A post on the Kardashian-Humphries divorce, the saddest event in American history

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Looking for something really good to read this afternoon? I highly recommend Molly Lambert's "The Kardashian Divorce Fiasco: Blame Mom" at Grantland's Hollywood Prospectus blog.

No, I don't care about the Kardashian-Humphries split, seemingly part of a grotesque money grab on the part of the Kardashian Klan, but I do care about what it says about American culture. Not good things -- not good at all. And Lambert provides some astute observations:

People will get sick of Kim Kardashian eventually, because her career is predicated on novelty and her primary talent (being hot, which she is) is transitory. After one possibly staged marriage fails, she becomes the Kim who cried wolf. E! is not exactly in the business of building lasting careers. Rumors that Kris H. was "cast" in order to ensure Kim underwent her first marriage before the dreaded age of 30 have yet to prove true or false, but faked relationships are as old as Hollywood itself (they are as old as 1853). The endless Kardashian family spectacle serves to take focus off the real issues by distracting us with shiny ass-shaped lures. And as long as we continue to pay attention, we lose. Because we all tuned in to her stupid wedding special and allowed her to be a star, Kim Kardashian is the 1 percent and we are all bottom-feeders.

The problem is, there are many, many Kim Kardashians -- with lesser asses, perhaps, but with the same "talent" for achieving and maintaining superficial celebrity status, making shitloads of money, and, if only for a brief time, dominating popular culture.

Which means that the bottom-feeding will continue, and worsen, without an end in sight short of cultural and perhaps civilizational apocalypse.