Kim Kardashian The Model Who Has Parlayed Reality TV Fame Into A Personal Fortune

Kim Kardashian, the model who has parlayed reality TV fame into a personal fortune for her family and herself, is the target of a new online advertising campaign asking Californians to support a proposed ballot initiative to raise taxes on its wealthiest residents.
An online video from the Courage Campaign flashes images of Kardashian living the good life and proclaiming that "being on TV has changed my life, because you get lots of free stuff."
The video says Kardashian made $12 million in 2010 but paid just 1 percentage point more in California income taxes than someone making $47,000 - 10.3 percent vs. 9.3 percent.
The video ad, which is posted at www.Taxkimk.com , urges Kardashian to support the proposal for a tax increase.
"Not everyone was born a Kardashian, but we all need to pay our fair share," it says.
A spokeswoman for Kardashian, Pearl Servat, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday from The Associated Press.
The Courage Campaign and the California Federation of Teachers are among the groups backing a so-called millionaire's tax that would raise income tax rates by 3 percent to 5 percent for individuals who make more than $1 million a year.
Proponents say the tax would raise about $6 billion to help fund public schools and local services that have been hit hard during the recession, such as social services, programs for the elderly and public safety.
Forbes magazine estimated Kardashian made $12 million in 2010.
Through their reality TV show, "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and other promotions, Kardashian, her two sisters and their mother have created a celebrity brand name for themselves, appearing in endorsements for everything from weight-loss products to fast food.
Their father, Robert Kardashian, was an attorney and close friend of O.J. Simpson who played a prominent role in his murder trial.
After a lavish, made-for-TV wedding event last summer that reportedly netted the couple millions of dollars in royalties, Kim Kardashian filed for divorce in October, citing irreconcilable differences just 10 weeks after she wed NBA player Kris Humphries.
The couple's star-studded, black-tie ceremony was held at an exclusive canyon estate near Santa Barbara in the seaside enclave of Montecito. Kardashian wore three different designer wedding gowns, complemented by her 20.5 carat engagement ring. The couple's wedding registry at a Beverly Hills jeweler totaled $172,000 and included such items as a $1,650 coffee pot and two $1,250 sterling silver vegetable spoons.

The Devil Inside" Scared Up A Monstrous $34.5 Million

The fright flick "The Devil Inside" scared up a monstrous $34.5 million opening weekend to help Hollywood exorcise its recent box-office demons, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The surprise hit from Paramount Pictures debuted well above industry expectations as horror fans crowded theaters for the low-budget tale about exorcists trying to free a woman possessed by evil spirits.
Between "The Devil Inside" and solid results for holdover films, Hollywood's business soared over the first full weekend of 2012 after a sluggish holiday season that ended a ho-hum year at the box office.
Overall domestic revenues totaled $144 million, up 29 percent from the same weekend last year, when "True Grit" led with $14.6 million, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com.
Paramount already is well into profit with "The Devil Inside," an independently produced movie that the studio bought for $1 million. It's the latest such low-budgeted horror acquisition for the studio, which bought "Paranormal Activity" cheaply and turned it into a $100 million sensation that was followed by two hit sequels.
Like "Paranormal Activity" and another Paramount hit released in January, "Cloverfield," "The Devil Inside" is a fictional tale shot in a mock documentary style.
According to Paramount, 59 percent of viewers for "The Devil Inside" were under 25 and 85 percent were under 35, prime viewers for Hollywood who had not turned up in their usual numbers for much of last year.
With a sales campaign that bypassed traditional newspaper and TV advertising in favor of online teasers and cryptic marketing, Paramount managed to intrigue young adults who have not been all that interested in the rush of family films and Academy Awards contenders that crowded into theaters over the holidays.
"The Devil Inside" was the only new wide release of the weekend after the holiday crush, historically a good time for something different to sneak in and become an unexpected hit, said Don Harris, head of distribution for Paramount.
"For that under-25, under-35 audience that's looking for something else, that first weekend in January has always been a great weekend to release a movie," Harris said. "When we saw that weekend open, we took it."
"The Devil Inside" bumped another Paramount hit, Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," out of the top spot after two weekends at No. 1. "Ghost Protocol" slipped to No. 2 with $20.5 million, raising its domestic total to $170.2 million.
Just a day before "The Devil Inside" opened Friday, industry analysts had expected "Ghost Protocol" would remain No. 1 this weekend. The most optimistic forecasters figured "The Devil Inside" might manage $15 million, less than half the business it actually did.
"This one caught everyone looking, but the devil got his due," Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian said. "It's just very difficult to track the horror fan base, no question about it."
"The Devil Inside" is following the pattern of many horror movies, which pack in crowds on opening day then tumble quickly after that. With $16.85 million on Friday, "The Devil Inside" did nearly half of its business in the first day, with revenues falling to $11.75 million Saturday and an estimated $5.9 million Sunday.
Critics trashed "The Devil Inside," and even the fans who came out to see it gave it mixed to bad reviews. Paramount reported that 16 percent of the audience gave it an A grade, while 19 percent gave it an F. Two-thirds of the audience gave the movie a grade of C or lower.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "The Devil Inside," $34.5 million.
2. "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," $20.5 million ($27.7 million international).
3. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," $14.1 million.
4. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," $11.3 million.
5. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," $9.5 million.
6. "War Horse," $8.6 million.
7. "We Bought a Zoo," $8.5 million.
8. "The Adventures of Tintin," $6.6 million.
9. "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," $5.8 million.
10. "New Year's Eve," $3.3 million.

10 Romantic Chinese Movies

This Valentine’s Day, how about celebrating it with movies? Perhaps love is in the air, and all you need to do is let the movies warm up the romantic mood. Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to love. Don’t keep yourself waiting alone. Take your beloved one to the cinema, or rent some DVDs. Create an eternal moment for her/him to remember. Tell her/him that you will always be there, that your love will cool her/him in hot summer days and warm her/him throughout chilly winter nights. And don’t forget to say, Happy Valentine’s Day! And I love you!
A Good Rain Knows
In one of his most famous poems, ancient Chinese poet Du Fu extols the spring rain with a classic line - "A good rain knows its season." Dong-Ho, a modern-time businessman in South Korea, probably thinks he is irrelevant to this Chinese saying until he travels to Chengdu, where Du Fu composed his poem. The romantic feature "A Good Rain Knows", starring Gao Yuanyuan and Jung Woo-Sung, is directed by Hur Jin-Ho.
Sophie’s Revenge
Cartoonist/writer Sophie falls for a surgeon named Jeff. But actress Joanna shows up and lures the new boyfriend away for her. In order to win her man back, Sophie has to engage in a series of manipulations and maneuvers.
Go Lala Go!
Helmed by actress-turned-director Xu Jinglei, the film is adapted from a novel entitled "Du Lala's Promotion". The best-seller centers on a woman named Du Lala who takes the high road to get promoted.
What Women Want
The film, called "Wo Zhi Nv Ren Xin" in Chinese, is about an advertising agency manager who suddenly finds he can read women's minds. Lau plays the lead character, and Gong is his love interest.
Lover's Discourse
Through the telling of four different stories of four young couples, starring Eason Chan, Karena Lam, Mavis Fan, Eddie Peng, Kay Tse, William Chan, the film depicts the happiness and sadness people feel when they are looking for love in the modern city.
If You Are the One
Qin Fen (Ge) is a man in his late 40s who returns to China after many years overseas. He becomes a multimillionaire after selling an "innovative invention" to a high-profile (but foolish) angel investor (Fan). With his new fortune, Qin decides to put an end to his bachelor life and advertises open invitations to potential partners online, citing only "if you are the one", which actually means "don't disturb if not sincere".
Subsequently, he encounters various candidates from a homosexual former friend, a cemetery saleswoman, a pathological amnesiac, an ethnic minority pecking hen, an erotophobic widow, an expecting single mother to a stock-holding trader. Eventually, he crosses path with air stewardess Liang Xiaoxiao (Shu). While helping Liang get over her agonizing love affair with a married man (Fong), Qin strikes up an unexpected friendship with Liang, which eventually blossoms into love during a trip to Hokkaido.
If You Are the One 2
In the first film, middle-aged Qin Fen (Ge You) tries to find true love by setting his hope on blind dates. He eventually falls in love with an attractive young lady named Liang Xiaoxiao, who is desperately in love with a married man. The sequel continues to tell the stories between Qin Fen and Liang Xiaoxiao, who decide to have a trial marriage.
Love in Disguise
The film is about superstar singer Du Minghan (Wang), who disguises himself as an undergraduate at a music conservatory so that he can pursue his schoolmate Song Xiaoqing (Liu Yifei), whom he has a crush on.
Color Me Love
"Color Me Love" follows a fashion magazine intern, played by Yao Chen, who mirrors Anne Hathaway's role in David Frankel's 2006 comedy drama "The Devil Wears Prada". Liu Ye plays a painter who is attracted to her.
The film features cameos by real-life fashion personalities, including Hong Huang, the chief editor of "iLook"; and Su Mang, the chief editor of the Harper's Bazaar Chinese edition.
Under the Hawthorn Tree
A girl named Jing Qiu from the city is sent to a village at the age of 16 where she meets her Mr. Right. He's the son of the village head whose family is superior over Jing's during the Cultural revolution. Jing's lover promises to wait for her until she grows up.