Last night, the premiere episode of I Am Cait became the most buzzed-about reality debut in recent memory.
For once, Caitlyn was the star of the show, and most of her famous kids and stepchildren were nowhere to be seen.
Even so, one of the most talked-about moments from the first episode was the scene in which Kim Kardashian and Kanye West visited Caitlyn.
The Yeezy cameo came as a shock for many fans who tuned in or went to watch I Am Cait online this morning.
Not only because the notoriously brash, egomaniacal rapper offered an empathetic and insightful take on Caitlyn's situation (though many impoverished, at-risk trans individuals would likely take issue with Kanye's belief that Caitlyn "couldn't be up against more"), but also because West has eschewed reality TV in the past.
So why were the Wests so happy to participate in I Am Cait, even though Kanye avoids Keeping Up With the Kardashians like it's an album of Beck's greatest hits?
We may never know for sure, but some insiders believe Kim and 'Ye saw Caitlyn's reality show as an opportunity to satisfy their unquenchable thirst for publicity.
One insider tells Radar Online that Kim and Kanye were thinking only of themselves when they agreed to shoot scenes with Caitlyn:
“Kim is being accused of exploiting Caitlyn’s transition for the publicity,” says the source. “Kanye had been a vocal supporter of Caitlyn’s, and Kim realized she could get a ton of great buzz if she was very public with Caitlyn too.”
The insider adds that Kanye also saw the cameo as an opportunity for Kim to publicly differentiate her own beliefs from those of her controversial momager:
“It’s also part of Kanye wanting Kim to distance herself from her mom and extended family, and support causes that are entirely her own...Kim is now calling the shots in her life, and relying less on Kris for approval and advice,” the source said.
“Kanye has taken that spot in Kim’s life."
Yes, the day after Caitlyn's reality debut, millions of viewers are still talking about Kim, thanks to Kanye's strategizing.
And you thought Kris was a PR mastermind!
