On a recent episode of “The Kardashians,” Kim and Khloé Kardashian found themselves in a powder keg of escalating aggression with Ellen Pearson. She’s the widow of their late father, Robert Kardashian Sr. In the episode, Kim told the story of an incredibly detailed dream she had where her father was alive and moved to Los Angeles to be with Pearson. Khloé wasn’t having any of it and replied with an equally disrespectful “Ew.” This exchange is more than comedic relief, though it opens up the deep cracks in Pearson’s marriage with Robert Kardashian Sr. It’s been an incredibly fraught subject in the family for two generations now.
Robert Kardashian Sr. was married in 2003 to Ellen Pearson, a few months before he succumbed to esophageal cancer. He married again a few months after his ill-fated union with Jan Ashley in 1998. This occurred right on the heels of his high-profile and media-obsessed marriage to Kris Jenner that lasted from 1978 until their divorce in 1991. The circumstances surrounding Robert’s marriages have long been a source of discussion among the Kardashian siblings, particularly as they navigate their father’s legacy.
In 2013, Pearson sued the Kardashian family for defamation, alleging that they attempted to involve her in questionable business dealings on the E! network. This lawsuit resulted in a successful settlement and was dismissed in February 2015. The internal elements of that suit made public the real issues driving Pearson and the Kardashian family apart, not your average run of the mill Kardashian drama.
Watch Kris Jenner recently reminisced about her marriage to Robert Kardashian Sr. during the same episode of “The Kardashians” on Business Insider. She acknowledged the challenges they faced, stating, “Being really young and dumb is something that plays into it because you don’t really understand the consequences of your actions.” This emotional current reveals the rich, complex feelings associated with their long, tumultuous history together and Robert’s legacy.
Thanks to Kim’s dream, Pearson’s star has been reascended. This has opened up new discussions about her tumultuous relationship with Robert Kardashian Sr. and how that’s impacted the family dynamic today. In the dream, Robert was not dead at all and was living happily with Pearson. This lovely scene stands in stark relief to the fact that his marriage to Pearson has become a point of contention for his children.
Khloé’s response is basically the stance of the entire Kardashian clan towards Pearson. Her reaction to Kim’s dream indicates how troubled they both are with the idea of Pearson being associated with their dad. This tension remains even when she has legal connections through marriage. This ironic paradox ever since defines the terms of their relationship with each other, as well as their abiding memorial to their father.
The Kardashian family’s narrative has often included drama and conflict, and the resurfacing of issues related to Robert Kardashian Sr.’s marriages only adds another layer to their complex story. The family pretty much leads the way in these conversations on the mic. To them, it’s very obvious how their history is still affecting the quality of today’s relationships.