the room.
“I’m a pretty big fan of the Kardashians, so I don’t think I’d be able to give an unbiased opinion,” said one young woman.
“I’m a huge Kardashian fan too,” said one young man. “I’ve watched it since I was little, so I don’t think I could be very fair.”
The Kardashian fans said they knew who Blac Chyna was but didn’t develop strong feelings for her.
A woman who said she doesn’t care for the Kardashians said she liked Chyna because they both went to the same nail salon and she was “always nice to me.”
Chyna, a model and influencer, started dating lonely Kardashian brother Rob in January 2016, and by the end of the year they were engaged, had a daughter together and starred in their own Keeping Up With The Kardashians series Spinoff with called “Rob & Chyna” on the E! Network.
A second season was filmed when the two split and the show was scrapped.
In 2017, Chyna sued the family for $100 million, saying they defamed her and illegally interfered with her contracts and business relationships, using her power over producers and executives to evict her from reality television.
The Kardashians have denied any wrongdoing and said in court filings that they had legitimate concerns about Chyna and fears for the safety of their son and brother given the “violence and toxicity” of the relationship.
Chyna is also suing Rob Kardashian, but the differences in her allegations against him prompted the judge to separate that part of the case into a separate trial that will follow this one.
The family rose to fame through 20 seasons of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, which ran from 2007 to 2021 on E!
A sequel series on Hulu, The Kardashians, premiered Thursday.
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Follow AP Entertainment writer Andrew Dalton on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyjamesdalton