Kris Jenner Angered by Affair Reveal in Kim’s Biography, Which Kim Reviewed Closely
WHO:
Page Six - Kim Kardashian participated in an authorized biography, *Citizen Kim: The Woman Who Created the Future*, by Jonathan Van Meter.
Page Six - Kris Jenner is Kim Kardashian’s mother; the article reports that she objected to the book’s inclusion of her past affair.
Page Six - Van Meter said Kim told him Kris yelled, “Why did Kim drag us all into this? Why is my affair from 30 years ago in the book?”
The Hollywood Reporter - Van Meter said Kim called him late at night after Khloé told her Kris had “flipped out on camera” while the family filmed its show.
The Hollywood Reporter - Van Meter quoted Kim telling Kris, “All this stuff gets written about us, and then a guy comes along who gets us and wants to explain us. Why wouldn’t you want that?”
Page Six - Kris previously acknowledged an affair with Todd Waterman during her marriage to Robert Kardashian.
Page Six - Kris and Robert Kardashian were married from 1978 to 1991 and had children Kim, Khloé, Kourtney and Rob Kardashian Jr.
The Hollywood Reporter - Kim read the biography page by page for fact-checking, objected to some passages, and ultimately accepted nearly all of them. Van Meter said he cut two sentences concerning her safety.
WHAT:
Page Six - Van Meter said Kris was fine two days after her outburst and said the incident would appear on *The Kardashians*, the family’s Hulu series.
The Hollywood Reporter - Kim’s strongest objection concerned the book’s tone about her father, Robert Kardashian; she also felt the sex-tape discussion was too long and the material about her first husband, Damon Thomas, made her uncomfortable.
The Hollywood Reporter - Van Meter said Kim cried over chapters about her early years because they reflected her experience as a 13-year-old.
Page Six - Kris said her affair was a “huge mistake” and “my life’s biggest regret,” explaining, “I think that I fell into a situation where I thought that the grass was greener somewhere else.”
The Hollywood Reporter - Van Meter said he spent about 50 hours with Kim and interviewed dozens of people for the biography.
The Hollywood Reporter - Van Meter did not interview Ray J or Kanye West; Paris Hilton canceled an interview 17 times over about four months.
WHERE:
The Hollywood Reporter - Van Meter said he spent time at Kim’s homes, accompanied her to photo shoots and met with her in Malibu.
The Hollywood Reporter - Van Meter described Kim’s family homes in Hidden Hills as having multiple gates and armed security.
WHEN:
Page Six - The biography was slated for release on Oct. 27.
Page Six - Kris disclosed her relationship with Waterman in 1989; Robert Kardashian died in September 2003, aged 59, after esophageal cancer.
The Hollywood Reporter - Van Meter said the biography took five years to report and write.
The Hollywood Reporter - Van Meter said he began spending time with Kim in 2019 and had extended visits with her in Malibu in 2024.
Page Six - Kris and Bruce Jenner married in 1991 and separated in 2013; Caitlyn Jenner publicly came out as transgender in 2015.
WHY:
The Hollywood Reporter - Van Meter said Kim wanted a writer to explain her beyond years of scandal and gossip; he described legitimacy as the simplest explanation for her participation.
HOW:
The Hollywood Reporter - Kim’s lawyer and Van Meter’s agent agreed that she could read the manuscript for fact-checking; Van Meter said there were no other stated preconditions.
The Hollywood Reporter - Kim marked factual issues page by page, discussed objections with Van Meter by video call and phone, and ultimately accepted the disputed material.
(UPDATED October 23, 2026 23:21 UTC)
Kim Kardashian’s mother, Kris Jenner, objected to an authorized biography of Kim after it included her past affair with Todd Waterman. Author Jonathan Van Meter said Kim told him Kris yelled, “Why did Kim drag us all into this?” Kim later defended the book, saying it offered a chance to explain the family beyond years of gossip. She reviewed the manuscript page by page, raised concerns, and ultimately accepted nearly all the material. Van Meter said her strongest objection involved the book’s portrayal of her father, Robert Kardashian; she also felt some discussions of her sex tape and first marriage went too far. He recalled that Kim cried over chapters about her childhood. Kris previously called the affair a huge mistake and her life’s biggest regret. The biography took five years to produce, with Van Meter spending about 50 hours with Kim. It is slated for release on Oct. 27.