The Kardashians: Don’t Hate Them Because They’re Successful

They’re not shy about cashing in on fame – but that’s just one of the perks of reality TV

Arguably, the only one who has come close to the Kardashians level of business acumen is NeNe. She recognized her role on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" early, causing just enough ruckus to get people talking. Now with a stint on "Celebrity Apprentice," a supporting role on "Glee" and a new role on the upcoming NBC series, "The New Normal," Leakes seems to understand that 15 minutes of fame is plenty of time to get while the getting is good. Kandi ("RHOA")  is the another one — I'm not mad at her trying something new by making a name for herself in the sexuality arena.

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If I were a reality show star, I'd be taking as many meetings as I could. Let me see what's out there and how I can make as much money as possible. Celebrity doesn't mean what it used to. One minute you're hot and the very next second you're not. (See: Kate Gosselin.)

Now, I know that a few of them do have some business ventures. Evelyn Lozada ("Basketball Wives") has her makeup line (which quite a few people have pointed out look eerily close to Coastal Scents products). Her co-star Jennifer Williams has her lip gloss collection, I'm not sure what Royce or Suzie are doing and we've already discussed Tami.

But of course, if you're flying across a table to fight somebody do you think a big brand like Pepsi or Macy's is going to seek you out as a spokesperson? Survey says...no. Sponsors were pulling their ads from "Basketball Wives" like crazy after the last train-wreck of a season and we know the ladies were paying attention. Or let's at least hope they are.

So here's my plea. How about we stop with the Kardashian hate? No, I haven't drunk the Kool-Aid, but if the best insult you can lobby their way is that they're attention whores, then stop giving them attention. But don't hate because they've figured out how to turn the reality show machine into a money-making vehicle.

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