For 19 seasons, the Kardashian family has been at the center of pop culture. Their reality television changed the way people celebrate celebrities, but there was a lot of work behind the scenes. These secrets of the show demonstrate that this famous family might be even more fascinating than you thought...
Money Maker
For years, Kim was making way more money than anyone else on the show. Nowadays, the sisters split the profits a little bit more, but Kim still comes out as the top earner and fan favorite. Since the show began, she has always earned an extra-large check for her appearances and adventures.
Filming Faves
Some people are better in the spotlight than others. For example, Kim and Khloe make more money because they have substantially more screen time. Not counting their side projects and alternate hustles, the women take home about $37.5 million each for their time and effort. More time divulging family secrets means more money in the bank!
Standard NDA
As you might expect, the Kardashians are a well-oiled machine when it comes to details of personal life and big ratings. Because of that, almost everyone they come into contact with has to sign a Non-Disclosure agreement, better known as an NDA. Once you sign the dotted line, you can't say anything about them without getting sued.
Rehearsal Romance
Who said love can't be staged? When Kim K married NBA star Kris Humphries, apparently two scenes from the wedding had to be reshot. The scenes were when Kim was discussing divorce with her mother and when Kim found out there was a party going on in her hotel room. Ah, true romance!
Unhappy Actress
Scenes are often reshot for the show, but while most of them are technical, one famous scene was reshot at Kim's request. When Kris Humphries proposed to Kim Kardashian, she said yes. However, after thinking about it some more, she asked for the scene to be redone so she could act more shocked.
True Viewer
True Thompson might be featured on the show, but that doesn't mean she's allowed to watch it. Khloe says she won't allow her daughter to see the show until she's at least thirteen. She also says she doesn't want her daughter to date until at least fifteen, so she learns how to love herself first.
Keeping Up With the Kardashians
KUWTK is the perfect name for this show, but the series went through a lot of title changes first. Options like "Kardashians: Krazy With A K" and "Living Kardashian" were both pitched to the network, but neither was accepted. A producer showed up to the office complaining that she was "too busy keeping up with the Kardashians" and it was an instant hit!
Blac Chyna
Rob Kardashian, the only man in the Kardashian clan, used to date rapper Blac Chyna. They even had a daughter together, but that didn't keep their drama at bay. In one petty act, Chyna sent a photograph of the family's standard NDA to TMZ News. She revealed that her silence about the relationship wasn't entirely her own idea.
Front Door NDA
When they say everyone has to sign an NDA, they mean everyone. Kris reportedly keeps a stack of NDAs at her front door at all times, just in case they get a surprise visitor. As soon as you step foot in a Kardashian mansion, be ready to sign away the rights to whatever you see while there.
Shoe Protectors
Ever notice how clean their house is? The Kardashians like to keep things looking tidy, so camera crews and producers of the show are required to wear shoe protectors when walking the marble hallways. The coverings are the same kind used by doctors conducting life-changing surgeries!
Constant Cameras
The family is shooting their show all day, usually clocking in somewhere around 10-12 hours. Depending on how complex the plot of the episode is, the camera crews can be following the family around from the early morning until very late into the night. It really is tough keeping up with the Kardashians!
No Such Thing As Free Vacation
You might think that the fancy vacations the family goes on are paid for by the production team, but Kris will assure you the getaways most certainly come out of her own savings. They even pay for production to come with them to get content for the show, which can sometimes cause tension between the family and the network.
Appearance Is Everything
It might seem like the Kardashians are always done up to the nines...and that's because they are! Both Kris and Kim have confirmed that they get their hair and makeup done by professionals on days when the show is shooting. Their assistants typically pencil in about an hour to create a glamorous look.
Khloe and Lamar
Khloe and Lamar got their own spin-off show at the request of basketball star Lamar Odom, not Khloe Kardashian. Apparently, Khloe was excited to have a portion of her life stay under wraps, but Odom was excited about a new outlet. Unfortunately, both the show and the marriage didn't last very long...
Outside the House
Though you'll see them on every red carpet and on the cover of every magazine, the family makes a point to never film outside their own homes. The house that used to show up in the intro sequence wasn't their house. This way, the family can keep the exterior private and avoid any unwanted guests...
Wasting A Waiver...
Ever notice when certain photos are blurred on the show? That's because every photo that appears must be approved with a waiver signed by whoever is in the picture. If they don't sign, then the image is distorted. After Tristan and Khloe split, Tristan Thompson was blurred out of a lot of family photos.
Kanye Rules
Kanye is an important part of Kim's life, but not exactly essential to the show. So, he's exempt from most if not all filming rules. He films when and if he chooses to. He's made it very clear that he prefers to stay off-screen as much as possible, but he still will pop in for an occasional appearance.
Kim's Glam Squad
Most celebrities have makeup artists and hairstylists that they trust, and the Kardashians are no different. Kim's glamor team is comprised of Mario Dedivanovic for makeup and Chris Appleton for her hair. While she might use some others for bigger events, she employs these two for her daily looks.
Nailing It
Kendall and Kylie have always been pretty similar, right down to their nails. Kris Jenner requires her two youngest daughters to get their nails done weekly. She says that good nails make a girl look put together, so she wanted her kids to look as polished by polish as possible.
Never Nanny
Did you really think these celebrities were raising their kids all on their own? All the Kardashians have a nanny or more for their children. However, you'll never see these nannies on screen. This is done mainly for privacy reasons, but also that filming time is extra time together!
Love on Location
When the Kardashians do manage to get out of the house, it requires a lot of planning for the production team. This is because there are a lot of permissions to get through. They need the 'okay' from the store owners, managers, and anyone seen in the background of the shot. Yeesh!
Filmmaker Family
If the production team has wrapped for the day, it's up to the family to get any enviable footage. According to the show producer, some days on set there are 30 different crew members. Some other days there's one person there with an iPhone. It really just depends on the day...
Lighting Up
When Humphries popped the question to Kim Kardashian, she asked that the scene be reshot to make her reaction bigger. This was good news for the producers, who later realized that the scene would have needed to be reshot anyways. The lighting was way too dark, so Kim had quite the eye for filming that day!
COVID Crew
During the COVID-19 lockdown, the family had a very small team and their own iPhones to create the iconic show. The crew and producers gave the family directions and prompt from a remote location, making filming feel clunky and awkward. Now that's some serious dedication to getting the ratings higher...
Kim's Throne
While many think that Kris is the business mastermind of the whole Kardashian operation, most behind-the-scenes celebs will agree that it's Kim who is calling all the shots. She often takes charge of directing the crew which sister is having the most drama that episode, or who has a secret they can spill on the screen...
Perfect Picture
Every celebrity (or anyone, really) wants perfect lighting, but for Kris, it's vital to a good shot. She makes sure that there is light on her face in any film shoot, photo session, or interview. She thinks that the light makes her look better on camera, and most professionals would agree that she is correct!
Money Talks
Kris Jenner will do anything for the show, especially if the problem can be solved by a check. When Khloe was dating rapper French Montana, he refused to show up on the screen. Lucky for him though, Kris wanted the drama of her daughter dating, so she wrote a large check in his name.
Crew Checks
Why stay working for the Kardashian family? Well, the perks are pretty great. In payment for their grueling work hours and long days on set, the crew is reportedly compensated extremely well. Even the interns get a pretty penny for making their coffee runs and faxing the files. Every job is important!
Intense Interiors
The inside of a home says a lot about a person and the Kardashians are no exception. Kim has been criticized in the past for her minimal home decor style, with critics saying it's so bare that it looks creepy. Khloe and Kourtney however have very warm and inviting homes, though pretty expensively decorated.
The Extra Mile
Working on the show goes much deeper than a simple NDA. The Kardashians really have to trust the people who walk through their doors every day. They take extra special care in finding people who can work with them, make them feel safe, and understand their rather unusual family setup.
Kris Cuts
Behind the scenes, Kris Jenner still holds the authority to cut any shots she doesn't like. If it exposes someone's personal life too much or paints them in a bad light, she'll ask to have it removed. It just makes the scenes that do make it into the final episode all the more shocking...
Living With Crew
The crew lives a lot of their life side by side with the Kardashians. Kris likes to have the crew there as much as possible to get a wide range of footage, and to stick around in case she has any ideas for the show. As a result, these regular people end up being pretty close to the big-name celebs...
Kick Them Out
Although the crew and Kardashians are close as can be, that doesn't mean they're family. Kris can (and has!) kicked the crew out of the house many times before. She once kicked them out so she could have some intimate alone time with her boyfriend. It must have been awkward for everyone involved...
Kim K Cuts
Kim also has the authority to delete footage she feels is unfit for the show. Typically, this kind of showrunner directing doesn't show up unless Kim is unfit for the camera. If her makeup is splotchy or her hair isn't done, she'll ask to have the footage removed so she can look perfect on the show...
Emotional Edits
Emotional moments make for great TV, but some scenes are too serious for even the Kardashians. During difficult moments of their life, such as Caitlyn's transition, emotional scenes are cut from the show. Khloe was very overwhelmed during this era, and most of her shots were cut because of that...
Fake Faces
Like all good reality television, this show is not always based on reality. A lot of the scenes are faked or reenacted events. For example, Khloe found out she was pregnant while the cameras rolled on season 14, but the truth is that she had found out prior to the cameras showing up. All for the show!
True Drama
While some scenes may be faked, the drama surrounding them can be very real. When Kourtney and long time partner Scott Disick broke up, the cameras were right there. Kourtney later claimed that this was the hardest episode to film, but the show must go on, no matter how hard it can be to get through.
Is This Thing On?
The Kardashian family wear microphones for all hours of the day. Even if they have to take a quick bathroom break, the microphone stays on. They never know when the perfect sound byte might come, so the family has to be prepared at all times. That is some serious dedication...
Keeping Up with Kanye
Kanye might not show up on camera, but he is in charge of a lot of the creative direction the show takes. When it comes to marketing and branding, even E! News said that they couldn't believe how helpful he was. The music man is also a mastermind of show business...
Kid Kardashian
At the beginning of his relationship with Kim and the Kardashian family, Kanye had a strong opinion that his children should not appear on camera under any circumstances. He soon realized that that wouldn't be possible though, and now the little ones appear on screen from time to time.
Highest Maintenance
According to insiders, Kylie tends to be the most high maintenance of the group. As the only Kardashian to have grown up entirely in the spotlight, she never knew what life was like without being waited on hand and foot. Because of that, she's pretty demanding when it comes to her lifestyle and luxury.
VIP Parking
Kylie loves to test her limits when it comes to how much she can get out of producers. At the studio where the sisters film their confessionals, Kylie requested to have a VIP parking spot so she wouldn't have to make the one-block walk. Sheesh...
Friendly Assistants
Kylie is so demanding that she has a few different assistants to help meet her needs. However, although she might be on the aggressive side, her assistants help meet her needs and she sees them as close friends to her because of it. Who can you trust more than the people you pay?
Behind Every Man...
Kanye is a very important public figure so he has to have security backing him at all times. However, unlike most famous faces, Kanye likes to have his bodyguards behind his body. He specified that the group should be about ten paces behind him at all times. Kind of defeats the point of a security guard...
Keep It for the Camera
The cameras love a catfight, so it's not uncommon for the family to wait to have a big issue until the cameras are around. If there's a big piece of juicy Kardashian news, like Kim's robbery or Khloe's cheating scandal, you won't hear about it until the show airs. No one spills their secrets but them...
Timing Counts
When you're busy Keeping Up with the Kardashians, timing is very important. It's not uncommon to see a lot of weird things happening to them right before a season airing or big episode. The PR stunts remind people how interesting this famous family can be, which helps with ratings.
Seeing Sears
Kylie Jenner might seem like she was born for the Instagram Explore page, but once upon a time she had dreams of becoming an everyday model. She made her debut in a commercial for Sears back in 2010. She was only 12 years old, but she sure was excited to sell those moderately priced tank tops!
Church of Kardashian
Kris Jenner isn't just a pop culture icon, she's also a religious figure. In 2011 the famous momager confirmed that she had started Kris' California Community Church. In an interview with Piers Morgan, Kim also confirmed that she and her sisters had helped and encouraged this idea.
Memory Loss
Khloe Kardashian has a history of memory loss thanks to a car accident she got into when she was 16. She went through the windshield of the car and hasn't been able to recall certain events since. "It's really irritating and frustrating and kind of sad that I can't remember so many things from my childhood," she said in one episode.
Cavity Kim
"I can smell when someone has a cavity," Kim once claimed in an interview. "It's a very specific smell—not a bad-breath smell—but something that is really strong." No one can prove whether or not this is true, but if it is based on fact, then that's a pretty impressive secret talent!
Specialty TP
Kris Jenner likes to buy black toilet paper. She buys it to go with her all-black theme in the bathroom, though not all her kids are big fans of the choice. Kim once complained on the show, "The toilet paper's black, I like to see what … I'm wiping." Hey, style is all about the details!
Charming Charmin
Before Kim had her famous lifestyle, she was just another rich girl trying to make it in Hollywood. She was the spokesperson for Charmin toilet paper for a period of time, once saying in a statement, "I'm happy to join Charmin as they give the gift of the restrooms near Times Square."
Clean Sheets
Khloe reportedly washes her sheets every two days. "Obviously, if I'm not in town or not sleeping in my bed I'll wait for a little, but the sheets definitely go in the wash every time after a spray tan," she says. She also admits she's a bit of a germ freak, so rest assured she stays clean even while she sleeps!
Left Side Slumber
Khloe also specifies that will only ever sleep on the left side of her face. One of her friends told her that the right side of her face looked flatter than the left, and a solution might be to sleep on the left. Does it work? She seems to think so!
Singer Kim
Kim might be a businesswoman and soon-to-be lawyer these days, but she once tried her hand at a singing career. She donated all the profits of her song 'Jam' to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, but she was still reviewed by critics. The critics all agreed that the song was absolutely terrible.
Walk of Shame
Kim might be a famous face, but apparently, it wasn't famous enough. She was denied the privilege of having her name added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Kanye even advocated for the addition of the star's name, but it was shot down by the deciding board.
Number Swap
If you think you have Rob Kardashian's number, you probably do not. The man changes his phone number at least ten times per year. He also added that he never bothers to save contacts on the phone. How does he keep track of who to call?
Rob and Kylie
In such a big family, it's not too uncommon for some siblings to get along better than others. Rob has stated in interviews that although he loves all of his siblings and half-siblings, he's closest to his sister Kylie. He also said he's proud of her for her burgeoning career in the industry.
College Kardashian
Kourtney is the only sister that attended college. The starlet attended the top-tier party school, University of Arizona, where she studied theater. She went on the get her bachelor's as well. Rob also got a degree from the University of Southern California. Kim is currently enrolled in an online school to become a lawyer.
Production Assistant to Producer
After graduating college, Kourtney even landed a job as a production assistant on a movie set. She said that the job was pretty straightforward and involved a lot of yelling "cut" or "rolling." She liked being in front of the camera a little bit more though...
One Life to Live
Kourtney put her acting degree to work for only one show: the soap opera One Life to Live. In 2011, the famous sister played a lawyer named Kassandra Kavanaugh. These days though, she's known for acting out her daily life. It's not exactly the same thing...
Table Settings
Kris Jenner once said, "Some people paint, others make music and dance, I make table settings." The momager finds the action to be very expressive and comforting for her. She even outlines the importance of a nicely set table in her cookbook, "In the Kitchen with Kris: A Kollection of Kardashian-Jenner Family Favorites."
Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend
Kim K has her hands on some beautiful jewelry. Among her pieces are three jade bracelets previously owned by Elizabeth Taylor. She bought the jewels for a whopping $64,900! Fun fact: Kim also blow-dries all of her jewelry before putting it on because the cold touch gives her chills.
Sunlight Cellulite
On a sunny day, Kim will not be seen wearing a bikini. She says the harsh light makes her cellulite appear more obvious. "There are paparazzi everywhere, that's a fact, so if I go out in bright sunlight all my cellulite will be lit up and visible," she says. "If it's overcast, you can't see it. I know it's there, but you won't."
Fake Baby
You have to know who your real friends are. To test her closest friends, she sent out pictures of her newborn baby after giving birth. The only issue was it wasn't her baby! She wanted to see if anyone would send it to news outlets. Apparently, it was a good call, because some people did!