Upon opening my inbox I see an email urging me to celebrate the "history-making" 10-year anniversary of Keeping up with the Kardashians – it is enough to bring on an uncontrollable urge to gag.
I do a double-take and scan the text again. Has it actually been a decade? Have the world’s reality-television watchers remained hooked on the frivolous lives of this notorious family for 10 years, really?
I soon discover that yes, the first episode of Keeping up with The Kardashians aired on October 14, 2007.
It’s difficult to remember life before this much-talked about reality show that shot to international fame and created poster girls out of the five sisters featured – Kim, Kourtney, Khloe, Kendall and Kylie.
From the family’s celebratory occasions to its tragedies, everything has been dramatically publicised, and viewers – and social media followers – are made to feel very much like a part of the family.
Some of those hooked on the lives of the Kardashians keep their fandom to themselves, much like a dirty secret, afraid of being shamed for wasting time on what many like me deem the ultimate in trash television.
Others explain their actions, describing the show as “easy-watching”, something to be watched when they feel a need to switch off from the reality of their own lives.
Actress Jennifer Lawrence even reportedly binge-watched the show during breaks while filming her psychological-horror film, Mother.
Now, as the world speculates about 20-year-old Kylie’s pregnancy to her boyfriend of five months, Travis Scott, my social media is righteously awash with anger and fury over the fact that this young woman’s allegedly-leaked pregnancy is overshadowing real-world events – like the dire situation in Rohingya, or the mass shooting incident in Las Vegas.
But I have to ask myself, are journalists partly to blame? Over the past 10 years, news outlets have been quick to jump onto stories about Kim K's wedding and subsequent divorce from basketball player Kris Humphries, Rob Kardashian's battle with weight-loss and Bruce Jenner's transformation. And, many of the fashion pages are often littered with stories about Kendall walking the runway for luxury labels like Chanel, Fendi and Balmain, although I have yet to figure out what makes her any more important than other models, besides the fact she grew up with a trio of Kardashians for sisters. Furthermore, despite reports in Teen Vogue and Business Insider of her cosmetics packages arriving to customers' doors either empty or filled with live ants, writers and beauty bloggers on social media continue to applaud Kylie's purported entrepreneurial vision and business acumen.
Everything gets sugar-coated when it comes to this family. And the world, time and time again, falls into the trap, making idols out of these overprivileged and undeserving women.
Far too often, news of Kim's supposedly "down-to-earth" parenting strategies and Khloe's apparently empowering body transformation reach my uninterested ears.
And despite their on-screen lifestyles showing stark contrasts to traditional Muslim cultures, there is a shocking Kardashian fan community within the UAE.
During visits by family members to Dubai – and there have been a few in the past year – mobs have quickly formed within shopping malls, and fans hoping to emulate Kim's appearance have paid upwards of Dh6,000 just for a VIP spot at her make-up masterclass with Mario Dedivanovic, which took place this January.
It’s time we all woke up to what’s really important and start ignoring – if not boycotting, any (non)news concerning the Kardashians. It’s 10 years too late, but better late than never.
______________
Read more of Hafsa's columns:
The branded-watch culture in the UAE can be bewildering
Give into the lifestyle and hire a cleaner
Since when has splitting the bill been considered a stingy act?
______________
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
Ronaldo's record at Man Utd
Seasons 2003/04 - 2008/09
Appearances 230
Goals 115
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Abu Dhabi race card
5pm Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige | Dh110,000 | 1,400m
5.30pm Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige | Dh110,000 | 1,400m
6pm Abu Dhabi Championship Listed | Dh180,000 | 1,600m
6.30pm Maiden | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
7pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap | Dh80,000 | 1,400m
7.30pm Handicap (TB) |Dh100,000 | 2,400m
Company%20Profile
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
Company%20profile
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AS IT STANDS IN POOL A
1. Japan - Played 3, Won 3, Points 14
2. Ireland - Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, Points 11
3. Scotland - Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, Points 5
Remaining fixtures
Scotland v Russia – Wednesday, 11.15am
Ireland v Samoa – Saturday, 2.45pm
Japan v Scotland – Sunday, 2.45pm
THE BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Whenever I have any free time I always go back to see my family in Caltra, Galway, it’s the only place I can properly relax.
Favourite film: The Way, starring Martin Sheen. It’s about the Camino de Santiago walk from France to Spain.
Personal motto: If something’s meant for you it won’t pass you by.
Fighting with My Family
Director: Stephen Merchant
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh, Thomas Whilley, Tori Ellen Ross, Jack Lowden, Olivia Bernstone, Elroy Powell
Four stars
The Lowdown
Us
Director: Jordan Peele
Starring: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseqph, Evan Alex and Elisabeth Moss
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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TWISTERS
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos
Rating: 2.5/5
