Khloé Kardashian defends Kim's island party: 'It's her 40th'

Oct. 29, 2020 10:50 AM PT

Anyone who’s been “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” lately knows that Kim has been getting mercilessly lampooned on Twitter for sharing photos from her surprise birthday getaway to a private island in the middle of a pandemic.

And on Thursday’s episode of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Khloé Kardashian defended her sister against the many subsequent memes and critics accusing the reality TV star and her family of being out of touch with, well, reality.

“I haven’t heard a lot about it, but I did hear that people were upset that we all went out of town,” she told DeGeneres. “I don’t really know the extent of it, but this year is a frustrating year. I get it. I think there’s so many frustrations going on for everybody.

“But also, it’s her 40th, and this is something that she really wanted to do for us. It was such a nice thing. ... We felt so safe, and we did it in the safest way I could imagine when doing it. ... It was such a beautiful experience, and I want Kim to focus on how beautiful it was and what she did for everybody.”

Khloé estimated that “maybe 20 or 25” people including the “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” squad, took part in the tropical vacation after taking “all the precautions” necessary to protect themselves and others from COVID-19. (Earlier this year, Khloé contracted a nasty case of the virus, according to a recent “KUWTK” teaser.)

She also added that the isle’s residents were “grateful” for the revenue generated by the luxury celebration, as the public health crisis has caused a tourism drought.

“Nobody knew where they were going,” she said. “We didn’t find out till on the plane, and it was so special, and we were all speculating. ... We were told [to pack] three nice outfits for dinner or something like that. But other than that, we had no idea, and it was the coolest experience to be that surprised. ...

“So many people said that we were their first party, or guests, that they’ve had in months, and what it’s done for them to be able to pay their bills or to do stuff for their family. I mean, just hearing those messages when we were there ... we felt really good.”

Earlier this week, Kim Kardashian came under fire for posting a series of photos from the glamorous trip with her “closest inner circle,” which apparently included her mom, Kris Jenner; her sisters, Khloé, Kourtney and Kendall; their families and a bunch of their friends.

“40 and feeling so humbled and blessed,” she wrote. “There is not a single day that I take for granted, especially during these times when we are all reminded of the things that truly matter. For my birthday this year, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend it than with some of the people who have helped shaped me into the woman I am today.

“Before COVID, I don’t think any of us truly appreciated what a simple luxury it was to be able to travel and be together with family and friends in a safe environment.”

But it was the next part that really took off on Twitter, which was soon flooded with memes juxtaposing the beauty mogul’s earnest moment of reflection with mocking stills from destination movies such as “Midsommar,” “Shutter Island,” “Mamma Mia,” “High School Musical 2” and more.

“After 2 weeks of multiple health screens and asking everyone to quarantine, I surprised my closest inner circle with a trip to a private island where we could pretend things were normal just for a brief moment in time,” the viral excerpt read.

“We danced, rode bikes, swam near whales, kayaked, watched a movie on the beach and so much more. I realize that for most people, this is something that is so far out of reach right now, so in moments like these, I am humbly reminded of how privileged my life is.”

Several also inevitably reacted to the social media moment with a highly applicable gif of Kourtney reminding her sister, “Kim, there’s people that are dying,” during a classic episode of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.”

Kim hasn’t officially responded to the backlash but appeared to address the situation indirectly on Wednesday with more snaps from her controversial mid-pandemic vacay and the caption, “Now that I have your attention...this is a reminder to VOTE. 6 days.”

Many noted that she did not, however, endorse her husband, Kanye West, who made his way onto the 2020 ballot in some states after launching a late presidential campaign in July.

See more reactions to Kim’s birthday bash below.

Khloé Kardashian gets outrage over Kim’s birthday party: ‘But also, it’s her 40th’

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