Did Kim Kardashian And Her family Used Her Short-Lived Marriage To Kris Humphries To Rake In the Cash?

As the dust settles on the announcement that Kim Kardashian is to divorce her husband of just 72 days, the inevitable questions arise.
But whereas most celebrity splits are dogged by rumours of affairs, the debate raging around Kim's split is of a strangely fiscal nature.
Cyberspace is awash with analysis of the nature of this short-lived union, was it doomed love or a cynical money making ploy?

Still wearing the bling: Kim, with sisters Khloe and Kourtney, had her engagement and wedding rings in place on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night

Kim's decision to file papers against Kris today, just hours before her mother's book, Kris Jenner and All Things Kardashian, goes on sale tomorrow, could certainly be viewed as a calculated move.
And today, as soon as she woke up, Kim promoted the family's new clothes store on Twitter, only later being drawn upon for a statement about the breakdown of her marriage.
In a tweet that many of her fans will find cold and inappropriate, she effused: 'Our store #KardashianKhaos is opening tomorrow at 9am at @TheMirageLV We are so excited!! Kardashian Khaos has arrived!” Kardashian Khaos indeed…'
It's a miscalculation of tone that Kim might live to regret, as fans begin to question the reality behind her family's money-spinning soap opera.

Was it ever love? This is the moment when fans wept to see Kim find happiness, but now they doubt it

Whatever the truth, there is no doubting the fact that 31-year-old Kim's marriage has been lucrative for the Kardashian family.
And for that matter, the abandoned spouse, Kris Humphries, 26.
The wedding, which would've cost the couple $10 million if they'd had to pay for their freebies, netted a whopping $18 million.

 

A huge chunk of that - around $15 million - is thought to have been TV rights which formed part of the family's exclusive deal with E!

Whatever the exact breakdown, their marriage ending now means that the whole haul has earned the couple about $250,000 per day.

Involvement: Loyal viewers bought into Kris and Kim's courtship so it's demise could affect the whole franchise

The happy couple also bagged $1 million from People magazine for exclusive shots of the apparently joyous occasion.
That's not to include the value of the numerous other magazine covers that have added grist to the mill of the Kardashian publicity machine.
Even before the big day, Kim was paid $500,000 to host her bachelorette party at Tao in Las Vegas.
But then, however heartbroken he is, Kris has benefitted hugely.
He was earning around $40,000 per game but since marrying Kim, has been hitting the quarter of a million mark each day.

This is sure to be a loss he feels keenly.

The gravy train: Khloe, Kourtney and Kim promote the Kardashian Kollection in Cerritos, California last month

Especially as Kim seems determined to sever ties sharply and swiftly.
E! report that alongside the prenuptial agreement she put in place, the brunette wants property separated immediately, and for each party to pay their own legal fees.
She listed 'miscellaneous jewellery and other personal effects' as well as 'earrings and accumulations' amassed before, during and after her marriage to be confirmed as separate property but no word on whether that includes her $2 million, 20.5-carat diamond ring.
It's a businesslike approach that's typical of the Kardashian model.

Momager: Kris Jenner is the driving force behind the Kardashian empire

After Kim started the day with her advert for their latest enterprise, Kris Jenner waded in with her own promo, for both QVC AND her book.
She wrote on her Twitter: 'How fab is this sequin top I'll be selling at QVC tonight??! Just like the one I'm wearing on my memoir cover!!!'
Meanwhile Kourtney changed the subject with: 'Happy Halloween! I am ready for costumes and trick or treating!'
Their incongruous tweets stood out in the tidal wave of commentary on the showbiz story of the day.
One fan who tweets as Bookgirl96 summed up the prevailing mood when she wrote: 'The Kim Kardashian definition of 'forever' is 'when the check is cashed.'
It was referring to the tellingly passionless statement that Kim eventually released: 'I hope everyone understands this was not an easy decision. I had hoped this marriage was forever but sometimes things don't work out as planned. We remain friends and wish each other the best.'
Other insiders have revealed the entire wedding was a sham.
'It was pretty much an arranged marriage right from the start,' one source, close to the Keeping Up With The Kardashians production told RadarOnline.com.
'Kim was looking for a husband and Kris was selected for her, amongst others. She wasn’t really into him but she hoped she would be able to develop some feelings, but it never happened.'

The E! network had this to say on the matter: 'All of us at E! are surprised and saddened by this news, and we send our support to Kim and Kris at this difficult time.

Birthday girl: Kim even celebrated her 31st birthday last month with Kris in New York

'The Kardashians have always been uniquely open with all aspects of their lives from joyous events to intimate moments to heartbreaking transitions.
E! will continue to share the fascinating real lives and larger-than-life existence of this close-knit family.'
The network's urge to protect their golden goose's integrity is understandable.
Four million viewers watched the original wedding special, and 900,000 are estimated to have tuned into each repeat.

The end: Kris and Kim were grim-faced after a meal on Thursday night, this was the last time they were seen together

But the Kardashians appeal rests upon their viewers feeling that they are allowed an honest, almost voyeuristic, glimpse into this gilded world.
If fans believe their emotional connection is being exploited, it's likely they'll turn off in their droves.
The machinations of 'momager' Kris Jenner are well documented but if it's starting to look like the hapless Kris was co-opted into her plans purely because he plays basketball and has the initial 'K,' her matriarchal bossiness could be viewed as calculated exploitation.
So with Kim and Kourtney Take New York premiering on November 27, in which the short-lived romance will be documented, Kim needs to convince her pay-masters that there were hearts in her almond eyes at one point, and not just dollar signs.

All a hoax? Kim and Kris walk down the aisle on their big day, but some sources are claiming the whole thing was merely a money-making exercise