Did Kim kill the Kardashian brand with divorce?

Vincent Damourette / EPA file

"I had hoped this marriage was forever but sometimes things don't work out as planned," Kim Kardashian said after filing for divorce from Kris Humphries.

By Courtney Hazlett

The honeymoon between Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries is obviously over, but what about the relationship between the Kardashian family and their fans?

As the divorce hangover clears, that's the lingering question. Anyone with a few spare brain cells to rub together knows that on occasion, the Kardashian family might be guilty of playing to cameras; we've all been around "reality" television long enough to know that happens even when intentions are at their best. But one area that seems sacred -- especially as the ink dries on the prenups and divorce filings -- is an actual marriage.

Live Poll

How do you feel about the Kardashians now?

• 165677

  I never liked them to begin with.

  74%

• 165678

  I liked them, but feel duped by this marriage/divorce.

  22%

• 165679

  I still like and support the family.

  4%

VoteTotal Votes: 21592

E! first aired Kim and Kris' wedding special, "Kim's Fairytale Wedding" in two parts that began Oct. 9, and has been broadcasting reruns since. Will anyone even care to look at what some are alleging was an arranged marriage? Even those close to Kim apparently had little faith in the 'till death do us parts: on Tuesday's TODAY, Kathie Lee Gifford relayed an anecdote, where sister Khloe told KLG at a party, "I give this marriage?six f---ing months."

In other words, even the Kardashians weren't buying what they were selling. How do they expect the public to, especially now? Any regular reader of this space knows that a fan of the Kardashians I am not. But even if there's only a shred of truth to the "what really happened" talk, they may have lost the people who genuinely did like watching their lives play out on screen.

Only 72 days after her lavish televised marriage to basketball player Kris Humphries, Kim Kardashian files for divorce. NBC's Mara Schiavocampo reports.

The next season of "Kourtney & Kim Take New York" is already in the tank, and features Kris -- unless E! decides to change plans in light of the divorce, it's set to air Nov. 27. For the life of me, I can't find a good reason for anyone to watch this. Unless that is, Kim steps up to the plate, and asks E! to film new episodes, where she'll be honest about what happened.

If she got caught up in the fanfare and the hype of her own wedding, and just didn't know how to get the train back once it left the station, she wouldn't be the first person to admit to such a thing happening. A little truly uncompensated honesty would go a long way here, and now is her chance to save face, and her brand. More than anything, it's her chance to level with the faction of her fans who truly like(d) her. Without them, she's nothing.

TODAY's Professionals, legal analyst Star Jones, advertising executive Donny Deutsch and Dr. Nancy Snyderman, weigh in on whether Kim Kardashian's marriage and divorce was just another publicity stunt for the reality star.

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Source: http://scoop.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/01/8578904-did-kim-kill-the-kardashian-brand-with-divorce

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