Kourtney Got Real About How "Toxic" Filming KUWTK Got At The End
“I was used to always being a b*tch and having no feelings.”
Towards the end of E!’s Keeping Up with the Kardashians, fans noticed a different side to Kourtney Kardashian, the famous family’s eldest sibling. In a March 3 interview with Bustle, Kourtney revealed how the show was edited to make her look like she was the bad guy and how it affected her personal life. In the tell-all interview, Kourtney said she felt like the show forced her to play a character rather than just being her authentic self, and Kourtney Kardashian even went so far as to call filming KUWTK a toxic environment in its final seasons.
Throughout the show, Kourtney became known for dismissing her sisters’ feelings, her spotty relationship with ex Scott Disick, and her interest in living a healthy lifestyle. But, in the Bustle interview, Kourtney set the record straight and explained a lot of what viewers saw was a character created by production. “Shooting our show, it became a really toxic environment at the end for me,” she said. “I would fight with my sisters. There was, like, just a lot going on. And even for me personally, I wasn’t in the happiest place. I felt like I was being almost a character, ‘This is Kourtney, and she’s in a bad mood, so even though she was laughing really at lunch, we’re going to cut out the laughing and let’s only use the annoying comment that she said.’”
The show’s environment quickly seeped into her personal life and she said she felt the need to back away from the cameras. That, in turn, was also used as a plot device on the show, when her sisters confronted Kourtney, claiming she wasn’t putting in enough effort to the family brand. “I would give myself a pep talk before walking in,” she said. “Like, say we were shooting at Khloé’s house. I’d be like, ‘It’s going to be a good day. Let’s have a good mood. Let’s put a smile on our face.’”
Tensions reached a new high in Season 18 of KUWTK when Kourtney and Kim got in a physical fight that sparked due to family discussions over who was “pulling their weight” in regards to film time. “You act like I don't do sh*t,” Kourtney told Kim in the episode. “You have this narrative in your mind. I will literally f*ck you up if you mention it again. Literally, shut the f*ck up! Change the narrative in your mind! I work my f*cking ass off.”
Ultimately, Kourtney’s reason for limiting screen time was so she could focus on things that make her happy. “I was used to always being a b*tch and having no feelings,” she said about her onscreen persona.
As she and her family prepare to drop their new show The Kardashians on Hulu on April 14, Kourtney said she has made a lot of growth. “It’s so funny, because there was a little tease for our new show and I saw people in the comments like, ‘Kourtney is already over the show. She looks miserable.’” She said she was feeling “super sick” that day. She feels the show is a chance to restart: “Workwise, I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”
It sounds like the new show captures a different side to Kourtney and we can’t wait to see it.
