When it comes to reality TV​, part of the appeal is getting a ringside seat to gloriously
awkward situations, and Keeping up with the Kardashians has had plenty since its 2007
premiere.
Here are some of the most uncomfortable Kardashian TV moments ever.
The Kardashians haven't always had the best of luck while traveling.
But it wasn't exactly easy to feel sorry for Kim Kardashian that time she cried like a
baby over losing an earring in the ocean.
There were no thieves involved when she visited the French Polynesian paradise of Bora Bora,
just Kim's now ex-husband Kris Humphries.
During an episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians, the former basketball star tosses Kim into
the ocean before she has the chance to remove a pair of diamond studs worth $75,000 apiece.
"Oh my god I'm gonna cry, my diamond earring!"
"Hold on."
"Seriously!"
When she realizes one is missing, the waterworks are instant, prompting a now-iconic response
from sister Kourtney Kardashian:
"Kim, there's people that are dying."
The missing earring was found, but Kim's bratty reaction would last forever on social media.
She defended her tantrum during E!'s 10th anniversary special in 2017, telling viewers
that while she understands where Kourtney was coming from, people just don't realize
how much those jewels mean to her.
"I had just gotten them and I didn't insure them...Yes I see Kourtney's point now…
"There's people that are dying, Kim."
"…and I totally get that."
In a 2009 episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians, a young Rob Kardashian had to seek medical
advice after his morning coffee left him suffering from an unusual side effect, one that just
wouldn't go away.
Rob had unwittingly picked up the coffee that Kris Jenner had fixed for Bruce Jenner.
After speaking to a doctor and realizing what had happened, Kris comes clean to her then-husband.
"I think that he might have accidentally drank some coffee that I had intended for you to
drink."
So what was so special about Kris' recipe for Bruce?
"Kind of like a male enhancement little drug thing."
That's right, Rob unknowingly downed a hefty dose of Viagra.
Awkward!
The moment is particularly embarrassing for Bruce, who years later, as Caitlyn Jenner,
admitted that she "wasn't entirely comfortable" having sex with Kris during their marriage,
according to The Sun.
Many suspected that the whole situation was a set-up.
Former Jezebel staffer said of the incident,
Scott Disick and Kourtney Kardashian had three children together over the course of an on-off
relationship that was constantly dogged by allegations of unfaithfulness.
Disick's reputation as a womanizer has made for some pretty uncomfortable viewing over
the years, but it all came to a head when the family visited Costa Rica during a 2017
episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians.
Despite his baby mama and her family being present, Disick decided to bring a female
companion along for the trip, which made for one of the most cringe-worthy dinners in the
show's history.
Disick can tell there's a tense atmosphere at dinner, which was a traditional Costa Rican
banquet complete with a fire show from the locals.
"And if this dinner isn't awkward enough, these fire dancers have to come out and start
doing hula-hoops."
Finally, the mother of his children lets loose on him.
"Don't you think it's inappropriate, disrespectful?"
"Disrespectful to who?"
"To me, and to your kids, and to all my family."
To cap off the uncomfortable dinner, Khloe Kardashian steps in and decides to help cool
Disick down by tossing her water right at him.
The origin of the Kardashians' fame is often traced back to an adult tape that Kim made
with former boyfriend, Ray J. After the tape leaked in 2007, Kim shot to prominence and
brought her family along for the ride.
The Kardashian name soon became a household one, and in 2011, the family was among Barbara
Walters' most fascinating people of the year.
Accompanied by momager Kris as well as sisters Khloe and Kourtney, Kim sat down for an interview
with the veteran broadcast journalist.
"You are all often described as famous for being famous."
Walters pulls no punches during what turned out to be a highly uncomfortable chat.
"You don't really act; you don't sing; you don't dance.
You don't have any, forgive me, any talent!"
Khloe tells Walters that they're still entertaining people regardless of their lack of traditional
talents.
"I think it's more of a challenge for you to go on a reality show and get people to
fall in love with you for being you."
The conversation gets even more awkward when Walters brings up the infamous adult tape,
asking Kim if she regrets making it.
"I've made mistakes in my life, for sure.
"…and you learned a lot from that."
Kim was involved in another super-cringey moment while ziplining during her Thailand
vacation.
When the reality star has second thoughts about the high-flying activity, she urges
sister Khloe to go first.
Khloe does just that, with little fuss, but her bravery does little to calm Kim's nerves.
Despite words of encouragement from Bruce…
"Overcoming obstacles in life…
"No, I can't while I'm crying."
"Just sit down in the seat and we'll hold you right there."
Kim freaks out big time.
"I don't want to do it!"
"No no no, let her go."
"I don't want to do it!"
She causes quite the scene after being told by the local instructors that it's a "one-way
ticket" deal.
"Kim is crying, oh man.
Come on!
Get over it, we're just ziplining, having a little fun."
Kim blamed her decision on the fact that she's a mother, so doing things like this aren't
worth it to her.
Entertainment Tonight called her out for playing the "mom card," pointing out that it wasn't
the first time Kim used the waterworks to get her way on Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
In 2015, news anchor John Brown left Good Day Orlando viewers gobsmacked when he walked
off set mid-broadcast in protest of the show's relentless reporting on the Kardashians.
After being asked to discuss the fact that Kylie Jenner had named her new bunny rabbit
Bruce, Brown stood up and stormed off, leaving his co-host to carry on alone.
"I'm having a good Friday, so I refuse to talk about the Kardashians today.
You are on your own, Amy.
I can't do it, I've had enough Kardashians!"
But it didn't stop there.
After shouting about being sick of the family, his co-host asked why it upsets him so much.
"It's a non-story, it's a non-story!
We're talking about this family every freakin' day on this show!
Nobody cares about this family anymore!"
The clip went viral, forcing Brown to address his outburst on the following show.
He explained that he doesn't have any problems with the Kardashians, and actually hadn't
ever seen their show.
"My issue is from the media standpoint, we feel like the public wants to hear it.
The public hears it so much about it that they think the media is going to give more
and it's this huge cycle."
Tristan Thompson has been accused of cheating on baby mama Khloé Kardashian on numerous
occasions, without officially being kicked to the curb.
His luck ran out in February 2019, however, when allegations emerged that he'd cheated
again, this time with Kylie Jenner's best friend.
Thompson came clean about his hook-up with Jordyn Woods.
All of this went down while season 16 of Keeping Up with the Kardashians was partially filmed,
which meant that when the season premiered, Thompson and Khloe were very much still an
item.
The first episode made for some pretty uncomfortable viewing.
Fans of the long-running reality show had to watch Khloe declare her love for a man
they knew had already cheated on her…again.
"It's been a few months, me and Tristan are great, and I am loving being a mommy."
In the episode, Khloe also reveals that she's in a "super comfortable" place in her life.
Of course, at the time she didn't know what was coming.
As Cosmopolitan noted,
When Khloé and her sisters sat down with Jimmy Kimmel in April 2019, she had to field
questions about her complicated relationship with Tristan Thompson.
Unwilling to dodge the touchy subject, Kimmel straight-up quizzed the reality star about
her love life, and it was more than a little awkward.
"Is it time to stop dating basketball players?"
Khloe handled the personal line of questioning like the seasoned pro she is, but her face
revealed that she was not happy.
"I don't know, you know.
I like what I like.
What can I say?"
Kimmel went on to ask Khloe if she even liked basketball.
Cosmopolitan was just one of many outlets that called the whole exchange "rude" and
"peak awkward," noting that Khloe, quote, "looked supremely uncomfortable" answering
questions about her ex.
Elle also found the interview cringe-worthy, though the lifestyle mag gave props to Khloe
for keeping her cool.
"I should probably like, start to date accountants or something like that."
It's hard to argue against the notion that the Kardashian empire was built on Kim K's
leaked adult tape, considering the first season of Keeping Up with the Kardashians dealt largely
with the fallout of that leaked footage.
Kim's daughter North West is at an age where she's starting to ask questions about fame.
In Season 16, North asks her mom why there's a flock of photographers waiting for them
outside every morning, and Kim's attempts to explain the origins of her fame make for
some rather uncomfortable viewing.
"To get very technical, my name is Kim Kardashian.
And Daddy is Kanye West."
The explanation alone didn't cut it, so she explained that West is a performer and an
artist.
As for herself?
"Mommy has so many talents I can't even begin to name them."
The clip got quite the reaction on social media, so much so that Jimmy Kimmel asked
about it when the Kardashians appeared on his show.
"I was obviously a little bit joking, but Kourtney and I have sat our kids down and
had little conversations with them.
As they get older, we'll continue to have that conversation."
Here's hoping those conversations will also take place in front of the Keeping Up With
The Kardashians cameras.
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