Kim Kardashian Addresses Friendship Breakdown With Former Confidante Larsa Pippen
In a candid podcast appearance, Kim Kardashian has publicly clarified the current state of her relationship with former best friend Larsa Pippen. The reality television icon and business mogul, aged 45, joined her sister Khloe Kardashian for a revealing two-part episode of the Khloe In Wonder Land podcast, where she detailed the circumstances surrounding their friendship's dissolution.
Expressions of Enduring Affection Amidst Distance
During the second part of her interview, which was released on YouTube this Wednesday, Kim expressed warm sentiments towards Pippen. "I love Larsa. I love her kids," Kim affirmed to her sister Khloe. She went on to explain that a significant period of transition contributed to their growing apart, noting that it coincided with Pippen navigating her divorce from NBA legend Scottie Pippen while Kim herself was experiencing marital difficulties with her then-husband Kanye West.
Kim acknowledged that she and Larsa consciously "distanced ourselves for a little bit," a sentiment Khloe echoed by describing the friendship as having simply "fizzled." The geographical shift was also highlighted, with Khloe, founder of Good American, pointing out, "And she moved to Miami," to which Kim agreed, adding, "Yeah, she moved to Miami, but like, I love her."
Despite the physical and emotional distance, Kim emphasised a lasting connection, stating, "Our kids go to school together. We'll always have so many memories and so much love there."
Larsa Pippen's Previous Revelations on the Split
This clarification from Kim follows earlier comments made by Larsa Pippen in 2022, where she offered her perspective on the friendship's end. During an episode of Real Housewives of Miami, Larsa suggested that her proximity to the Kardashian family became problematic. She claimed that being "too close" and witnessing private family dynamics made her "a problem."
Larsa revealed at the time, "I don't even know what happened. I was best friends with [Kim] and I love her and I love [Kim's now-ex-husband Kanye West] and I just was the person who was stuck in the middle. I took a beating because I was the friend that was basically there and saw everything and that basically was the demise of our relationship. I knew too much, I was a problem and so whatever. That's kind of what happened."
This echoed sentiments she shared in a November 2020 interview, prior to Kim's divorce, where she stated, "If Kanye feels like him and Kim are better without me, then let them be without me. I'm okay with that… I will survive."
Context of Personal Lives and Divorces
The friendship's strain unfolded against the backdrop of both women's significant personal changes. Kim Kardashian filed for divorce from Kanye West, now known as Ye, in February 2021, nearly seven years after their Italian wedding in May 2014. The divorce was finalised in November 2022, with Ye remarrying Bianca Censori the following December. Kim and Ye share four children: daughters North, 12, and Chicago, 8, along with sons Saint, 10, and Psalm, 6.
Meanwhile, Larsa Pippen's marriage to former Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen lasted from 1997 until she initiated divorce proceedings in 2018, with the split being formally concluded on December 15, 2021. The couple are parents to four children: Scotty Jr., 25, Preston, 23, Justin, 20, and Sophia, 17.
Kim Reflects on Early Fame and Paparazzi Encounters
Elsewhere in the podcast conversation, Kim Kardashian reflected on her intense desire for fame during the late 2000s. She admitted to being "desperate" for celebrity status between 2006 and 2009, even recounting an instance where she and friend Jonathan Cheban orchestrated a paparazzi stunt.
Kim recalled a specific incident where they discovered Britney Spears's New York City hotel location. After securing a ride in a Rolls-Royce Phantom from an acquaintance met at dinner, they arrived at the hotel, where paparazzi were gathered. "We got out and they were like, 'Kim, Kim, Kim, are you here to visit Britney?'" she recounted, noting they then hid in a lobby phone booth for twenty minutes before exiting to further questions about Spears.
"We took a cab, I think, because this Rolls-Royce dropped us off, but they weren't going to take pictures of us, like, getting in. So, we totally scammed the system. And it was like on every [magazine] cover. And we thought we were killing it," Kim confessed, illustrating the lengths she went to in pursuit of public attention during that era.
