Kim Kardashian Reflects on Controversial 2009 Photo Shoot with Justin bieber, Says She “Should’ve Been Canceled”
Kim Kardashian has revisited a 2009 photo shoot with a then-16-year-old Justin Bieber, admitting she now recognizes the situation was ”not the most appropriate thing” and expressing surprise she didn’t face greater backlash. The revelation came during a recent interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast.
The images, originally published in V* magazine and resurfaced online, depicted Kardashian and Bieber holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes on a beach in the bahamas. Other photos showed Bieber kissing Kardashian on the cheek and Kardashian playfully brushing a rose against Bieber’s face. Reflecting on the shoot, Kardashian, now 43, stated, “I must have been 30 years old… Nothing ever weird was happening. I just think that was an odd concept, and why none of us thought that was odd at the time… but now I look back, and I’m like, ‘That would have not been the most appropriate thing.'”
The discussion resurfaces at a time of heightened scrutiny regarding age gaps and power dynamics in celebrity relationships and collaborations. While the photos circulated widely at the time, the current cultural climate surrounding these issues has prompted renewed examination of the shoot. Kardashian’s acknowledgement of its problematic nature adds to a broader conversation about accountability and evolving societal standards.
Despite the retrospective criticism, Kardashian maintains she has “never really done anything to be canceled” and “stands by everything” she’s done, asserting she’s “never said anything crazy” or “done anything crazy.”
Bieber, now 30, has since married model Hailey Bieber, who is close friends with Kardashian’s sister, Kendall Jenner. He is also a father to a 1-year-old son. Kardashian’s full interview is available on the *Call Her Daddy podcast.
