Kris Jenner

Kris Jenner (born Kristen Mary Houghton on November 5, 1955 in San Diego California) is an American television personality, entertainment manager, producer, author, and businesswoman. At first, the young Kristen Houghton had no real intention of having a career. After her stepfather’s business partner ran off with all the company’s money, Kristen felt more interested in settling down as a wife and a mother than go to college. In 1978, she made her wish come true, marrying a successful high-powered attorney by the name of Robert Kardashian. Kris’s life would become one whirlwind after another, but she more than managed to ‘keep up’ with all the crazy twists and turns.

Career

Kris was born to Robert Houghton, an aircraft engineer, and Mary Jo Shannon. When Kris was seven-years-old, her parents separated, leaving Mary Jo to raise her and Kris’s younger sister for a few years. Mary married businessman Harry Shannon, which resulted in the family moving to Oxnard, California. After Harry’s business partner allegedly left with all the company’s capital, the family was forced to move back to San Diego. Kris eventually graduated from Claremont High School, and had a brief stint working as a flight attendant on American Airlines.

When she first met Robert Kardashian, she was 17 and he was 28. He pursued her, but Kris wasn’t ready to settle down – just yet. She accepted his second proposal when she was 22, and the couple wed on July 8, 1978. Over the next eight years, they had four children:Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, and Rob Kardashian. The Kardashians lived lavishly in their Beverly Hills home, making celebrity friends like the Hiltons and playing tennis with other famous couples, like O.J Simpson and Nicole Brown Simpson. The couple separated in 1990 after she had an affair with a soccer player. That year, she met retired Olympian Caitlyn Jenner (who, at the time, had not come out as transgender and the world knew as Bruce.) The Olympian had a fledgling business doing motivational speeches, and Kris saw an opportunity. Taking on her soon-to-be spouse as her first project, Kris marketed Jenner’s speech “Finding the Champion” to a wider audience. Her hard work secured high-paying clients like Coca-Cola and Visa and helped Jenner branch out into ventures like workout videos.

As Kim rose to fame and infamy thanks to her friendship with Paris Hilton and her sex tape with singer Ray-J, Kris saw another opportunity. In 2007, she met with Ryan Seacrest about launching a reality television show focused on her family. That year, Keeping Up with the Kardashians premiered, and the world of pop culture would never be the same. Kris continues to serve as executive producer on KUWTK, and its multiple spin-offs. Kris attempted to branch into the daytime talk show world with her show, Kris. Despite offering exclusive content, like the first look at Kim and Kanye West’s daughter North West, the show lasted only a single season.

Kris, as the “momager,” she oversaw her family’s empire grow. She forged new deals and business ventures for each of her daughters, working with brands like Sketchers, Silly Bandz, Sears, and more. Kris’s work landed her daughters in commercials, on magazine covers, on the New York Times best-sellers list, and elsewhere, thanks to countless other endorsement deals. Each of the KarJenner children are millionaires.

Personal Life

Kris was married to Robert Kardashian from 1978 until their divorce was finalized in 1991. After the divorce, the couple remained close up until Robert Sr.’s death from esophageal cancer in 2003. Kris was also close to O.J. Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole Brown. As Robert, a friend of O.J., defended the ex-NFL star during the “Trial of the Century,” a pregnant Kris was seen in the courtroom gallery while wearing Nicole’s hand-me-down maternity clothes.

Kris, while married to Caitlyn Jenner, gave birth

and her second spouse announced their separation in 2013, and Kris filed for divorce in 2014. Their split was finalized in March 2015. Later that year, Caitlyn came out as transgender. The relationship has been cordial, but Kris once described the breakup with Caitlyn as “the most passive-aggressive thing.” Since 2014, Kris has been in a relationship with O.J Simpson), and many have speculated if the two have secretly tied the knot.

 

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