OK, so this is weird: Kim Kardashian is making a lot of sense.
Kim just published a little memo on Celebuzz about boycotting the Beverly Hills Hotel. The hotel, you’ll recall, is owned by the Sultan of Brunei, who favors death for gays and lesbians. That makes it kind of difficult to stay at the hotel without feeling icky.
But, Kim points out, the Sultan has more money than any person should reasonably have, and the fortunes of one hotel aren’t exactly as big deal to him. A few cancelled weddings or conferences probably wouldn’t even get his attention.
But you know who a boycott does affect? The innocent employees of the hotel. Kim apparently has a longtime relationship with the people who have waited on her there over the years, and it bums her out to see them suffering for the lost business.
How about we take this to the next level?
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So what to do? Kim doesn’t offer any suggestions, other than hoping that there must be a better way to pressure antigay regimes to change. To her credit, she emphatically rejects the Sultan’s actions and affirms her belief in the civil rights of queers. But she doesn’t know what anyone ought to do differently.
Ultimately, there really isn’t much that any regular person can really do to affect the Sultan of Brunei. He’s a Sultan, after all, for crying out loud. Pressuring the U.S. government to take action against Brunei might do some good. But canceling a hotel reservation is just about as useless as boycotting Russian vodka.
hyhybt
Useless depends on what result you’re trying to get. Avoiding that icky feeling is a good reason not to stay there, if staying there makes you feel icky, no matter why. And rich people don’t get or stay that way by hanging on to unprofitable investments; if the hotel isn’t making enough, it’s likely to be sold.
Stache99
I’ll keep boycotting this hotel like I’ll never watch anything from the Kardashians.
masc4masc
It should be stated that this logic isn’t solely from the mind of Kim Kardashian (which is probably why she couldn’t suggest anything but hope). Ruth Hunt made a similar argument awhile ago:
http://www.queerty.com/the-lgbt-leader-who-refuses-to-boycott-the-sultan-of-bruneis-death-sentence-for-gays-20140516
Kim is actually quite gay-friendly; she’s married to a gay man.
masc4masc
Wow, interesting how Queerty kinda mocked Ruth’s opinion as “making excuses” but is seemingly praising the same exact perspective when it comes from Kim Kardashian.
Alton
For me, this has nothing to do with trying to get the jackass Sultan to change his ways. I just don’t want my money going to someone who’s putting gay people to death. Pretty simple, really. If it hurts the staff at the hotel and no one else, I’m sorry…but I will not directly contribute to a man who murders my family.
hyhybt
Realistically speaking, this sounds like an expensive place. Only those who both can afford it and would otherwise be interested can honestly claim to be boycotting; the rest of us can’t.
Stache99
@hyhybt: Ha. Yeah, I thought the same thing after I wrote my comment. However, there better be a good reason if I find out someone I know has used this hotel. We will be instant ex friends.
Stefano
@hyhybt : absolutely true. And rich people are mostly conservative people…so they probably don’t care about what might happen to gays in other countries. It is funny to see those rich girls trying to give us lessons. Fuck you Kim.
samwise343
@masc4masc: No. She’s married to a gay fish.
samwise343
@hyhybt: Boycotting something is one of the least expensive things to do.
hyhybt
@samwise343: It’s not a boycott unless you WOULD buy the product or service otherwise. No matter how much I may object to its owner wanting us dead, I cannot possibly boycott a hotel I can’t afford to use in a place I wasn’t going to go, because that’s not what “boycott” means.
Stefano
@hyhybt : absolutely true. And rich people are mostly conservative people…so they probably don’t care about what might happen to gays in other countries. It is funny to see those rich girls trying to give us lessons…like if she really cares about poor people who will loose their jobs…fuck you Kim.
TheNewEnergyDude
Why does anyone give a fuck about what this narcissistic whore has to say or thinks? (wait a minute…she thinks??)
Oh wait a minute, never mind…she doesn’t offer any suggestions anyway. So she doesn’t think. Unless it’s about her, or her money, or her fame.
Gotta love how *she* points out that the Sultan has more than any person should reasonably have. Black kettle calling. Although, in her case, it’s hardly appropriate to call her reasonable.
hotboyvb81
the whole ‘Boycotts don’t work’ brigade needs to look back at South Africa!
Stefano
@TheNewEnergyDude : funny and so true.
Stache99
@hyhybt: I agree 100%. However, we still have to make this hotel toxic or any other of this evil f*cks properties.
This is allot worse then the last Stolie boycott. Something I still support it btw. There’s no ambiguity here. This money from the Beverly Hills Hotel will go directly into this evil villains pocket.
Not even going to comment on this dumb tw*ts comment though. Her logic is beyond stupid but not unexpected either.
Paco
I won’t be boycotting the Beverly Hills Hotel, because I simply can’t afford to ever stay there. Even if I could afford it, I am finding it increasingly difficult to boycott companies that the “community” tells me to when they ignore all the crap the “community” subjects some of its members to.
And I am not really concerned what Miss Famous for Nothing has to say about anything.
Tony G
I wonder why anyone would think I’d be interested in Kim view on this subject. She’s already displayed questionable judgement on more than one occasion.
michael mellor
Kim Kardashian is a wealthy narcissist whose media “career” has been enabled by another wealthy narcissist in Ryan Seacrest. They are self-serving barf bags, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Seacrest is a closet case.
Perfida Limpin
The boycott should be targeted at Brunei, the country ruled by that hypocritical sultan.
Cam
This is idiotic, and while I realize that Queerty seems to be against ANY boycott that is mentioned on here, lets look at this.
The Sultan DOESN’T have more money than anybody can have. What the Sultan has i ACCESS to more money than anybody should reasonably have.
The Sultan because he is wealthy and well known is often invited into investment opportunities. i.e. There is a resort being built in the Mediterranean, it is being funded by a group of European and Russian businessmen, it is being flagged by one of the major luxury brands, and the groups are being put together / Introduced by the Trump Organization. What happens is, SOMEBODY in that group of people says “Lets bring the Sultan of Brunei in on this.” He is well known and people know he is financially secure.
So with no financial risk, and no expenditure the Sultan is brought into multiple deals simply because of his name recognition and who he is.
If bringing in the Sultan would cause the possibility of a boycott, he stops getting invited in, and all of that money he gets from doing nothing starts to dry up.
Cam
Now on to Kim,
Of COURSE she doesn’t want to boycott, why? Because this isn’t about her. She isn’t gay and if it isn’t about Kim then she doesn’t want to hear about it. She just wants to be able to keep going to lunch there.
The fact is, if the Sultan passed a law against Armenians living in Brunei, trust me, Kim would boycott, but why should she inconvenience herself for anybody else, that isn’t her style.
For that matter if the Sultan passed a law targeting vapid media whores Kim would actually be picketing outside the hotel.
teejay123
Obviously a boycott won’t impact him financially – the damage will be the publicity, to shame a regime which is trying to make any number of financial and cultural international inroads, and hopefully might start to make the international community aware that this is an issue that needs addressing. He can afford to have someone cancel a stay at his hotel, he can’t afford, on the global stage, to be a national embarrassment overseeing a regressive and vicious regime.
Now, if Kim is concerned about the staff, why doesn’t she offer to take on some of the employees onto her and Kanye’s no doubt enormous payroll of personal staff, thus making a stand whilst also ensuring the continued employment of the people whose livelihoods she is clearly so vexed by. Russell Crowe could take a few too. That way, it wouldn’t look as if, say, she was just feeling the pinch of the loss of a pampering celebrity hangout that indulges her vacuous excesses, but that she actually did care.
Though, as far as the employees of the hotel go, if I found out my employer was masterminding a regime full of hate and bigotry, I’d probably make my own boycott and quit instantly.
hyhybt
@teejay123: good to hear you’re situated well enough that you could quit your job instantly. Most people need one, and they can be hard to come by.
Lvng1tor
Well if it’s good enough for Kim Kardashian….I’m definitely not gonna spend my money there!
Spike
Wow if there ever was a pic that proves that the No ON H8 celebrity photo effort had seriously became a HUGE joke, it would be the one with the three Kartrashian Sisters.
IF only that duct tape was permanent.
Desert Boy
Ah. She rode her widdle bike around the grounds as a young un’. How sweet.
GeriHew
If the Sultan of Brunei walked in on his three wives and caught them engaging in a lesbian orgy what do you think he would be most likely to do?
A. Say: “Wow this is hot!” and jump in and join the fun.
B. Shout: “This is an outrage! An abomination!” and have them all stoned to death for homosexuality and/or adultery.
C. Turn around very smartly, walk out of the room, and pretend it never happened.
D. Something else?
Cam
@GeriHew:
His brother had a harem of around 40 American and European prostitutes that he kept and was famous for his wild parties. Funny how the Sultan never did anything to him.
hyhybt
@Cam: They were probably female prostitutes, which, to his way of thinking, would make it mere overindulgence rather than abomination.
James Hart
The Kardashians: How did such stupid, stupid chicks become so famous? I guess it’s because of all the stupid people who follow them.