OPINION: On Thursday evening, I was alerted by a colleague to the fact that a long-forgotten article of mine, 'Kim Kardashian sparks backlash after complaining about 'challenges' as single mother', had appeared on the latest episode of The Kardashians.
Receiving a message of this nature at 9pm on a weeknight while sprawled across my bed, eating a Milky Bar, was more than a little jarring. Upon seeing the notification drop down on my screen, my immediate reaction was panic. Expecting a barrage of abuse to be waiting for me on Instagram, I felt the warmth drain from my skin as I considered the possible magnitude of what had just occurred. Was Kim Kardashian planning to sue me? Would I ever write again?
Alas, as soon as I actually opened said message, I discovered it was just the headline of the article that had briefly flashed across the screen - my name not included - meaning I was safe from the wrath of Kim's legion of loyal fans. Not that my story was overtly negative, but it did frame the mum-of-four in a not-so-flattering light: noting that the millionaire mogul's complaints of single parenthood were somewhat tone-deaf when her shapewear company alone has been valued at US$4 billion, let alone amid a global cost of living crisis.
My next question was - how on earth did an article on Newshub.co.nz find its way into the Kardashians' orbit? This question wasn't just on my lips: Stuff on Friday published a piece that highlighted the absurdity of a story from a New Zealand news website - and an unknown New Zealand journalist - making its way into an episode of US reality TV royalty. It was more than a little baffling.
The morning after, I decided to share the moment with my meagre Instagram following to gauge the reaction of a wider circle. I had already updated my mother, who - not understanding the clear gravitas of the situation - responded, "Boohoo, poor Kim." I was curious to see how my news would be received by people who were actually aware of the family's sphere of influence: or at least knew the name of one other sister.
I was quickly flooded with messages, many expressing their shock, disbelief, or excitement at the development. It was at this point that I too started to feel a little excited: as trivial as it sounds, knowing the Kardashians' team had included my headline (mine, I tell you!) in a segment commenting on Kim's unfair media treatment was bizarrely incredible. Working from a desk in Eden Terrace, you never expect the celebrities you're writing about to actually notice your article. If they were going to comment on a news piece, surely it would be from the likes of People, Page Six, The Hollywood Reporter or the Daily Mail - not Newshub Lifestyle, postcode 1021, Auckland.
While Disney - The Kardashians' streaming platform - does not give out viewing numbers or ratings, Variety noted that based on information provided by Hulu, the show's first episode last year was "the most-watched series premiere on Hulu in the United States, and on Disney+ and Star+ among Star Originals, across all global markets to date". This stat alone sheds some insight into the ridiculously huge reach The Kardashians series actually has.
The takeaway? Well, not much, but if anything, it does demonstrate the power of the World Wide Web (and the importance of good SEO). For a fleeting moment, my writing - and not even my best writing - was linked to one of the world's most famous families, touching a realm I thought was unreachable from my desk in Tāmaki Makaurau.
And yes, if you think this has gone to my head, you're probably right.
Lana Andelane is Newshub's Lifestyle Editor.
