Kim Kardashian just pulled back another curtain on her climb to stardom, and people aren’t sure whether to applaud her hustle or cringe at the method.
During a recent episode of her sister Khloé’s podcast, Khloé in Wonder Land, the 45-year-old mogul shared a story about how she once used Britney Spears’ fame to trick paparazzi into photographing her.
The confession has ignited a fierce debate online about fame, ethics, and who really benefited during Britney’s most vulnerable years.
And honestly? Kim doesn’t seem even slightly embarrassed about it.
The Phantom Rolls-Royce Scheme
Kim recounted how she and her longtime friend Jonathan Cheban orchestrated the publicity stunt during a dinner in New York. They overheard someone mention that Britney Spears was staying at a nearby hotel—paparazzi included.
We were at a restaurant, and we heard these people like: ‘Oh, Britney Spears is staying at this hotel in New York.’
Seizing the opportunity, Kim and Jonathan hitched a ride in someone’s “crazy Phantom Rolls-Royce” to the hotel where Britney was staying. The photographers naturally assumed Kim was there to visit the pop star.
Paparazzi everywhere waiting for Britney at her hotel. They weren’t following us at this point, and we got out and they were like: ‘Kim, Kim, Kim, are you here to visit Britney?’
Kim played coy, keeping her head down and staying silent as Jonathan advised. Then came the truly bizarre part: they killed time hiding in a phone booth inside the hotel for 20 minutes.
Hiding in Plain Sight
After their makeshift “visit,” Kim and Jonathan emerged from the hotel to face the waiting cameras again.
We come out, and they’re like: ‘Kim, how was Britney?’ We took a cab, I think, because this Rolls-Royce dropped us off.
Mission accomplished. Photos appeared on magazine covers suggesting Kim had an actual relationship with Britney—when in reality, she’d spent her “visit” lurking in a hotel phone booth.
We totally scammed the system. And it was on, like, every cover, and we thought we were killing it!
Fame Was Always The Goal
This revelation shouldn’t shock anyone who’s followed Kim’s career. She’s been remarkably transparent about her hunger for celebrity status from day one.
Speaking to Robin Roberts in 2022, Kim didn’t mince words about her early ambitions.
If you were to ask me years ago, when I first started my career, I would have done anything to be famous. I’m so open and honest about the fact that I love being famous.
In a 2019 Vogue Arabia interview, she went even further, admitting to an almost unhealthy obsession with celebrity.
Money was always the goal, but I was obsessed with fame, like embarrassingly obsessed. I do agree that fame can be addictive.
Before Keeping Up With The Kardashians premiered in 2007, Kim was primarily known as Paris Hilton’s friend within Los Angeles social circles. The reality show changed everything, running until 2021 and spawning the current Hulu series The Kardashians in 2022.
The Internet Is Deeply Divided
Kim’s Britney anecdote has split social media down the middle between those impressed by her strategic thinking and those disturbed by the exploitation.
Team Admiration
Some users praised Kim’s entrepreneurial spirit and savvy approach to building her brand from nothing.
- “Always knew this woman wasn’t dumb”: One supporter pointed out that becoming a billionaire requires intelligence and strategy
- “Genius marketing”: Another commenter highlighted how Kim worked the paparazzi system with zero budget at the time
- Resourcefulness wins: Many appreciated her transparency about the hustle required before she had resources
Team Criticism
Others found the story troubling, particularly considering what Britney was going through during that period of her life.
- “Very self-serving”: Critics argued that turning Britney’s vulnerability into a funny anecdote shows a lack of empathy
- “Dehumanized by society”: Several pointed out how many people used Britney as a stepping stone when she was struggling
- Exploitation concerns: The timing matters—Britney was in the midst of highly publicized personal difficulties when this incident occurred
Context Matters
What makes this story particularly uncomfortable for some is the timeline. During the mid-2000s, Britney faced intense media scrutiny during some of her darkest moments.
Paparazzi followed her relentlessly, contributing to mental health struggles that eventually led to her conservatorship. That same media machinery Kim deliberately manipulated to boost her own profile.
Kim’s candor about her tactics raises uncomfortable questions about who gets celebrated for ambition versus who gets criticized for opportunism. Is this story about brilliant self-promotion or callous exploitation of someone else’s pain?
The Bigger Picture
Love her or hate her, Kim has built an empire through relentless self-promotion and strategic media manipulation. She’s transformed from Paris Hilton’s stylist friend to a business mogul worth billions.
Her honesty about the lengths she went to for fame is refreshing in an industry where most celebrities sanitize their origin stories. But that transparency doesn’t necessarily make the actions themselves more palatable.
The Britney phone booth story perfectly encapsulates Kim’s entire approach: identify an opportunity, execute without hesitation, and never apologize for wanting success. Whether that’s inspiring or unsettling probably depends on your values around fame, ambition, and who deserves to be used as a prop in someone else’s success story.
One thing’s certain—Kim Kardashian has never pretended to be anything other than exactly who she is: someone who wanted fame desperately and did whatever it took to get it.