Mom’s approval. Kris Jenner stood up for daughter Kendall Jenner after she faced criticism for throwing a birthday party amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The model rang in her 25th birthday with friends and family at Harriet’s Rooftop at 1 Hotel in West Hollywood on Saturday, October 31. Sisters Kylie Jenner, Kourtney Kardashian and Kim Kardashian all made appearances, along with Kendall’s close friends Justin Bieber and Jaden Smith. The reality TV personality didn’t shy away from showing off details of her costume party on social media but was quickly met with backlash from fans wondering why guests weren’t wearing masks or social distancing.
Despite facing negative comments, Kris, 64, said her daughter took the recommendations of health experts seriously before the big night.
“We’re dealing with lots of people that have different opinions and all we can do is live our lives the best way we know how and be responsible and do the right thing. And we’re doing that,” the momager explained during an interview on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live on Monday, November 2. “I’m very sensitive to what’s going on. Believe me, you know, I’ve tried so hard.”
The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star told host Andy Cohen that she felt “very lucky” to have access to COVID-19 testing “once or twice a week” while her family is filming their reality series. Before Kendall’s Halloween bash and other family events — “no matter how big or small” — Kris noted that they enforced strict safety guidelines. (Earlier this year, both Kanye West and Khloé Kardashian tested positive for coronavirus and battled severe symptoms before recovering.)
“Everyone got tested before they walked in the door and they had to wait, you know, a half hour until … the results were in,” Kris said of the party. “And everybody was tested a few days before Halloween. So we are really responsible and we make sure that everyone in our family and our closest friends are tested religiously. You know, we do what we can, we try to follow the rules.”
Though they “can’t control” the response they get online, Cohen, 52, commended the family’s “careful” effort.
Kendall isn’t the only member of the famous family to spark controversy amid the COVID-19 crisis. After celebrating her 40th birthday on a private island in October, Kim was criticized for hosting a lavish event that some fans felt was “tone-deaf.” However, the Skims founder brushed off the backlash.
“Her birthday party was so much fun, and she had an absolute blast. She’s in a better mood with all her friends surrounding her,” an insider told Us Weekly exclusively. “Even though she’s getting backlash for taking her friends away, she doesn’t care. She thinks it’s because people are jealous. She wanted to celebrate turning 40, and she’s happy with where she’s at in life and knows who she is and is more confident than ever.”
A second source added: “Kim doesn’t care about the backlash. She sees celebs have a birthday party on a beach in Malibu and it’s fine, but because she has the means to safely transport her family, she is torn down for it. The party was amazing. It was just family and Kim’s closest friends — really just her core group.”
