For years, fans of Keeping Up With the Kardashians have wondered why they’re seeing less and less of the youngest Kardashian sibling on their screens. And now, those questions have only been heightened after the premiere of the family’s new reality series, The Kardashians. So, why is Rob Kardashian not in The Kardashians?
There was a time when Rob was once featured regularly on Keeping Up With the Kardashians. As the youngest Kardashian sibling—aside from half-sisters Kendall and Kylie Jenner—Rob even landed his own E! spinoff series, Rob & Chyna, back in 2016. But over the years, Rob’s appearances alongside his sisters began to dwindle. In 2019, his older sister Kim opened up about her brother’s absence during an episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. “He has his moods,” she explained at the time. “Sometimes he’s like, ‘Look, I didn’t sign up for this,’ and then sometimes he’s like, ‘I’m cool to do it.’”
By the time KUWTK wrapped in 2021, Rob was rarely featured on the series. He opted not to attend the family’s reunion episode, where his sister Khloé hinted at Rob’s reasons for avoiding reality TV. While the Good American co-founder revealed that he was “feeling really good about himself” and “working really hard on himself,” she insisted that he didn’t feel the need to publicly “address the parts that made him want to take a break” from their show.
“I think he’s just getting stronger,” Khloé added at the time. “I think you have to get heartbroken and learn from your mistakes, and I think he’s just stronger and feeling better to be around and be more vulnerable or exposed.” Evidently, sometimes being strong also looks like knowing when to bow out—but in Rob’s case, it leaves some questions for fans of his family and their reality shows.
Namely, viewers still want to know why Rob isn’t in The Kardashians, which premiered on Hulu in April 2022. For everything we know about Rob’s involvement—or lack thereof—with The Kardashians, keep on reading ahead.
Why isn’t Rob Kardashian in The Kardashians?
So, why is Rob Kardashian not on The Kardashians? While Rob was heavily featured on Keeping Up With the Kardashians at the start of the series’ run, the California native reportedly wasn’t interested in joining his sisters and mother in the second iteration of their family reality TV show. According to a source who spoke to Hollywood Life, Rob is no longer looking to lead such a public life—and his decision is, in part, inspired by his daughter Dream, whom he shares with ex-fiancée Blac Chyna.
“Rob will NOT be appearing in their Hulu show because he does not want his life or the life of his daughter to be a part of it. Everyone respects this decision,” the insider told the site in November 2021. “Doing the show with E! caused him nothing but pain and hardships as he had several hospitalizations,” the source continued, seemingly referring to his public struggles with diabetes. The insider also cited the former reality star’s ongoing “court battles” with the mother of his child as a reason for his shifting focus. Chyna, for her part, filed a lawsuit against the Kardashian-Jenner family for the first time in 2017. Her $100 million lawsuit includes a long list of offenses, including assault and harassment charges against Rob and alleged defamation carried out by Kim, Khloé, Kris and Kylie Jenner.
Aside from his ongoing legal battles with his baby mama, Hollywood Life’s source also highlighted the emotional toll that filming had on Rob. “[The show] also drive a wedge in between him and Kim [Kardashian] at one point,” the source said, pointing out that Rob had “several close friends die” during KUWTK’s original run and suffered when his sister Khloé’s ex-husband Lamar Odom—whom “he was so close to”—almost
“Although he would not have what he has without it, Rob is forging his own path now and focusing on himself, his health, and his daughter. Rob is in a great place right now and everyone is really proud of him,” the source concluded. “He has a solid relationship with all of his family. He also has a great relationship with his nieces and nephews. More importantly, Rob is a great father to his daughter and puts her before anything.”
Where is Rob Kardashian now?
These days, Rob is living a quieter life and focusing on his fitness. The KUWTK alum underwent a fitness transformation in 2020, with sources telling Hollywood Life that the father of one wants to be “as health as he can” be for his daughter, Dream.
“Rob’s back — he made it through some very dark days, but he’s good again and very excited about 2021,” the source shared at the time. “He’s got big plans for his clothing line Halfway Dead next year, too. And he and his mom are doing great with their hot sauce Grandeza — they have plans to grow that in 2021, too.” Indeed, throughout 2021 and in 2022, Rob’s focus continues to be on expanding his brands and being the best dad he can be.
The Kardashians is available to stream on Hulu. Here’s how to watch it for free.
Image: Gallery Books.
For more about the Kardashians, check out Kris Jenner’s 2011 memoir, Kris Jenner…And All Things Kardashians, in which the momager tells her never-before-told story about how she led her six children—Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, Rob, Kendall and Kylie—to international stardom and built their multi-million dollar empire. You may think you know the Kardashians, but as Kris explains in her book, what’s in the media and in Keeping Up With the Kardashians is only the tip of the iceberg. In Kris Jenner…And All Things Kardashians, Kris reveals how she balanced six children (not to mention four stepchildren and numerous grandchildren) while building a business for her family. The book also dives into Kris’ relationship with Nicole Brown Simpson before and after her husband, O.J. Simpson, was accused of her murder. Kris Jenner…And All Things Kardashians is a must-read for any Kardashian fan.
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