Kim Kardashian and Tesla: a controversial photo shoot
Reality TV star Kim Kardashian caused a stir when she posed with a Cybertruck and Tesla’s Optimus robot. A photo shoot she now describes as a “big joke”.
A divisive shoot
On March 15, Kim Kardashian shared photos on Instagram from a shoot for Perfect magazine, shot by photographer Steven Klein. She appears in the company of a Cybertruck and the humanoid robot Optimus, developed by Tesla. In the images, the Skims founder embraces the robot, holds its hand and poses on the back of the futuristic vehicle.
But at a time when Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk are increasingly criticized, this staging of the show has not failed to provoke outraged reactions. Faced with the controversy, Kim Kardashian tried to defuse the situation, claiming that it was simply a joke.
“I think the big joke of this shoot with the robot is that I feel very robotic,” she told Perfect magazine.
Heavy accusations
However, on X (ex-Twitter), many Internet users don’t see it that way. Some have accused her of being a “Nazi sympathizer”, in reference to the controversies surrounding Elon Musk. Indeed, the Tesla and SpaceX boss has been accused of performing a Nazi salute. This has rekindled tensions surrounding his image.
This controversy comes amid a tense climate for Tesla, whose popularity seems to be wavering. The company’s French headquarters in Saint-Ouen was recently vandalized by environmental activists. In Berlin, several of the brand’s electric cars were set on fire in protest.
Kim Kardashian and Tesla: a surprising alliance
If Joe Biden recently tried to support Tesla. He showed off a flamboyant red model, but Kim Kardashian’s proximity to the brand is intriguing. A few weeks after Donald Trump‘s re-election, she had already shared a video of “her new friend”, Optimus, on X.
So, is it a real “joke” or a calculated publicity stunt? One thing’s for sure: the reality TV star knows how to get people talking. Even if it means finding herself at the heart of controversy.
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