name	QVC
logofile	QVC.svg
logosize	200px
logoalt	QVC Logo
launch	July 1986
picture format	480i (SDTV)1080i (HDTV)
network	QVC
Owner	Liberty Media
founder	Joseph Segel
slogan	Quality, Value, Convenience
country	USA
broadcast area	Worldwide
headquarters	West Chester, Pennsylvania
web	QVC.com
sat serv 1	DirecTV
sat chan 1	Channel 275
sat serv 2	Dish Network
sat chan 2	Channel 137
cable serv 1	Available on many cable systems
cable chan 1	Check local listings for channels
adsl serv 1	Sky Angel
adsl chan 1	Channel 333
online serv 1	QVC
online chan 1	Watch live (US only) }}

QVC is a multinational corporation specializing in televised home shopping. Founded in 1986 by Joseph Segel in West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States, QVC broadcasts in five countries as QVC US, QVC UK, QVC Germany, QVC Japan and QVC Italy to 200 million households. The name is an acronym standing for Quality, Value, Convenience.

Corporate history

QVC was founded on June 13, 1986 by Joseph Segel. One of the first brands to sign a two year deal with QVC was Sears products. Its first live broadcast took place at 7:30 PM ET on November 24 of that year, reaching 7.6 million TV homes; the first item sold was a "Windsor Shower Companion" shower radio, presented by host John Eastman (Bob Bowersox was the first host seen on-screen). The corporation later set a new record for first full-year fiscal sales for a new public company of $112 million. Its primary competitor in the United States is the Home Shopping Network (HSN).

Initially broadcast live from 7:30 PM ET until midnight each weekday and all day Saturdays and Sundays, the channel extended its live programming to 24 hours in January 1987. QVC acquired its top competitor, the Cable Value Network (CVN), in 1989. The $380 million deal contributed to a loss of $17 million during the next fiscal quarter, and then to difficulties in the couple of years that followed.

On February 2, 1995, Comcast purchased a majority shareholding in QVC, Inc., taking control of the corporation. QVC kicked off the "Quest for America's Best: 50 in 50 Tour," a 50-week nationwide product search. QVC.com was founded in 1996.

In 1998 a class-action suit was brought against QVC. Two former hosts of QVC sued the network, claiming that they were discriminated against by the shopping channel based on their race. The lawsuit went on to state that QVC refused to allow non-white hosts any permanent daytime/primetime spots, which relegated them to the overnight hours, otherwise known as the "graveyard shift." Because of this, the non-white hosts were paid considerably less than the white hosts.

In July 2003, Comcast sold its majority share to Liberty Media.

In May 2009, QVC became the first multimedia retailer to offer a native high-definition service. As with HSN, the 4:3 cut for analog viewers in this 16:9 presentation is made to the extreme right of the screen rather than on both sides of the 4:3 frame, allowing the network to place their graphics fully to the left and lower portions of the screen to maximize camera presentation space.

On September 23, 2007, QVC U.S. rebranded itself, changing its logo on-air and online. The rebranding was accompanied by an advertising campaign with the tagline "iQdoU?" ("I shop QVC, do you?") that had preceded the rebrand with billboards in major U.S. cities.The iQdoU? campaign also included a "teaser" website found at iQdoU.com.

On September 30, 2010, at 11pm, QVC began broadcasting in Italy, both on satellite and digital terrestrial television.

Operations

All of QVC's operations (U.S., UK, Germany, Japan and Italy) run 24 hours a day, although live programming hours vary between each region.

Headquarters

QVC has its headquarters in West Chester, Pennsylvania by U.S. Route 202. The $100 million QVC Studio Park complex, located on an plot of land, opened in 1997.

QVC US

QVC's U.S. operations are based in the Studio Park complex, which houses its corporate headquarters, studio and broadcasting facilities. Studio Park is the former corporate offices of Commodore Business Machines. Call center facilities are located in Chesapeake, Virginia; Port St. Lucie, Florida; and San Antonio, Texas. QVC's distribution centers are situated in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Suffolk, Virginia; Florence, South Carolina; and Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

QVC U.S. also operates a series of retail stores across the country, including outlet stores that are located in Bloomington, Mn.; Lancaster, Pa.; Frazer, Pennsylvania; Prices Corner, Del.; Rehoboth Beach, Del.; and Myrtle Beach, S.C.

QVC broadcasts live in the United States 24/7, apart from the Christmas show which is pre recorded to more than 100 million households, and ranks as the number two television network in terms of revenue (#1 in home shopping networks), with sales in 2010 giving a net revenue of $7.8 billion.

QVC UK

QVC UK was launched in October 1993. QVC UK's headquarters and broadcasting facilities are located at Marco Polo House in Battersea, London but are to move to a new smaller complex in Chiswick Park in late April 2012. Call center and distribution facilities are situated in Knowsley, Merseyside. QVC UK also runs two outlet stores, one in Warrington, the other in Shrewsbury. QVC has a second channel in the UK: QVC Beauty.

QVC UK broadcasts live 17 hours a day (although the channel runs 24 hours a day), 364 days a year (off-air for one day on Christmas Day).

QVC Germany

QVC Germany, incorporated in Düsseldorf, runs call centre operations from two sites in Bochum and Kassel, whilst distribution is handled from a dedicated site in Hückelhoven.

QVC Germany broadcasts live 24 hours a day, 363.5 days a year (off-air Christmas Eve (no program after noon) and Christmas Day). QVC has a second channel in Germany: QVC Plus.

QVC Japan

QVC Japan is based in Makuhari, where its corporate headquarters and call center facility are located. Distribution facilities are located in Sakura City.

QVC Italy

QVC Italy was launched in October 2010. QVC Italy's headquarters and broadcasting facilities are located at Brugherio, near Milan.

QVC Italy broadcasts live 17 hours a day (although the channel runs 24 hours a day), 364 days a year. The primary distribution platforms for QVC Italy are digital terrestrial television and satellite.

Hosts

QVC's live broadcast is supported by 27 program hosts. They come from a variety of different backgrounds and work one-to four-hour shifts on-air, two to five days a week.

Embedded below is a list of QVC's current hosts in the United States, along with their signature shows:

Jill Bauer - joined QVC in 1993

*You're Home with Jill

*Just Desserts with Jill

Sandra Bennett - joined QVC in 2006

*Whole You with Sandra

Rachel Boesing - joined QVC in 2011

Jayne Brown - joined QVC in 1999

*Downtown Style with Jayne Brown

*Fashionably Early with Jayne & Pat

*Fashionably Early with Jayne & Pat

Courtney Cason - joined QVC in 2010

Jennifer Coffey - joined QVC in 2011

Rick Domeier - joined QVC in 1994

*techCONNECT with Rick

*Get Fit with Rick

*Home Projects with Rick and Dan

*Rick & Easy Cooking

*Rick & Easy Solutions

*Anything Goes with Rick & Shawn

Sharon Faetsch - joined QVC in 2003

Jacque Gonzales - joined QVC in 2003

*Electronics with Jacque & Friends

Carolyn Gracie - joined QVC in 2005

*Garden Party with Carolyn

*Kitchen Unlimited with Carolyn

*Sundays with Carolyn & Dan

Nancy Hornback - joined QVC in late 2009

Dan Hughes - joined QVC in 1989

*Mornings Made Easy

*The Great Outdoors with Dan

*Sundays with Carolyn & Dan

Albany Irvin - joined QVC in 2009

*Electronics Made Easy with Albany

*Bright Ideas with Albany

Dave James - joined QVC in 2004

*Seriously Late on QVC

Pat James-DeMentri - joined QVC in 1989

*Mornings Made Easy

*Fashionably Early with Jayne & Pat

*Fashionably Early with Jayne & Pat

Gabrielle Kerr - joined QVC in 2007

Shawn Killinger - joined QVC in 2007

*"No Problem!" with Shawn

*Shawn Says, "Accessorize!"

*Anything Goes with Rick & Shawn

Kerstin Lindquist - joined QVC in 2011

Antonella Nester - joined QVC in 2004

*Antonella's Italian Kitchen

Jonathan Redford - joined QVC in 2009

Lisa Robertson - joined QVC in 1995

*Ask Lisa About Style

*PM Style with Lisa Robertson

*What the Tech? with Lisa

*The Lisa Robertson Show

Mary Beth Roe - joined QVC in 1990

*My Time with Mary Beth

*Handbags with Mary Beth

Amy Stran - joined QVC in 2009

Jane Treacy - joined QVC in 1986 as one of the original hosts

*Shoe Shopping with Jane

*Enjoyable Entertaining

*Jane's Rock Stars

*Now That's Cool! with Jane

David Venable - joined QVC in 1993

*Dining With David

*In the Kitchen with David

*In the Kitchen with David PM Edition

*Merry Memories with David (seasonal show)

Dan Wheeler - joined QVC in 1991

*Home Projects with Rick and Dan

*NFL Shop

Leah Williams - joined QVC in 1996

*AM Style with Leah Williams

Product representatives

QVC's hosts are often supported by a product representative for certain products.

Below is a list of some of QVC's product representatives:

Dennis Basso - Dennis Basso Boutique

Paula Deen - food and kitchen products

Oscar Dovale - electronics

Melissa Epps - toys

Susan Graver - Susan Graver Style & Jewelry

Lori Greiner - Clever and Unique Creations

Sharon Hanby-Robie - home decor

Leslie Hermanson - Mr. Christmas

Nancy Hicks - Effortless Style by citiknits

Christine Kane - HP

Peyton Kelley - jewelry

Marie Louise Kier - kitchen products

Steven Klaszky - Dell

Meredith Laurence - The Blue Jean Chef, Technique

Dara Lynn - philosophy

Bob Mackie - Bob Mackie Wearable Art

Tara McConnell - Temp-tations ovenware

MarkCharles Misilli - kitchen products

Isaac Mizrahi - ISAACMIZRAHILIVE!

Robert Lee Morris - RLM by Robert Lee Morris

Michael O'Connor - Diamond Jewelry by Affinity

Valerie Parr Hill - Heartfelt Home and Home Fragrances

Chris Pryme - Lock & Lock

Rachael Ray - Rachael Ray cookware

Chris Rider - Dell

Joan Rivers - Joan Rivers Classics Collection

Dr. James Rouse - Nature's Code vitamins

Laurie Shore - Mrs. Prindable's foods

Angel Smedley - Quacker Factory

Craig Smith - electronics

Eric Theiss - kitchen gadgets

Bob Warden - Cook's Essentials

References

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/app.html/params.file.|cp|mainhqpress,html/left.html.file.|nav|navhqabout,html

http://www.multichannel.com/article/263755-QVC_HD_Now_100_High_Def.php

External links

QVC US

QVC Germany

QVC Japan

QVC UK

QVC Studio Tours Page US

QVC Italy

Category:Shopping networks Category:American television networks Category:Companies based in Pennsylvania Category:Television channels and stations established in 1986 Category:English-language television stations in the United States Category:Clothing retailers of the United States Category:Retail companies of the United States Category:West Chester, Pennsylvania

de:QVC it:QVC ja:QVC

name	Ramin Karimloo
birth date	September 19, 1978
origin	Tehran, Iran
occupation	Actor, Singer, Songwriter, Producer
website
background	solo_singer }}

Ramin Karimloo (born September 19, 1978) is an Iranian-born Canadian actor and singer, recognised chiefly for his work in London's West End. He has played leading male roles in both of the West End's longest running musicals; the Phantom and Raoul in ''The Phantom of the Opera''; and Jean Valjean, Enjolras and Marius in ''Les Misérables''. He also originated the role of the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber's ''Love Never Dies'', which continues the story of ''The Phantom of the Opera.''

Career

In Canada, Karimloo moved to Richmond Hill from Peterborough and graduated from Alexander Mackenzie High School. He began his performing career in rock bands and various theatre projects before moving on to perform in theatre companies for Airtours and P&O; Cruises.

After moving to England, his first role was in a pantomime of Aladdin in Chatham, in which he played the title role. Following this, in 2001, he went on to join the UK national tour of ''The Pirates of Penzance'', understudying and then playing the role of the Pirate King.

In 2002, Karimloo joined the national tour of ''Sunset Boulevard'', playing Artie Green and covering the role of Joe Gillis. ''Les Misérables'' was his West End debut; he played Feuilly and understudied the roles of Marius and Enjolras.

After this, in 2003, Karimloo took one of the lead roles, Raoul (Vicomte de Chagny), in ''The Phantom of the Opera''. His final matinee performance was filmed for use on a behind-the-scenes feature on the DVD of Joel Schumacher's ''The Phantom of the Opera'', a film in which he also appeared, in a cameo role as Gustave Daaé, Christine's violinist father whom Christine believes has sent her an Angel of Music from the heavens after his death.

During the same period, Karimloo also appeared in two concerts of ''Les Misérables'' (as Marius), and one of ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' (as Simon Zealotes, and a featured singer in "Superstar"), as well as being involved in several theatre workshops.

In 2004, Karimloo went back to ''Les Misérables'', this time taking on the role of Enjolras. In the December of that year, he appeared in a concert of ''Les Misérables'' at Windsor Castle, in honour of the French president Jacques Chirac. Excerpts from this were shown on Easter Sunday 2005, in a behind-the-scenes documentary about Windsor Castle. He also performed as Marius in 2004 at Powderham Castle with Nicholas Pound as Jean Valjean, Fred Johanson as Javert, Rebecca Thornhill as Fantine, Dianne Pilkington as Eponine, Jamie Farr as Cosette, David Bardsley as Enjolras, Tony Timberlake as Thenardier, and Rosie Ashe as Madame Thenardier.

In June 2005, Karimloo joined the UK national tour of ''Miss Saigon'', playing the role of Christopher Scott. He appeared in the West End production of ''The Phantom of the Opera'', this time as the Phantom, starting in September 2007. He was the show's 21st anniversary Phantom. He brought a new interpretation to the role and a vitality which was recognized by fans of the show as it earned him a Theatregoers' Choice Award Nomination for Best Actor in a Take Over Role.

Karimloo has also released an EP, ''Within the Six Square Inch'', on which he duets with Hadley Fraser and Sophia Ragavelas, both of whom he had already appeared with in ''Les Misérables'' (Marius and Éponine).

In July 2008, he was asked to take part in the Sydmonton Festival and was the first actor to play The Phantom in the workshop presentation of ''Love Never Dies''. It was the first act to the sequel of ''The Phantom of the Opera''. It was confirmed he would play the role alongside Sierra Boggess when the sequel opened in London, England, March 2010. A Broadway production was considered, but never put into action.

In 2008 Karimloo recorded a song, "I Only Wish for You", with Shona Lindsay and Dianne Pilkington, for the CD ''Songs from the Musicals of Alexander S. Bermange'', an album of 20 brand new recordings by 26 West End stars, released in November 2008 on Dress Circle Records.

In 2009 he was asked to take part in the recording of new musical album called ''Bluebird'', by Gareth Peter Dicks. ''Bluebird'' is a dramatic WW2 musical, in which he plays the part of US serviceman Ben Breagan. He appeared along with a host of West End stars. The 24-track album was released in four countries in September 2009.

Karimloo's last regular performance in ''The Phantom of the Opera'' took place on November 7, 2009. He moved on to playing the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber's sequel, ''Love Never Dies'', alongside Sierra Boggess, performing the role until the show closed on August 27, 2011.

On October 3, 2010, Karimloo played the role of Enjolras in the 25th Anniversary Concert of ''Les Misérables'' at The O2 Arena in London. In 2011, Karimloo sang Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Music of the Night" from ''The Phantom of the Opera'' at the Miss World Competition, which took place in London.

On October 1 and 2, 2011, he played The Phantom for three performances alongside ''Love Never Dies'' co-star Sierra Boggess as Christine Daaé in the unique 25th anniversary production of ''The Phantom of the Opera'' at the Royal Albert Hall and was streamed live to cinemas across the world. According to an interview in ''The Stage'' magazine (May 2011), this would be his last performance behind the mask, but has also stated in other interviews "never say never" and is not positive or willing to give a definitive answer.

From November 29, 2011 to March 31, 2012, Ramin Karimloo returned to ''Les Misérables'', to play the lead role of Jean Valjean at The Queen's Theatre, London. Karimloo is also now composing music in his band, Sheytoons, with ''Les Misérables'' co-star Hadley Fraser.

Karimloo recently had a guest appearance in Warwick Davis' ''Life's Too Short'' as a Scientologist, directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. This episode aired Dec 8, 2011.

As part of the 25th anniversary of ''The Phantom of the Opera'', Karimloo performed the title song at The Royal Variety Performance - held in The Lowry, Manchester - on Monday, December 5, 2011. Performing alongside Nicole Scherzinger, Karimloo was joined by three other former Phantoms (Simon Bowman, Earl Carpenter and John Owen-Jones). The performance was aired on ITV1 on Wednesday, December 14, 2011.

Karimloo can also be found on ''The Music Box'' album as a hidden track. The song is from the musical ''Bluebird'' by Gareth Peter Dicks and is a short acoustic version of a track from the album of the same name. He has been cast as the lead in 1066 Productions' UK/Canadian feature film ''Bad Town'', scheduled to shoot in Quebec in 2012. His new solo album, ''Ramin'', was released by Sony Music Entertainment on April 9, 2012 in the UK.

Awards

Karimloo won the Best Actor award for the Broadwayworld.com awards in 2010 for his portrayal of The Phantom in ''Love Never Dies''. He has also been nominated for the Best Actor category for the Viewers' Choice Theatre Awards at Whatsonstage.com in 2011. On February 7, 2011, Ramin Karimloo was also nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical. ''Love Never Dies'' received seven nominations.

On February 20, 2011, Karimloo won the Whatsonstage.com Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in ''Love Never Dies''.

Discography

Albums

Karimloo released his album ''Ramin'' in the UK on April 9 2012 after several months of promotion. He ended his West End run as Jean Valjean on the week preceding the album's release in order to prepare for a series of signings and further promotion before embarking on a major tour which will take him to venues in London, Oxford, Southend, Manchester, Nottingham, Birmingham, Gateshead, and Cardiff in the UK and New York, Charlotte, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington, Bethlehem, Chicago, and Pittsburgh in the US. He is also visiting Toronto in his native Canada.

Karimloo said in anticipation of the album: "I have a huge love for country and bluegrass, I love rock 'n' roll and I love what I'm doing, so it was how to balance all that". He went on to say, "I didn't want to be just a theatre star putting out an album. It was only when they started talking about writing and bringing in other writers that I got interested. I wanted to have lived the songs. I wanted an album that was like a diary."

He has cited influences as diverse as The Tragically Hip, Johnny Cash and Mumford and Sons, and so a straightforward West End leading man album of covers was never really on the cards, says Karimloo, "I wanted to marry that rocky sound with things that people know me more for".

The album ''Ramin'' was produced by Tom Nichols, who has worked with world-class vocalists from Céline Dion to Hayley Westenra. It includes not only his own compositions but covers of Bryan Adams and Muse songs and his own take on "Music of the Night" from ''The Phantom of the Opera'' and "'Til I Hear You Sing" from ''Love Never Dies''.

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" |- ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album details ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Chart positions |- ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| UK |- ! scope="row"| ''Ramin'' |

Released: 9 April 2012

Label: Sony Music

Formats: CD, digital download

| 16 |}

References

External links

Official site

Category:1978 births Category:Canadian musical theatre actors Category:Iranian emigrants to Canada Category:People from Tehran Category:People from Richmond Hill, Ontario Category:Living people Category:Actors from Ontario

de:Ramin Karimloo fa:رامین کریملو it:Ramin Karimloo nl:Ramin Karimloo pl:Ramin Karimloo

Name	Melania Trump
Birth name	Melanija Knavs
Birth date	April 26, 1970
Birth place	Sevnica, Slovenia
Website	Melania Trump Official Website
Spouse	Donald J. Trump (2005-present)
Children	Barron Trump (b. 2006); four stepchildren from Trump's previous marriages
Nationality
Occupation	Model, socialite, jewelry designer
Yearsactive	1986–present }}

Melania Knauss-Trump (born Melanija Knavs, germanized to Melania Knauss; April 26, 1970) is a Slovenian former model and the wife of American real estate magnate Donald Trump. They married on January 22, 2005.

Life

Knauss-Trump was born in the town of Sevnica in Slovenia's Lower Sava Valley (then part of Yugoslavia) in 1970. Her father Viktor Knavs was from the nearby town of Radeče, while her mother Amalija came from a village in the area surrounding Sevnica.

She met Donald Trump in the late 1990s. Knauss's relationship with Trump grew as she launched her modelling career, and also became involved with the social set of New York. Their relationship received increasing publicity after the launch of Trump's successful business-oriented reality television show, ''The Apprentice''.

She appeared on ''The Howard Stern Show'' with Trump. This led to a layout in British ''GQ magazine'', including the cover shot in January 2000.

Trump and Knauss became engaged in 2004, and married on January 22, 2005, at The Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida, followed by a reception at Trump's Mar-A-Lago estate. Their wedding ceremony was widely covered by the media, with the fact that Knauss wore a $200,000 dress made by the house of Christian Dior often mentioned. The cake at the reception was a 50-pound orange Grand Marnier cake with a Grand Marnier butter-cream filling, covered with 3,000 roses, constructed by the chef at Mar-A-Lago.

On March 20, 2006, Knauss-Trump gave birth to a boy, whom the couple named Barron William Trump. Donald Trump made the announcement via phone on the ''Imus in the Morning'' show about 20 minutes after birth, stating that "everyone's perfect". It was Trump's fifth child.

Promoting Trump's presidential goals

When husband Donald Trump announced presidential ambitions, Melania Trump began helping. Reports in the media state: "Melania Trump is already pondering her role as a possible First Lady - all while plugging her QVC line of sparkly baubles." "Melania Trump will stand by her husband whether he decides to run for president or not." And speculation about: "Would Melania Trump Be the Hottest First Lady Ever?"

Career

After obtaining a degree in design and architecture at the University of Ljubljana, she started working as a model both in Milan and Paris before settling in New York City in 1996. She was on the cover of ''Vogue'', ''Harper's Bazaar'', ''Ocean Drive'', ''In Style'', ''New York Magazine'', ''Avenue'', ''Allure'', ''Vanity Fair'', ''Self'', ''Glamour'', ''Elle'', and appeared in the 2000 ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue''.

In February 2010, Knauss-Trump announced the launch of a jewellery collection with QVC. Knauss appeared in a television advertisement for Aflac insurance, in which she and the Aflac mascot, a duck, voiced by comedian Gilbert Gottfried, exchange personalities via a Frankenstein-like mad experiment.

References

External links

Melania's official website

Category:1970 births Category:Living people Category:People from Sevnica Category:Slovenian expatriates in the United States Category:Slovenian female models Category:Trump family Category:University of Ljubljana alumni

de:Melania Knauss fr:Melania Trump pt:Melania Trump ru:Трамп, Меланья sl:Melania Trump fi:Melania Trump sv:Melania Trump

Debbie Greenwood (born 16 September 1959 in Liverpool, England) is a British television presenter and a former beauty queen who won the title of ''Miss Great Britain'' in 1984.

Career

Debbie began her broadcasting career in 1984, presenting regional programmes for Granada Television. She then moved on to the BBC's ''Breakfast Time'' and later presented ''Streetwise'' for The Channel 4 Daily. She also presented the UK version of the short lived game show ''Love Me, Love Me Not'' in 1988, as well as the more successful BBC quiz for schoolchildren, ''First Class'', which was on BBC1 from 1984 to 1988, and which she hosted from 1986.

Debbie has since been seen on a variety of UK-based satellite and cable shopping channels, including TV Travel Shop. She can now be found presenting on QVC.

Personal life

Debbie is married to the presenter Paul Coia, with whom she has two daughters, Annalie and Luisa.

References

Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:English television presenters Category:Television presenters from Liverpool Category:English beauty pageant winners

name	Kim Kardashian
birth name	Kimberly Noel Kardashian
birth date	October 21, 1980
birth place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
nationality	American
ethnicity	Armenian, Dutch, Scottish
net worth	$35 million
years active	2007–present
occupation	Businesswoman, socialite, television personality, model, actress
height
measurements	35D-26-40
television	''Keeping Up with the Kardashians''''Kourtney and Kim Take New York''
spouse	(separated)
parents	Robert Kardashian (father)Kris Jenner (mother)Bruce Jenner (stepfather)
relatives	Kourtney Kardashian (sister)Khloé Kardashian (sister)Robert Kardashian Jr. (brother)Kylie Jenner (half-sister)Kendall Jenner (half-sister)
website

Kimberly Noel "Kim" Kardashian (born October 21, 1980) is an American socialite, celebutante, television personality, model, actress and businesswoman. She is known for starring in ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians'', the E! reality series that she shares with her family, and its spin-offs including ''Kourtney and Kim Take New York''.

Prior to the development of her career as a reality television star, Kardashian gained notoriety as the subject of a sex tape that subsequently resulted in a court awarding her $5 million. She has been involved in the production of several lines of clothing and fragrances. In 2010, she was the highest earning reality star, with estimated earnings of $6 million.

In August 2011, Kardashian married basketball player Kris Humphries in a widely publicized ceremony. In October 2011, Kardashian filed for divorce, 72 days after the wedding.

Biography

Early life

Kardashian was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of attorney Robert Kardashian and his wife Kris Kardashian (née Houghton). Her father was a third generation Armenian American, and her mother is of Dutch and Scottish descent. Kardashian has two sisters, Kourtney and Khloé, and one brother, Robert. She has stepbrothers Burton Jenner, Brandon Jenner, and reality TV star Brody Jenner, step-sister Casey Jenner, and half-sisters Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner. She attended Marymount High School.

In 2000, Kardashian married music producer Damon Thomas; their relationship ended in divorce in 2004. Subsequently she dated R&B; singer Ray J, NFL star Reggie Bush and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin. She also dated model Gabriel Aubry.

2003–07: Controversy and reality television

In February 2007, a home sex video that she made with singer Ray J in 2003 was leaked. Vivid Entertainment bought the rights for $1 million and released the film as ''Kim Kardashian: Superstar'' on February 21. Kardashian sued Vivid for ownership of the tape. In late April 2007, Kardashian dropped the suit and settled with Vivid Entertainment for $5 million.

Kardashian was a friend of Paris Hilton, who introduced her to the socialite scene. Her first acting role was in the television series ''Beyond the Break''. In October 2007, along with her two sisters, mother, brother, half-sisters, and stepfather she starred in the E! television series, ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians''. As of October 2011, the series has aired 69 episodes over six seasons.

2007–2010: Modeling and retail

Kardashian co-owns a clothing boutique called D-A-S-H with her sisters Kourtney and Khloé. In December 2007, Kardashian posed nude for ''Playboy''. In February 2008, Bongo Jeans announced that she would be their face model. She has also modeled for Carl's Jr., Sugar Factory lollipops, and various other products.

Kardashian starred in the 2008 disaster film spoof ''Disaster Movie'' as Lisa, and appeared in the ''How I Met Your Mother'' episode "Benefits". She also appeared on the Season 3 premiere of the series ''90210'' with her sisters Khloé and Kourtney; they all played themselves. Kardashian was a guest hostess of WrestleMania XXIV and appeared as a guest judge during Cycle 13 of ''America's Next Top Model''. On December 16, 2009, Kardashian made a guest star appearance on CBS's ''CSI: NY'' with Vanessa Minnillo. In 2009 she had a cameo as club bouncer in the 2009 porn film spoof ''Deep in the Valley''

Kardashian was one of 13 participants on the seventh season of ''Dancing with the Stars''. She was partnered with Mark Ballas and was the third contestant voted off the show on September 30, 2008, finishing in 11th place overall. Sanford Siegal, the creator of the Cookie Diet, sued Kardashian, claiming she defamed him on Twitter. According to Siegal, Kardashian tweeted in October 2009 that he was "falsely promoting" that she was on the cookie diet. Siegal filed a claim in a Florida state court claiming the statements are false and defamatory. He also alleges that Kardashian was on QuickTrim's payroll when she posted the tweet. Kardashian's tweet appears to stem from an article on CookieDiet.com, that named Kardashian as one of many celebrities who saw positive results on the diet. Kardashian sent a cease-and-desist order to Siegal, demanding the link be removed.

Kardashian released her own fragrance product in 2010. In March 2009, Kardashian launched an endorsement with ''ShoeDazzle'' shopping, of which she is the co-founder and chief fashion stylist. The following month on April 9, 2009, Kardashian released a workout DVD series, ''Fit In Your Jeans By Friday,'' with trainers Jennifer Galardi and Patrick Goudeau. In September 2009, Fusion Beauty and Seven Bar Foundation launched "Kiss Away Poverty", with Kardashian as the face of the campaign. For every LipFusion lipgloss sold, $1 went to the Foundation to fund women entrepreneurs in the US.

She has also been featured in numerous international editions of ''FHM'', including the cover of the April 2010 Australian edition and the UK March 2011 edition. Famous Cupcakes, a Los Angeles bakery, created a vanilla cupcake mix for Kardashian. The cupcake flavor is called Va-Va-Va-Nilla. Kardashian has also created jewelry along with her sisters, Khloé and Kourtney. They produced a collection for ''Virgins, Saints, and Angels'' in 2010.

Again with her sisters, Kardashian has released various clothing lines. One called K-Dash was to be sold on QVC in 2010, and in the same year they produced a range for Bebe. As of August 2011 they are creating another for Sears, called the ''Kardashian Kollection''. In addition, Kardashian and her sisters created a sunless tanner called Kardashian Glamour Tan in 2010. On July 1, 2010, the New York City branch of Madame Tussauds revealed a wax figure of Kardashian.

2010–present: 72 day marriage and other ventures

Kardashian is the producer of ''The Spin Crowd'', a reality television show about ''Command PR'', a New York City public relations firm, run by Jonathan Cheban and Simon Huck. The show follows them as they settle into their new offices in Los Angeles. Kardashian is friends with both, specifically Cheban, and frequently appears on her reality shows. She also appeared at the 2010 MTV VMAs on September 12, 2010. She also appeared in and was the subject and judge of a task on the ninth episode of Season 10 of ''The Apprentice'' in 2010; the two teams had to create an in-store display for her new perfume line, to be sold at Perfumania. Kim, Kourtney, and Khloé wrote an autobiography entitled ''Kardashian Konfidential'', which was released in stores on November 23, 2010. In April 2010, Kardashian sparked controversy over the way she held a cat for a photograph. The same year, animal rights organization PETA criticized Kardashian for repeatedly wearing fur coats, and named her as one of the five worst people or organizations of 2010 when it came to animal welfare. In June 2010, ''The Guardian'' commented on her ability to attract payments of up to US$10,000 from sponsors for each tweet that she broadcasts.

In December 2010, Kardashian filmed a music video for a song titled "Jam (Turn It Up)". The video was directed by Hype Williams; Kanye West makes a cameo in the video. Kardashian premiered the song during a New Year's Eve party at TAO Las Vegas on December 31, 2010. The song was produced by The-Dream and Tricky Stewart. When asked if an album is in the works, Kardashian replied: "There's no album in the works or anything – just one song we did for ''Kourtney and Kim Take New York'', and a video Hype Williams directed, half of the proceeds we're giving away to a cancer foundation, because The-Dream's and one of my parents passed away from cancer. It's just all having fun – with a good cause". Jim Farber, writing for the ''Daily News'', called the song a "dead-brained piece of generic dance music, without a single distinguishing feature," and suggested that the single made Kardashian the "worst singer in the reality TV universe."

Kardashian's 2010 earnings were the highest among Hollywood-based reality stars, being estimated at $6 million.

Kardashian has supported the recognition of the Armenian Genocide on numerous occasions and has encouraged Barack Obama and the United States government to consider its acknowledgement. On April 21, 2011, a few days before the 96th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, she wrote about the issue on her blog in an effort to put it under spotlight and also sent a tweet to her fans urging its recognition.

Kardashian began dating NBA player Kris Humphries of the New Jersey Nets in October 2010. They became engaged in May 2011, and married on August 20, 2011 in Montecito, California. A two-part TV special showing the preparations and the wedding itself aired on ''E!'' in early October 2011, amidst what the ''Washington Post'' called a "media blitz" related to the wedding. After 72 days of marriage, Kardashian filed for divorce from Humphries on October 31, 2011, citing irreconcilable differences. After filing for the divorce, Kardashian asked the court to order Humphries to pay his own legal expenses. On December 1, 2011, Humphries filed his response to Kardashian's petition, requesting an annulment on the grounds of fraud or if the court will not grant an annulment, a decree of legal separation rather than Kardashian's requested divorce.

Several news outlets have surmised that Kardashian's marriage to Humphries was merely a publicity stunt to promote the Kardashian family's brand and their subsequent television ventures. Her former publicist has also claimed that her short-lived wedding was indeed staged and a ploy to generate money. Kardashian has since filed suit against him, saying his claims were untrue. A widely circulated petition asking to remove all Kardashian related programing off the air has been followed since their split. In March 2012, Kardashian and her sisters Kourtney and Khloe were named in a $5 million class action lawsuit against QuickTrim, the weight loss supplement they endorse.

Filmography

! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
2007–present	''Keeping Up with the Kardashians''	Herself	Reality show
2008		Herself
2008	''Disaster Movie''	Lisa Taylor
2009	''CSI: NY''	Debbie Fallon	Season 6, 1 episode
2009–2010	''Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami''	Herself	Guest star, 5 episodes
2009	''America's Next Top Model''	Herself	Cycle 13, 1 episode
2009	''Deep in the Valley''	Summa Eve
2009	''How I Met Your Mother''	Herself	Season 4, 1 episode
2009	''Beyond the Break''	Elle	Season 3, 4 episodes
2010		Herself	Season 3, 1 episode
2011	''Khloé & Lamar''	Herself	Guest star, 3 episodes
2011–present	''Kourtney and Kim Take New York''	Herself	Reality show
2011	''America's Next Top Model''	Herself	Cycle 17, 1 episode
2012	''Drop Dead Diva''	Nikki	Season 4, 1 episode
2012		Herself	Season 1, 1 episode
2012		Ava
2012	''30 Rock''	Herself	Cameo appearance in live episode

References

External links

Kardashians join forces with Australian designer at Mediasearch

Category:1980 births Category:American female models Category:American film actors Category:American people of Armenian descent Category:American people of Dutch descent Category:American people of Scottish descent Category:American television actors Category:American women in business Category:American socialites Category:American fashion businesspeople Category:Kardashian family Category:Living people Category:Participants in American reality television series Category:People from Los Angeles, California

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