Glendale officials react to Kim Kardashian’s mayoral ambitions
Kim Kardashian apparently wants more than just her regular table at the Carousel restaurant in Glendale.
In a clip for an upcoming episode for her sister’s show “Khloe & Lamar,” Kardashian reveals her newfound political ambitions: “I decided I’m going to run for the mayor of Glendale.”
Representatives for the reality TV star did not immediately respond to requests for comment on her latest musings, published Tuesday by Radaronline.com.
In the clip, Kardashian tells sister Khloe that her candidacy would be a perfect fit, given that Glendale is “like Armenian town.”
Problem: Glendale does not elect its mayor. The largely ceremonial post is decided among the five City Council members on an annual basis — an indication that the Kardashian famous for her curves, pop drama and occasional visit to Carousel restaurant in downtown Glendale may need to brush up on the city she says she wants to represent.
“It’s going to require a little bit of homework and not simply relying on a perceived base of support,” said the city’s elected clerk, Ardy Kassakhian, who runs municipal elections.
Councilman Ara Najarian on Tuesday went so far as to offer the role of “honorary chief of staff” to assist with Kardashian’s education on all things Glendale, from funding for public services to business and residential issues.
“You don’t just drop into this job, you need to do a little research and acclimatization,” said Najarian, who also serves as a board director for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
A great place to start, he added, would be to attend the upcoming Armenian genocide commemoration on April 24 at the Alex Theatre, which Najarian said would “reinforce her Armenian heritage.”
Her attendance, he added, “would make a great impact on the city.”
“It’s a time when I think all Armenians need to pause and reflect on the past,” Najarian said. “It just so happens that it’s appropriate timing” on her part.
In the clip, Kardashian tells her sister that she’d need to buy a home in Glendale so that in five years she could run for office, but in fact, the five-year waiting period wouldn’t be necessary. In Glendale, candidates need only establish a residence for less than a year to qualify, meaning Kardashian could set up shop in time for the upcoming City Council elections in 2013 or 2015.
Kassakhian said his office had not been officially contacted by Kardashian or her reps, but would welcome her on the ballot. If it raises the profile of local politics for a hard-to-reach electorate, “then it’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
After all, he added, this is California, where celebrities have a storied history of entering public office.
“I think it would be one of the more closely followed elections in Glendale’s history,” Kassakhian said.
-- Jason Wells, Times Commuity News
Twitter: @JasonBretWells