Kourtney Kardashian: Random Facts About The Reality Star
It would be tough to argue that reality star Kourtney Kardashian is not living her best life. In the past few years, the eldest of the Kardashian siblings got married to Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, launched a new gummy supplement line Lemme, and continues to expand her lifestyle brand, Poosh, collaborating with hot wellness names like Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop and Southern California's healthy grocery mecca, Erewhon. Between her numerous business ventures and being a mom to three kids, Kourtney's days are wonderfully full.
Kourtney might not be as ostentatious or outspoken as sisters Kim Kardashian and Khloé Kardashian, but she's cultivated a loyal fanbase for her laid-back sarcasm and honesty about what it takes to be a reality star. As she said in Vogue Arabia, "Privacy is something I have come to value and finding that balance of private moments with being on a reality show is hard." In a sea of superficiality, Kourtney's truthful vulnerability is refreshing. Kourtney gets candid when she does interviews, but there might be surprising facts you don't know about one of the world's most-popular influencers. Did you know she graduated from college? Or that she considers herself a carpool mom? How about her controversial ex-boyfriend? You might think you know Kourtney Kardashian, but these random facts about the reality star might prove there is still more to learn about her decades-long career in the spotlight.
She's the only sister to have graduated from college
One could argue the Kardashian-Jenners have attended the school of life, but Kourtney Kardashian is the only sister of the family to graduate from college. Before fame, Kourtney attended Southern Methodist University in Texas for two years before transferring to the University of Arizona. Apparently, Kourtney's time at college influenced her sister Kim Kardashian, but it wasn't to hit the books. Visiting Kourtney on campus proved a potent party deterrent, with Kim exclaiming on Instagram, "I hated all of the wild parties so much that I stayed home and never wanted to drink or party EVER...so thank you U of A." Kourtney balanced her youthful revelry with academics, however some classes proved more challenging than others. She shared on the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast that she failed two college classes because she was too nervous to give speeches.
While public speaking wasn't Kourtney's forte, she had the discipline to earn her diploma, graduating college with a degree in Theater Arts and a minor in Spanish. Kourtney isn't afraid to flex her scholastic achievements to the world. When Instagram trolls doubted that she actually reads books, E! News noted she clapped back, "Graduated college." Kourtney even briefly considered following in the footsteps of her father, famed attorney Robert Kardashian; she revealed to Us Weekly that she applied to law school, but ultimately decided not to go.
KUWTK wasn't her first reality TV rodeo
Years before "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" became a basic cable television staple, Kourtney Kardashian was already a reality TV veteran. By the mid-'00s, the reality television genre was coming into its own, serving as both a launching pad for showbiz newbies and a way for veteran entertainers to contextualize their celebrity. Nepo babies of the aughts vied for reality television stardom and Kourtney was no exception. Before social media, getting cast on a reality show was the original influencer culture and Kourtney joined the litany of celebrity children building careers via reality television.
Kourtney kicked off her reality television career in 2005, appearing in a pair of not-so-influential shows. Kourtney and sister Kim Kardashian had a brief cameo in Fox's short-lived reality TV series "The Princes of Malibu," starring their step brothers Brandon Jenner and Brody Jenner. "The Princes of Malibu" never took off, with the Los Angeles Times reporting it got the chop less than two weeks after its premiere, but Kourtney wrangled herself another reality TV gig with the E! series "Filthy Rich: Cattle Drive." A riff on shows like "The Simple Life," "Filthy Rich: Cattle Drive" plopped spoiled celebrity teenagers into the heart of a cattle ranch. The show lasted for one season, but Kourtney would grace the small screen once more when "KUWTK" launched its 20-season run in 2007.
She hoped the show would make her store a star
The Kardashians have never shied away from flexing their entrepreneurial prowess, evolving their businesses with the times. Before harnessing the power of social media, the Kardashians cleverly used television to sell products. In the days before "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," Kris Jenner was an infomercial star, strutting her stuff for the PowerWalk Plus and praising the miraculous wonders of Wicks of Wisdom. Following in the footsteps of her mother, Kourtney initially embraced reality TV stardom as a marketing platform for her fashion boutique DASH.
Kourtney tells The Hollywood Reporter that she first talked to producers about a series following her and sister Khloé Kardashian running DASH, with Kim Kardashian stopping by as a stylist. This idea didn't float, but the family dynamic did, and "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" was born. Early seasons of "KUWTK" feature DASH and Smooch, the children's store Kourtney ran with her mom. Kris told Variety in 2022, "I remember thinking we were going to be filming in the children's clothing store that Kourtney and I owned. It kind of started out like, 'Oh, my goodness, we're going to sell a lot of baby clothes!'" DASH and Smooch eventually closed their doors, but "KUWTK" opened plenty of opportunities for Kourtney and her family to grow their merchandising empire.
She and husband Travis Barker live in separate houses
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's whirlwind romance has taken the world by storm. The longtime friends sparked romance rumors in 2019, but Barker shot down the gossip. He told People at the time, "Kourtney's like a dear friend. That's it." He doubled down by adding, "I mean, I love her to death. I love her family to death. But yeah, just friends." But just two years later, People confirmed the pair were dating and they got engaged in a romantic beach proposal. Because their love was so extra, Kourtney and Travis (affectionately nicknamed Kravis), had three trips down the aisle, crescendoing with their extravagant Italian nuptials in 2022.
For a couple who rushed into married life, you would think Kourtney and Travis would eagerly merge their households, but for Kravis, wedded bliss doesn't mean having to share a roof. On the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast, Kourtney reveals that she and her new husband still live in separate houses and that she and Barker are figuring out what their new blended family looks like. There are plans for a joint house, but they don't want to rush their kids into a new living situation. They live a block away from each other, and she says that it's a special time with unique daily routines. While the Kravis clan doesn't live under one roof just yet, they readily pose a united front publicly, like at the premiere for Hulu's "The Kardashians" in 2022.
The Scott Disick breakup was a difficult KUWTK moment
From the beginning, Kourtney Kardashian was hesitant about starring in "Keeping Up with the Kardashians." Kris Jenner shared with the Los Angeles Times that her daughter couldn't quite wrap her head around the show. Kourtney confessed to The Hollywood Reporter that during the show's first season, she'd escape to the bathroom to cry, declaring, "I never want to cry in front of cameras." Seemingly, filming "KUWTK" didn't get easier for Kourtney, admitting to Variety that later seasons of the show were especially taxing. She told Bustle, "I would fight with my sisters. There was, like, just a lot going on. And even for me personally, I wasn't in the happiest place."
Unfortunately for Kourtney, tears flowed while filming her breakup with on-again, off-again beau Scott Disick. Their tumultuous relationship played out for "KUWTK" cameras and after years of drama, Kourtney called it quits in 2015. The split was, like many of the family's big life moments, caught on camera. She told The Hollywood Reporter, "The hardest episode to film was my break-up with Scott [Disick]. I had a lot of anxiety about it, and finally said let's just get this over with. I sat down and started crying." Equally painful was reliving it through the episode's production, with Kourtney adding, "Then you do your interview, and get all riled up again. And then you see the episode, and start seeing all these comments [on social media]."
The acting career of Kourtney Kardashian
Kourtney Kardashian is a reality TV star, social media influencer, and businesswoman, but did you know she's also an actor? Yes, the oldest Kardashian-Jenner sibling has put her degree in Theater Arts to use a few times over the years, with small roles in both television and film. Kourtney shared on the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast that she feels comfortable in front of the camera and certainly this has only helped her when the bright lights of Hollywood beckoned. In 2010, E! News reported Kourtney landed a guest spot on the soap opera "One Life To Live," playing the cleverly-named Kassandra Kavanaugh. On "Kourtney & Kourtney Take New York," she feigned ignorance about acting, but it's safe to assume she was flexing her thespian chops when sharing her worries with friend Adrienne Bailon.
Kourtney's stint on "One Life To Live" might not have been her acting breakthrough, but she tried acting again in the streaming age with a small cameo in TikTok star (and close friend) Addison Rae's Netflix movie "He's All That." The film proved to not be all that, with Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus declaring the movie is "hobbled by a lack of chemistry between its stars" and Kourntey's performance didn't win critics over, either. Vox.com declared, "Kourtney Kardashian's lethargic portrayal of a beauty brand manager is so difficult to watch that it's almost art." Better stick with your day job, Kourt.
What Kourtney Kardashian drinks in bed every morning
Kourtney Kardashian prioritizes her health and she has built her personal brand around all things wellness. She created her lifestyle brand Poosh because, in her words, "I felt that there was something missing in the healthy lifestyle space." Poosh has become a one-stop shop for Kourtney's fitness tips, beauty hacks, and healthy recipes. No matter how busy her schedule, Kourtney always finds time for a little self-care, which includes starting every morning with the same beverage: matcha.
Kourtney shared with Elle that husband Travis Barker introduced her to the form of green tea. She and Barker make sure to have matcha in bed every morning, no matter where in the world they happen to be. Of their daily ritual, Barker told People, "We have matcha in bed every morning, no matter where we're at, we're at a hotel, we're traveling." Of course, Kourtney's shared her matcha latte recipe on Poosh so you can kick off your day just like her.
She gave birth in front of the KUWTK cameras
Part of the charm of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" was how the family kept it real for the cameras. As senior VP of production and development Eliot Goldberg told the Los Angeles Times, even before the start of "KUWTK," matriarch Kris Jenner promised producers that if they filmed her family, "I want you to know that if you do this show with us, s*** happens to us. S*** always happens to us. And if we do this show, I promise you s*** will happen." Safe to say, Jenner delivered on her promise. Over the course of 13 years and 20 seasons, "KUWTK" chronicled the ups and downs of the family, filming everything from the mundane to the momentous.
Arguably, nothing in life is quite as eventful as the birth of a child and shockingly, the ever-private Kourtney was the Kardashian to share this experience on the show. In 2009, cameras captured the birth of Kourtney's first child, Mason. As People recapped, Kourtney pulled Mason out, wanting to get a closer look at her new son. She said at the time, "The experience was so indescribable and life-changing, and I can't believe he's all mine." Of sharing such an intimate moment with the world, Kourtney has no regrets. She said in Variety, "I'm sure there are so many experiences of women giving birth, but to me, mine was so just incredible that I felt like I want to give people this."
Kourtney Kardashian is just a regular carpool mom
Kourtney Kardashian might live a rarified Southern California lifestyle far from the madding crowd, but she's just a regular carpool mom who prioritizes shuttling her kids around town. Kourtney is mother to three children Mason, Penelope, and Reign and she's also a stepmom to Landon and Alabama. Surely, Kourtney has the means to outsource her children's transportation, but she's steadfastly on daily carpool duty. She shared on the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast that being a mom and taking her kids to school feeds her soul.
Kourtney's carpool routine has an air of normalcy and it is a time away from the press's prying eyes. As she said in Variety, "The paparazzi are super respectful about school stuff." Just because the paparazzi stay away from school time snaps doesn't mean Kourtney misses out on photo-ops for the 'Gram. Clearly, Kourtney cherishes family time, lovingly posting on Instagram about the simple joys of "carpool mornings."
Kris Jenner's eldest is not the only Kardashian who likes to drive the school shuttle. As Kim Kardashian told Ellen DeGeneres, she is also all about the carpool life.
She dated Girls Gone Wild creator Joe Francis
Kourtney Kardashian's love life has included some very high-profile romances. Scott Disick and Travis Barker might be her most well-known flames, but one former boyfriend might come as a surprise. In the '00s, Kourtney dated "Girls Gone Wild" creator Joe Francis, the head of a video empire whose fortune at one time, according to The New York Times, included two mansions, a ski retreat, and two jets. According to Francis, he and Kourtney first hooked up during a 2004 trip to Mexico. He dished on the "Juicy Scoop with Heather McDonald" podcast that a plan to get Kourtney out of his bed was her first introduction to Disick. Francis and Kourtney continued to date, but she eventually ended up with Disick.
Kourtney and Francis' relationship wasn't meant to be, but he's stayed a close associate of the Kardashians. Allegedly, he's been a key figure in building the family's fortune. Complex purports that Francis secured a multi-million dollar distribution deal for Kim Kardashian's sex tape, something that her "Kim Kardashian, Superstar" partner Ray J corroborated in a since-deleted Instagram video (via Page Six). Despite the shady side of Joe Francis including serious allegations and a stint in prison, the guy behind "Girls Gone Wild" keeps it close to the Kardashians and they don't seem to object. Francis often posts Kardashian throwbacks on his Instagram, celebrating birthdays and reminiscing about bikini photo shoots.
Kourtney Kardashian keeps an ex box
Even though Kourtney Kardashian has lived much of her life in the public eye and she can easily Google her past, she keeps some of her more sentimental memories locked away in a special place. The Kardashians got into the gaming universe with "Kim Kardashian: Hollywood," but Kourtney's version of an "ex" box might be a little different than the popular gaming console. Inside the box, Kourtney keeps pictures and other artifacts from past relationships.
In the "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" episode "The Ex Files," Kourtney shares her "ex" box (which naturally comes from designer Alaïa) with sisters Kim Kardashian and Khloé Kardashian. Attempting to convince Khloe that it's a good idea to curate her own "ex" box, Kourtney shares old photos and love letters that stir nostalgic heartstrings, yet Khloé remains unconvinced. While Kourtney only shared a snippet of her relationship archives with camera, one can only speculate about the full contents of her "ex" box. Some of her past relationships, both confirmed and alleged, include Justin Bieber, Younes Bendjima, Scott Disick, and Joe Francis, so it seems safe to assume Kourt's "ex" box contains juicy details. Let's hope she opens it again soon.
Her dislike of sugar has caused fights
Kourtney Kardashian is very vocal about her sugar skepticism. She's shared sugar-alternative treats on Poosh and on her now-defunct app, she opened up about providing all-natural candy for her kids (via People). Kourtney touts her supplemental gummy line Lemme as a dessert alternative, sharing with the "Not Skinny But Not Fat" podcast she loves to have one of her gummies as something sweet after her meals. However, not everyone in Kourtney's family is willing to ditch their sugar habits and it caused a serious sisterly rift.
During Season 17 of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," Kourtney and Kim Kardashian got into a fight about throwing their daughters North and Penelope a candy-themed birthday party. Kim embraced creating a sugary wonderland for the kids, but Kourtney wanted to make sure the treats were made with natural ingredients. The two went back and forth, and at one point, Kim quipped, "It's a Candy Land-themed party! ... It's not f***ing Gluten-Free Land!" North's mom ultimately got her way and the kids had a fun-filled and sugar-filled party. Since her fight with Kim, Kourtney's stance on sugar has softened. Kourt shared on Instagram her daughter Penelope's 10th birthday on Instagram included a cake (but vegan and gluten-free options for mom).
She can make almost $1 million for an Instagram post
Kourtney Kardashian, like her siblings, makes big-time money as a social media influencer. According to Statista, the global influence market has ballooned to an astonishing $16.4 billion in 2022 and the Kardashians have been on the cutting edge of the industry for years. In fact, their early success in the digital marketing space shaped regulatory guidelines. In 2016, The New York Times reported the family's popular sponsored posts raised the ire of the Federal Trade Commission for the obtuse nature of their sponcon. However, in subsequent years, the Kardashians have become more forthright with their commercial agendas as social media has become big business for the family.
As Kris Jenner shared with "CBS Sunday Morning," "My daughters are constantly getting offers to post something for a company, or a brand, on social media," adding "They have a fee for a post, or a fee for a story, a fee for Facebook ... they have a fee schedule." While Kourtney might not pull in as much influencer money as her siblings, she still garners some serious fees. She ranks 17 on Hopper's 2022 Instagram Rich List, reportedly making $964,000 per sponsored post. It's not as much as sister Kylie Jenner, who takes second place on the list, pulling in over $1.8 million per Instagram post, but earning six figures for sharing photos of eating meatless chicken is not too shabby for a day's work.
She has a major fear of spiders
Being a reality TV star like Kourtney Kardashian means getting vulnerable with audiences. And for years, Kourtney has been honest about one of her biggest fears. Back in 2010, Kris Jenner's eldest revealed to Us Weekly that she is terrified of spiders, declaring, "I didn't go into my bathroom once for two months because I saw one there." Fortunately for Kourtney, she does not live in a one-bathroom apartment so she had other powder rooms to choose from until the spider situation was worked out.
Unfortunately for Kourtney, her Southern California home was invaded by tarantulas. On an episode of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," the fuzzy arachnid invasion caused mayhem and terror in her house. "I just won't be able to sleep at night," Kourt declared. "I will not feel comfortable until these tarantulas are completely gone." Her sister Kim Kardashian isn't shy about her spider fear either. Per People, Kim posted frightening photos of her unwanted house guests onto her Instagram stories. But the sisters have a sense of humor about their spider-phobia, with Kourtney commenting on Kim's giant inflatable spider Halloween decoration on Instagram. As Teen Vogue noted, Kourt joked, "Overcoming your spider fears one step at a time." How web-derful.