Adrienne Bailon will always be a part of the Kardashian story, even though she only dated Rob Kardashian from 2007 to 2009. And the 35-year-old discussed the continuing fixation on her decade-old romance with the reality star in an exclusive interview with Us Weekly.
“I do think it’s funny,” Bailon, who’s now using her married name of Houghton, told Us. “Only because it really is the shortest relationship I’ve ever had.”
That said, the Real cohost knows the romance only gets so much attention because it was televised on Keeping Up With the Kardashians. “It’s reality TV, and I used to get so annoyed by that, but I don’t now,” she revealed. “Now, I’m just like, ‘It is what it is.’”
For a time, the relationship was overshadowing Bailon’s other achievements, including her music career with the girl groups 3LW and The Cheetah Girls.
“I was like, ‘Guys, but I’ve accomplished other things,’” she said. “And I think that even got misinterpreted as me saying at some point I wish I had never done the show. I don’t think it was that at all … I just was annoyed that people tried to say that that was the only thing I had accomplished. … So that was a sucky spot in my career.”
Now, however, she has made it through the reality TV gauntlet, released a jewelry line called XIXI, and married Israel Houghton, who’s not bothered by his wife’s dating history. “We laugh at it,” Bailon said. “People will be like, ‘Doesn’t her husband find that …’ I’m like, ‘You know he had a life, too. He has walking, living, breathing children that are proof of love and life he lived before me. I think we’re all mature enough to understand that.’”
To this day, Bailon is friends with Kim Kardashian — with Kim even joking this summer about Bailon nearly becoming an aunt to the 38-year-old’s children — and she still keeps up with KUWTK, so to speak.
“I think I’ve watched [this season] more so than I ever did,” she told Us. “My executive assistant loves the show, and if we’re in the house, she’s like, ‘Can I put it on?’ And I’m like, ‘Sure, girl, go.’”
Bailon says the Kardashians are all “fun people,” but she has a special place in her heart for a certain momager: “I always joke, I’m like, ‘Man, I’m going to come through with some sunglasses on one day and just live my best Kris Jenner life.’ She’s fly. She’s super fly.”
