Cosmopolitan is an international magazine for women. It was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine, was later transformed into a literary magazine and eventually became a women's magazine in the late 1960s. Also known as Cosmo, its content as of 2011 included articles on relationships and how to have proper sex, health, careers, self-improvement, celebrities, as well as fashion and beauty.^[2] Published by Hearst Magazines, Cosmopolitan has 63 international editions, is printed in 32 languages and is distributed in more than 100 countries.^[3]

History[link]

Cosmopolitan began as a family magazine, launched in 1886 by Schlicht & Field as The Cosmopolitan.^[4]

Paul Schlicht told his first-issue readers that his publication was a "first-class family magazine", adding, "There will be a department devoted exclusively to the interests of women, with articles on fashions, on household decoration, on cooking, and the care and management of children, etc.There was also a department for the younger members of the family."

Cosmopolitan's circulation reached 25,000 that year, but by March 1888, Schlicht & Field were no longer in business. John Brisben Walker acquired the magazine in 1889. That same year, he dispatched Elizabeth Bisland on a race around the world against Nellie Bly to try to draw some attention.^[5]

Under John Brisben Walker's ownership, E. D. Walker, formerly with Harper's Monthly, took over as the new editor, introducing color illustrations, serials and book reviews. It became a leading market for fiction, featuring such authors as Annie Besant, Ambrose Bierce, Theodore Dreiser, Rudyard Kipling, Jack London, Willa Cather, and Edith Wharton. The magazine's circulation climbed to 75,000 by 1892.

In 1897, Cosmopolitan announced plans for a free correspondence school: "No charge of any kind will be made to the student. All expenses for the present will be borne by the Cosmopolitan. No conditions, except a pledge of a given number of hours of study." When 20,000 immediately signed up, Walker could not fund the school and students were then asked to contribute 20 dollars a year. Also in 1897, H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds was serialized, as was his The First Men in the Moon (1900). Olive Schreiner contributed a lengthy article about the Boer War.

In 1905, William Randolph Hearst purchased the magazine for US$400,000 (approximately $11,000,000 in 2007 prices) and brought in journalist Charles Edward Russell, who contributed a series of investigative articles, including "The Growth of Caste in America" (March 1907), "At the Throat of the Republic" (December 1907 - March 1908) and "What Are You Going to Do About It?" (July 1910 - January 1911) and "Colorado - New Tricks in an Old Game" (December 1910).

Other contributors during this period included Alfred Henry Lewis, Sinclair Lewis, A. J. Cronin, David Graham Phillips, George Bernard Shaw, Upton Sinclair, and Ida Tarbell. A constant presence from 1910-18 was Arthur B. Reeve, with 82 stories featuring Craig Kennedy, the "scientific detective." Magazine illustrators included Francis Attwood, Dean Cornwell, James Montgomery Flagg, and Harrison Fisher.

March 1894 issue

With a circulation of 1,700,000 in the 1930s, Cosmopolitan had an advertising income of $5,000,000. Emphasizing fiction in the 1940s, it was subtitled The Four-Book Magazine since the first section had one novelette, six or eight short stories, two serials, six to eight articles and eight or nine special features, while the other three sections featured two novels and a digest of current non-fiction books. During World War II, sales peaked at 2,000,000.

The magazine began to run less fiction during the 1950s. Circulation dropped to slightly over a million by 1955, a time when magazines were overshadowed during the rise of paperbacks and television. The Golden Age of magazines came to an end as mass market, general interest publications gave way to special interest magazines targeting specialized audiences.

Helen Gurley Brown arrives[link]

Cosmopolitan's circulation continued to decline for another decade until Helen Gurley Brown became chief editor in 1965 and remodeled the magazine as New Cosmopolitan. After countless denials by other publications, Brown finally landed an opportunity to put her perspective on a magazine.^[6] The magazine was renamed again Cosmopolitan in 1967, and it was refocused as a magazine for women. The magazine eventually adopted a cover format consisting of a usually young female model typically in a low cut dress or bikini. The magazine focused on young women and published articles that openly talked about sexual issues.

This was not her first publication dealing with sexually liberating woman. Her 1962 advice book, Sex and the Single Girl, had been a best seller. Fan mail begging for Brown's advice on many subjects concerning women's behavior, sexual encounters, health, and beauty flooded her after the book was released. Brown sent the message that a woman should have men complement her life, not take it over. Enjoying sex without shame was also a message she incorporated in both publications.^[7]

In Brown's early years as editor, the magazine received heavy criticism. The magazine ran a near-nude centerfold of actor Burt Reynolds in April 1972, causing great controversy and attracting much attention.

In April 1978, a single edition of Cosmopolitan Man was published as a trial, targeted to appeal to men. Its cover featured Jack Nicholson and Aurore Clément. It was published twice in 1989 as a supplement to Cosmopolitan.^[8] Hearst abandoned this project after the company purchased Esquire.

[edit] Cosmopolitan in 2011

Cosmopolitan stand at The Brandery fashion show (Barcelona, 2010)

The magazine, and in particular its cover stories, have become more sexually explicit in tone, and covers have models wearing revealing clothes. Kroger, America's largest grocery chain, used to cover up Cosmopolitan at checkout stands because of complaints about sexually explicit headlines.^[9] The UK edition of Cosmopolitan, which began in 1972, was well known for sexual explicitness, with strong sexual language, male nudity and coverage of such subjects as rape. In 1999 CosmoGIRL!, a spinoff magazine targeting a teenage female audience, was created for international readership, but closed in December 2008.

Real-world stories are recounted ("Cosmo Confidential") first-hand by survivors, safety tips for risky or dangerous situations (such as living alone) accompany stories of hidden risks, health myths and urban legends are debunked. Sections such as "Health Check", which has featured articles such as "Cosmo Gyno" and "Your Body", both have entertainment value and help women understand their bodies and even recognize possible health problems. Less serious regular features include "Guy Confessions" (pages where men share embarrassing stories or shameful things they've done); celebrities; "You, Even Better", which contains a wide variety of fun facts and advice.

The magazine currently features topics including sex, relationships, beauty, fashion and health.

Cosmopolitan has 63 international editions worldwide published in 32 languages with distribution in more than 100 countries making Cosmopolitan the largest-selling young women's magazine in the world.^[3] Some international editions are published in partnerships, such as licenses or joint ventures, with established publishing houses in each local market.

International editions are published in Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Bulgaria, Central America, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, U.S. en Español, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

Cosmopolitan has since the sixties been a women's magazine discussing such topics as sex, health, fitness and fashion. Cosmopolitan also has a section called "Ask Him Anything" where a male writer answers readers' questions about men and dating.

Awards by Cosmopolitan, and features[link]

Fun, Fearless Male and Female of the Year: For more than a decade, the February issue has featured this award. In 2011 Russell Brand received the magazine's Fun Fearless Male of the Year Award, joining Kellan Lutz and Paul Wesley (2010), John Mayer (2008), Nick Lachey (2007), Patrick Dempsey (2006), Josh Duhamel (2005), Matthew Perry (2004), and Jon Bon Jovi (2003). Mila Kunis received the 2011 Fun, Fearless Female of the Year honor, a title that had been previously awarded to Anna Faris (2010), Ali Larter (2009), Katherine Heigl (2008), Eva Mendes (2007), Beyoncé (2006), Ashlee Simpson (2005), Alicia Silverstone (2004), Sandra Bullock (2003), Britney Spears (2002), Debra Messing (2001), Jennifer Love Hewitt (2000), Shania Twain (1999) and Ashley Judd (1998)

Bachelor of the Year: Cosmopolitan's November issue features the hottest bachelors from all 50 states. Pictures and profiles of all the Bachelors are posted on www.cosmopolitan.com, where readers view and vote for their favorite, narrowing it down to six finalists. A team of Cosmopolitan editors then selects the Bachelor of the Year, who is announced at an annual party and media event in New York. The 50 bachelors generally appear on programs such as The Today Show.^[10]

Past Winners Include

• Chris Van Vliet 2011^[11]
• Ryan "Mickey" McLean 2010^[12]
• Brad Ludden 2008
• Brian Watkins 2007
• Matt Wood 2006

Practice Safe Sun: In the May 2006 issue of Cosmopolitan, the magazine launched the Practice Safe Sun campaign, an initiative aimed at fighting skin cancer by asking readers to stop all forms of tanning other than tanning from a bottle.^[13] In conjunction with the campaign, Cosmo's editor-in-chief, Kate White, approached Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), known for her support of women's health issues, with concerns that women weren't fully aware of the dangers of indoor tanning and the effectiveness of the current warning labels.^[14] After careful review, the Congresswoman agreed that it was necessary to recommend that the FDA take a closer look. She and Representative Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) introduced the Tanning Accountability and Notification Act (TAN Act - H.R. 4767) on February 16, 2006.^[13] President Bush signed the act in September 2007, and the new federal law requires the FDA to scrutinize the warning labels on tanning beds and issue a report by September 2008.^[15]

Cosmo Blog Awards: Cosmopolitan UK launched the Cosmo Blog Awards <http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/blogs/cosmopolitan-blog-awards-2011/cosmo-blog-awards-2011> in 2010. The Awards attracted more than 15,000 entries and winning and highly commended blogs were voted for in several categories including beauty, fashion, lifestyle and celebrity. The 2011 Awards launched in August 2011 and nominations are open until 31 August 2011. All UK-based bloggers and blogs written by British blogges abroad with a British perspective can be entered.

Criticism[link]

In its January 1988 issue, Cosmopolitan ran a feature claiming that women had almost no reason to worry about contracting HIV long after the best available medical science indicated otherwise. The piece claimed that unprotected sex with an HIV-positive man did not put women at risk of infection, and went on to state that "most heterosexuals are not at risk" and that it was impossible to transmit HIV in the missionary position.^[16] This article angered many knowledgeable people including AIDS and gay rights activists.

Cosmopolitan, as well as other women's-interest magazines, have been criticized for using published psychological research studies to gain credibility for their articles on sex and relationship advice but vastly misrepresenting or misconstruing data and findings from these studies in order to appear more "shocking", "newsworthy", and "more relevant to popular culture".^{[citation needed]}

In popular culture[link]

• In an episode of Rules of Engagement aired in 2007, David Spade's character says he likes to read Cosmo because it's like having "the other team's playbook."
• In Legally Blonde 2 (2003), when Elle Woods tells Paulette she's going to work where a voice is given to the people, Paulette asks if she's going to the headquarters of Cosmopolitan magazine.
• In the movie Now and Then (1995), the four girls (Tina, Roberta, Samantha, and Chrissy played by Thora Birch, Christina Ricci, Gaby Hoffmann, and Ashleigh Aston Moore), in the summer of 1970, are taking a Cosmo quiz on foreplay in a diner.
• In the movie Legally Blonde (2001), Elle Woods says in her closing arguments, "The rules of hair care are simple and finite. Any Cosmo girl would have known."^[17]
• In a 2005 episode of The O.C., Seth draws a female superhero that he calls "Cosmo Girl" who he says has a "passion for fashion."^[18]
• In an episode of Third Watch (1999), Jimmy tells Kim that Cosmo says she should make a man feel important to her, to which she replies, "You read Cosmo?"^[19]
• Will Truman on Will and Grace says in a 1998 episode, "Oh, you girls are going to have a ball, braiding each other's hair and talking about boys and doing the Cosmo quiz."^[20]
• In a 1997 episode of Just Shoot Me, the emcee of the "Femmy" magazine award ceremony says, "Do we really have to sit here for three hours, or can we just give all the awards to Cosmo?"^[21]
• In an episode of Friends the September 1996 issue appears featuring cover model Tatjana Dragovic, Chandler admits to taking a Cosmo quiz and apparently "puts career before men!"^[22]
• In the "Everybody Loves Casey" episode of That '70s Show, Jackie and Kelso read Cosmopolitan to resolve their relationship troubles.
• In 1992, the lyrics of Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Baby Got Back" explicitly decries the bodies of Cosmo girls in favor of black women's bodies.
• In the 1986 war film Heartbreak Ridge, Clint Eastwood's character, Sgt. "Gunny" Highway, reads Cosmopolitan to gain insights of the other sex's mind in order to win his ex-wife back.
• In an episode of Corner Gas, it is revealed that Davis reads Cosmopolitan.
• In the Broadway musical The Wedding Singer, in the song "Pop", Holly sings the lyric: "Every five seconds a girl gets engaged, according to Cosmo's latest quiz..."
• Community, Season 2, Episode 1, (9/23/2010): Britta, being defensive about the way she is being treated by her peers at Greendale, says "I'm not hiding from you. Its like high school all over again out there. 'Psycho Britta, the walking freakshow, for every Barbie with a Cosmo subscription." Later the young women Britta is referring to approach her and tell Britta she is "fearless, honest, and speaking from your heart."
• CollegeHumor has featured several articles making fun of Cosmo's lists of sex tips by providing line-by-line analysis of the advice. The articles are written by pseudonymous contributor BL1Y.
• YouTube user csandreas has a monthly web series called Black Man Answers Cosmo that features two straight black males answering Cosmopolitan's various letters sections.

Editors (American edition)[link]

• Frank P. Smith (1886–1888)
• E. D. Walker (1888)
• John Brisben Walker (1889–1905)
• Bailey Millard (1905–1907)
• S. S. Chamberlain (1907–1908)
• C. P. Narcross (1908–1913)
• Sewell Haggard (1914)
• Edgar Grant Sisson (1914–1917)
• Douglas Z. Doty (1917–1918)
• Ray Long (1918–1931)
• Harry Payne Burton (1931–1942)
• Frances Whiting (1942–1945)
• Arthur Gordon (1946–1948)
• Herbert R. Mayes (1948–1951)
• John J. O'Connell (1951–1959)
• Robert Atherton (1959–1965)
• Helen Gurley Brown (1965–1997)
• Bonnie Fuller (1997–1998)
• Kate White (1998–Present)

Books[link]

• Cosmo's Guide to Red Hot Sex (2008) (ISBN 1-58816-649-X)
• Cosmo's Aqua Kama Sutra: 25 Sex Positions for the Tub, Shower, Pool, and More (2006) (ISBN 1-58816-571-X)
• Cosmo Confessions: Hundreds of Absolutely Shameful, Scandalous, and Sexy Real-Life Tales! (2006) (ISBN 1-58816-467-5)
• Cosmo's Naughty Notes: 100 Sexy Stickies to Tease, Tantalize, and Turn On Your Man (2006) (ISBN 1-58816-599-X)
• Cosmo's Steamy Sex Games: All Sorts of Naughty Ways to Have Fun with Your Lover (2006) (ISBN 1-58816-640-6)
• The Cosmo Kama Sutra: 77 Mind-Blowing Sex Positions (2004) (ISBN 1-58816-423-3)

References[link]

External links[link]

• History of Cosmopolitan magazine at Spartacus Educational
• US Cosmopolitan
• Australian Cosmopolitan
• UK Cosmopolitan
• Armenian Cosmopolitan
• French Cosmopolitan
• Mongolian Cosmopolitan
• German Cosmopolitan
• Serbian Cosmopolitan
• Russian Cosmopolitan
• South African Cosmopolitan
• Spanish Cosmopolitan
• Swedish Cosmopolitan
• A man reviews Cosmo in Kritik Magazine
• Black Man Answers Cosmo on YouTube

Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian Fragrance Launch, Glendale, CA on February 22, 2011
Born	Kimberly Noel Kardashian (1980-10-21) October 21, 1980 (age 31) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	Armenian, Dutch, Scottish
Occupation	Businesswoman, socialite, television personality, model, actress
Years active	2007–present
Height	5 ft 2.5 in (1.59 m)
Television	Keeping Up with the Kardashians Kourtney and Kim Take New York
Spouse	Damon Thomas (m. 2000–2004) «start: (2000)–end+1: (2005)»"Marriage: Damon Thomas to Kim Kardashian" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Kim_Kardashian) Kris Humphries (m. 2011) «start: (2011)»"Marriage: Kris Humphries to Kim Kardashian" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Kim_Kardashian) (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
kimkardashian.celebuzz.com

Kimberly Noel "Kim" Kardashian^[1] (born October 21, 1980^[2]) 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.^[3]

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, and is one of the most highly documented and followed celebrities in the world in popular media.

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[link]

Early life[link]

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.^[4] 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.^[5] She attended Marymount High School.^[6]

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^[7] and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin.^[8] She also dated model Gabriel Aubry.^[9]

2003–07: Controversy and reality television[link]

In February 2007, a home sex video that she made with singer Ray J in 2003^[10] was leaked.^[11] Vivid Entertainment bought the rights for $1 million and released the film as Kim Kardashian: Superstar on February 21.^[11] Kardashian sued Vivid for ownership of the tape. In late April 2007, Kardashian dropped the suit and settled with Vivid Entertainment for $5 million.^[12]

Kardashian was a friend of Paris Hilton, who introduced her to the socialite scene.^[13] 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[link]

Kardashian in Santa Monica, California on May 13, 2009 at Maxim's 10th Annual Hot 100 Celebration

Kardashian co-owns a clothing boutique called D-A-S-H with her sisters Kourtney and Khloé.^[14] In December 2007, Kardashian posed nude for Playboy.^[15] In February 2008, Bongo Jeans announced that she would be their face model.^[16] She has also modeled for Carl's Jr., Sugar Factory lollipops, and various other products.^[17][18]

Kardashian starred in the 2008 disaster film spoof Disaster Movie as Lisa,^[19] 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.^[20] Kardashian was a guest hostess of WrestleMania XXIV and appeared as a guest judge during Cycle 13 of America's Next Top Model.^[21] On December 16, 2009, Kardashian made a guest star appearance on CBS's CSI: NY with Vanessa Minnillo.^[22][19] In 2009 she had a cameo as club bouncer in the 2009 porn film spoof Deep in the Valley^[19]

Kardashian was one of 13 participants on the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars.^[23][19] She was partnered with Mark Ballas and was the third contestant voted off the show on September 30, 2008, finishing in 11th place overall.^[24] 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.^[25]

Kardashian released her own fragrance product in 2010.^[26] In March 2009, Kardashian launched an endorsement with ShoeDazzle shopping,^[27] of which she is the co-founder and chief fashion stylist.^[17] 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.^[14][28] 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.^[29]

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.^[30] Famous Cupcakes, a Los Angeles bakery, created a vanilla cupcake mix for Kardashian. The cupcake flavor is called Va-Va-Va-Nilla.^[17] Kardashian has also created jewelry along with her sisters, Khloé and Kourtney. They produced a collection for Virgins, Saints, and Angels in 2010.^[31]

Again with her sisters, Kardashian has released various clothing lines. One called K-Dash was to be sold on QVC in 2010,^[32] and in the same year they produced a range for Bebe.^[33][34][35] As of August 2011 they are creating another for Sears, called the Kardashian Kollection.^[36] In addition, Kardashian and her sisters created a sunless tanner called Kardashian Glamour Tan in 2010.^[37] On July 1, 2010, the New York City branch of Madame Tussauds revealed a wax figure of Kardashian.^[38]

2010–present: Marriage and other ventures[link]

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.^[39] 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.^[40][41] Kim, Kourtney, and Khloé wrote an autobiography entitled Kardashian Konfidential, which was released in stores on November 23, 2010.^[42]

Kardashian at the Style Your Slim event.

In April 2010, Kardashian sparked controversy over the way she held a cat for a photograph.^[43] 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.^[44] 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.^[45]

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.^[46] Kardashian premiered the song during a New Year's Eve party at TAO Las Vegas on December 31, 2010.^[47] 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".^[48] 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."^[49]

Kardashian's 2010 earnings were the highest among Hollywood-based reality stars, being estimated at $6 million.^[50]

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.^[51]

Kardashian began dating NBA player Kris Humphries of the New Jersey Nets in October 2010. They became engaged in May 2011,^[52] and married on August 20, 2011 in Montecito, California.^[53] 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.^[54] After 72 days of marriage, Kardashian filed for divorce from Humphries on October 31, 2011, citing irreconcilable differences.^[55] After filing for the divorce, Kardashian asked the court to order Humphries to pay his own legal expenses.^[56] 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.^[57]

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.^[58] 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.^[59] A widely circulated petition asking to remove all Kardashian related programing off the air has been followed since their split.^[60] 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.^[61]

Filmography[link]

References[link]

This article uses bare URLs for citations. Please consider adding full citations so that the article remains verifiable. Several templates and the Reflinks tool are available to assist in formatting. (Reflinks documentation) (March 2012)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kim Kardashian

• Official website
• Kim Kardashian at the Internet Movie Database
• Kardashians join forces with Australian designer at Mediasearch

Goo Hara
Goo Hara
Background information
Birth name	Goo Hara (구하라)
Born	(1991-01-13) January 13, 1991 (age 21) Gwangju, Republic of Korea[1]
Genres	K-pop, dance-pop
Occupations	Singer, dancer, actress
Instruments	Singing
Years active	2008–present
Labels	DSP Entertainment
Associated acts	Kara

This article contains Korean text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Hangul or Hanja.

Goo Hara (born on January 13, 1991) is a South Korean idol singer and actress, known for being a member of girl group Kara formed by DSP Entertainment in 2007.

Biography[link]

Goo Hara was born on January 13, 1991, in Gwangju, South Korea. Before debuting, she participated in the SM's youth appearance tournament in 2005. In 2007, she auditioned for JYP, however, she lost the runoff.^[2]

She was also an online shopping mall model, having been scouted after her photos were uploaded onto DSP's homepage. Thus, Goo Hara became a member of Kara. Currently, she is attending at Sungshin Women's University.^[3]

On June 28, 2011, Cube Entertainment announced that Hara and Yong Jun Hyung from Beast are in a relationship. DSP Media also announced; “They do have good feelings towards one another, but they’re still getting to know each other."^[4]

Career[link]

Kara[link]

Kara debuted on March 29, 2007. In 2008, however, a member, Kim Sunghee, left the group. DSP Entertainment replaced her with two new members, Goo Hara and Kang Jiyoung, and Kara made a comeback with Rock U, which changed their image from "Hip-hop" to "cute and playful".

On December 4, 2008, Kara started their comeback on M! Countdown with "Pretty Girl".^[5] In February 2009, Kara released their second mini-album "Honey". "Honey" became the group's first #1 single when it topped the M! Countdown and The Music Trend.^[6]

In late July 2009, Kara revealed their second album named "Revolution".^[7] Due to the popularity of their songs Wanna and Mister, Kara's overall popularity increased. Kara started promotions with their third mini-album "Lupin" in February 2010.^[8]

In August 2010, Kara officially debut in Japan with "Mister". After their successful debut in Japan, Kara released their fourth mini-album Jumping in November 2010.

On January 19, 2011, it was announced that she would be terminating her contract with DSP Entertainment along with three other members of Kara; a lawsuit was filed on their behalf. Later that day, it was announced that Goo Hara would discontinue her involvement with the suit and has rejoined the company,^[9] as she apparently was not fully aware of the lawsuit's details.^[10]

Solo activities[link]

In late 2008, she appeared along with the other Kara members in an episode of MBC sitcom That Person is Coming, having the most prominent role as a female gang leader.

In October 2009, she became a cast member in KBS 2TV reality show Invincible Youth (청춘불패).^[11] On 14 March 2011, it was also announced that Goo would make her acting debut in SBS "City Hunter", after filming a Japanese sitcom "Urakara".^[12]

Filmography[link]