Vivid Entertainment's highly-anticipated Kim Kardashian Superstar has finally arrived. Echoing the porn notoriety of Kardashian's close friend Paris Hilton, the celebrity sex video is sure to rank as one of the top-grossing adult titles of the year.
The 41-minute video of Kardashian and her then-boyfriend Ray J contains roughly 20 minutes of graphic sex, interspersing footage of the vacationing couple in hotel rooms and beach locations with scenes of fellatio, cunnilingus and hardcore penetration.
While the quality of the source image varies depending on the scene, a look at the DVD confirms Vivid's advance claim that Kim Kardashian Superstar features some of the most crisp-looking celebrity sex footage seen to date. For admirers of Kardashian's gorgeous physique, the video is a true revelation, displaying the olive-skinned Armenian beauty's natural assets to maximum effect.
Despite Kardashian's insistence that the explicit footage was never meant to be seen by the public, both stars repeatedly address their viewing audience throughout the video. Much of the sexual content plays like a POV-style gonzo porn movie, with Ray J shooting the action and talking into his camera lens. "I'm the illest director on the scene," says Ray J – as if to validate this boast, Vivid publicly offered him a multi-picture deal.
Kardashian takes well to the porn-starlet role, gasping and squealing her way through feigned orgasms while baring all to the camera. It's doubtful that the late attorney Robert Kardashian would have appreciated the sight of his daughter imploring a well-endowed black man to ejaculate all over her face – which, of course, is a key element of the video's appeal.
Ultimately, the performances don't matter in this show – it's the appeal of watching celebrities behave like porn stars that sells the movie. Outside of Hollywood social circles, few people knew or cared about Kardashian (Paris Hilton's erstwhile best friend) or Ray J (singer/actress Brandy's less-famous brother) until news of their pornographic exploits leaked to the press in January.
According to Vivid's national sales manager Howard Levine, Kim Kardashian Superstar has already sold out its first DVD pressing of 100,000 units. The celebrity sex video appears on one disc, with a separate disc containing five bonus Vivid sex scenes and a generous selection of trailers for hot upcoming titles such as Debbie Does Dallas...Again, Cassidey's Day Off and Savanna's Been Black Maled.
Vivid has protected the Kim footage with an onscreen watermark advertising its official website, kimksuperstar.com. A customized yellow hue on the disc surface is designed to combat piracy; a transparent seal on the back cover shows the telltale color with the warning: "If this DVD is not yellow in color, it is counterfeit and your quality will be compromised."
Meanwhile, Kim and Ray J are also making a splash on the internet through VOD website All Adult Channel's exclusive download-to-burn service. The video went live on All Adult Channel at 12:01 AM yesterday with a special offer granting purchasers of Kim Kardashian Superstar a free 3-day trial membership to the site with unlimited minutes. The effect of the unprecedented day-and-date internet release on retail DVD sales remains to be seen.
The success of Kim Kardashian Superstar proves once again that America's fascination with celebrity (or even pseudo-celebrity) knows no limits. An onscreen advertisement at the end of the video states: "If you have a celebrity sex tape or you can get one, congratulations. Now get it to us and make a bunch of money."
