It takes more than a boycott threat to scare Rob Kardashian.
Yes, Internet users are still adding their signatures to an online petition, vowing to swear off all things Kardashian in retaliation for Kim's decision to divorce Kris Humphries after just 72 days. But Rob's friends say he isn't worried that his infamous last name will deter voters from dialing in their support during Tuesday night's "Dancing With the Stars" finals.
"This has not been an easy few weeks for the family, but you have to remember that on 'Dancing with the Stars' you are voting for someone to win, not against anyone," a friend of the family tells me. "And with over 11 million Twitter followers for Kim alone, five million for Khloe, four million for Kourtney, 1.5 million for mom Kris Jenner and over 2.4 million followers himself, Rob's army of fans will mobilize to vote, dwarfing any grassroots support Ricki Lake and J.R. Martinez have. Plus, if Rob was concerned about 'the negative Kim effect,' he wouldn't have brought her out to sit front row at the finale."
Since Kim's dramatic split from Humphries, members of reality TV's first family have found themselves on countless magazine covers -- one headline calling them "the fakest family in America." Even Tyler Perry, who cast Kim in his forthcoming film "The Marriage Counselor," has been forced to defend his decision after public protest. And although the spokeswoman for Rob's dancing partner, Cheryl Burke, tells me the dancing duo is not worried about the anti-Kardashian sentiment, other TV insiders think Kim will hurt her brother's chances of winning.
"It is a dancing competition, but you are being naive not to admit that it's also a popularity contest," one TV executive tells me. "The public has turned on Kim and her entire family after feeling tricked by her fairytale wedding. That has to have an impact on her brother."
We'll see if the 'anti-Kardashian effect' has any weight in the ballroom Tuesday night.
Check out all of the season 13 contenders below:
