Kim Kardashian aims at local politics
Kim Kardashian apparently wants more than just a regular table at the Carousel restaurant in Glendale.
In an online clip for an upcoming episode for her sister’s show, “Khloe & Lamar,” Kardashian revealed 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 www.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, on Brand Boulevard, 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.
Public reaction on Twitter was swift and harsh on Tuesday. “Kim Kardashian is planning on running for Mayor … I don’t have a joke for this, mostly because this is a joke in itself,” @TheNickyParis declared.
Councilman Ara Najarian, though, offered Kardashian the role of “honorary chief of staff” to assist with her 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.
She appeared to already have the support of the other Armenian American on the City Council.
Glendale City Councilman Rafi Manoukian told E! News, “I think she would make an excellent mayor.”
Kassakhian said his office had not been officially contacted by Kardashian or her representatives, but he said he would welcome her on the ballot. If it raises the profile of local politics for a hard-to-reach electorate, he said, “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.