Word is Kim Kardashian is preparing to divorce Kanye West, for real this time. The rumours have surrounded the couple for years, but speculation increased more recently given Kanye’s political views, public outbursts, and controversial statements about race and mental health. Now multiple sources are confirming to multiple outlets that after nearly seven years together Kim is ready to call it quits. No reports are disputing these claims, no interviews with Kris Jenner saying they’re working through their issues have been published. It appears things are actually over.
Here’s what I’ve gathered from the coverage. They’ve been attending marriage counselling for much of 2020, and there was previously a point when Kim wanted to pull the plug, but it was during one of Kanye’s bipolar episodes and she felt it would be cruel to do so when he wasn’t well. Back in October, when Kim had that ridiculous island getaway birthday bash, and Kanye gifted her with the hologram of her dad, apparently he only flew to the island that day to deliver the gift and left. That’s an example of their living situation lately, very much apart and when they’re together, Kanye’s trying to escape as quickly as possible. But what's really broken them, allegedly, was a huge fight in December, where Kanye apparently lost it on Kim and their relationship soured even further. So they’re basically already separated. Kim reportedly doesn’t wear her wedding ring anymore and Kanye even remained at his Wyoming ranch over the holidays. What’s kept Kim around for this long is the children. Say what you want about Kim Kardashian but from what I’ve seen she’s a loving and attentive mom.
Enter Laura Wasser, the inspiration behind Laura Dern’s Oscar-winning divorce lawyer character in Marriage Story. She’s more than a lawyer, she’s Hollywood’s go-to divorce guru. She not only helped Kim with her Kris Humphries situation, but she’s been retained by pretty much everyone, including Angelina Jolie (pre-2018 at least) in the perennially messy Jolie v. Pitt drama. Word is Kim’s already consulting with Laura and will file for divorce soon, which has Kanye on standby. He knows it’s happening and sources are saying he’s sad but okay because he’s realized it’s inevitable. Even TMZ, who was more positive in their coverage, said divorce is likely. They both seem to want to keep this divorce quiet (not sure what their definition of “quiet” is), and Laura’s an advocate for couples to negotiate in private and settle confidentially, but their Calabasas home is a huge thorn in that process. They reportedly paid $40 million for the house and spent another $20 million in renovations. Those numbers are blowing my mind. Kim owns all the land while Kanye owns the actual house, but she wants him to hand it over because that’s where the kids grew up and she wants it to remain their home base.
Isn’t this sad? I know a lot of people have no patience for Kimye, and I lost my once strong love for Kanye when he said slavery was a choice but I always thought they were going to make it, or at least make it until the kids were grown. Their superficial, self-obsessed energy used to match each other so well but I guess Kim has evolved from the person she was when they got married. I’m sure she’s tired of explaining his antics or stupid political views, which she obviously disagrees with, every time she sits down for an interview. She’s studying to become a lawyer, she’s earnestly working to promote prison reform, she matured so much in the past five years or so and he’s… regressed. Kim’s coming out of this relationship a better businesswoman, with a bigger empire than she’s ever had. In 2014, the year she married Kanye, her net worth was estimated to be $45 million and in 2020 the estimate ballooned to $780 million. She didn’t receive alimony after her first two marriages, and she certainly doesn’t need a penny from anyone now.
But remember, there’s one more season left of Keeping Up With The Kardashians, set to air some time this year. It will be the 20th season and whether or not they admit to it, we’ve been trained by this family over these 20 seasons to tune in for their “storytelling”. And, well, now we have our main final storyline.
