Hulu’s The Kardashians has caught up to the spring, when Kim Kardashian began preparing to step out in Marilyn Monroe’s iconic “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress for May’s Met Gala. On Thursday’s episode, however, life looked different on the screen.
While the reality star was dating former Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson at the time, and TMZ video taken at an April fitting at the Ripley’s Believe It or Not in Orlando, Fla., shows him holding her hands from the front as she squeezes into the garment, Davidson did not appear in the TV version. Well, his face didn’t appear, and only his shirt sleeves were visible.
The pair began dating in October 2021, after Kardashian hosted SNL and kissed Davidson as part of a skit. They were often very public about their relationship while it lasted, but they ended up splitting in August, although they reportedly remain on good terms. Davidson has even appeared in previous episodes of The Kardashians. And, as ET noted, a trailer for the second season, released before the two broke up, had teased her wearing what she wore to the Met Gala after-party on May 2 in a scene with Davidson.
A rep for Kardashian did not immediately respond to Yahoo Entertainment’s question about whether Davidson had been intentionally removed from the episode.
The same show also showed Kardashian’s feelings about wearing the iconic dress, which Ripley’s reportedly bought for $4.8 million, beforehand. Monroe famously wore it herself on May 19, 1962, two-and-a-half-months before she did of an overdose at 36, as she sang to President John F. Kennedy at a gala in New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
Thank you Ripley’s Believe It or Not! for giving me the opportunity to debut this evocative piece of fashion history for the first time since the late Marilyn Monroe wore it. I am forever grateful for this moment. ✨???? pic.twitter.com/XiXNclCEgB
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) May 3, 2022
As part of the preparation, Kardashian said she lost 16 pounds in three weeks.
“I’m a little nervous some people will hate, and just be like, ‘How dare she think she can step into Marilyn’s dress,'” Kardashian said. “And I get that.”
Kardashian was, in fact, criticized by historians, collectors and fans.
She explained on the episode just why she felt compelled to go ahead with the wardrobe choice anyway.
“I love that Marilyn was a normal girl that figured it out and became the most famous woman in the entire world,” Kardashian said. “It’s just fascinating.”
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