Gypsy Rose Blanchard, Kim Kardashian. Getty Images (2)
Gypsy Rose Blanchard opened up to Kim Kardashian about the obstacles that come with being a public figure after serving time behind bars.
During the Thursday, July 11, episode of The Kardashians, Kim, 43, visited Gypsy, 32, to discuss collaborating on prison reform. Kim expressed her hopes for the conversation ahead of time while on the phone with businessman Michael Rubin.
“She is the most well-known person that just got out of prison,” Kim noted. “She really wants to get involved [in prison reform]. She can be really impactful with youth and abuse. It’s a fascinating case.”
Kim and Gypsy subsequently sat down for a candid talk in a hotel room. The reality star admitted that her interest in Gypsy’s situation didn’t stem from the recent attention around her.
“Honestly, I’ve been following your case for a very long time so I wouldn’t want to come in and meet with someone that I think can really make an impact just for the sensation of the case,” Kim explained. “I recognize that you can make a big difference because you can really articulate what you went through and how you got through it.”
Gypsy, meanwhile, praised Kim for publicly supporting her despite the potential backlash, adding, “I give you massive kudos right now because I think a lot of people are afraid of touching me as a topic because I am too controversial. So I give you massive props.”
After being arrested for the murder of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard, Gypsy served seven years in prison. Dee Dee was found dead at age 48 in her Missouri home with multiple stab wounds in June 2015. Gypsy, who was released from prison in December 2023, previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. She was granted parole in September 2023 before being released.
Gypsy, who is currently expecting her first child with boyfriend Ken Urker, has previously alleged that her mother abused her. Dee Dee, who seemingly suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, told Gypsy and the public that her daughter was diagnosed with various medical issues including leukemia, muscular dystrophy, brain damage and seizures, which didn’t appear to be the case.
“This has been a roller-coaster ride. I am blessed to be given a second chance because when I was going through what I was going through, no one really talked about Munchausen by proxy. No one was ever a guiding light for me,” Gypsy noted on Thursday. “I look back at things I could have done differently. The one thing that people always ask me is, ‘Why didn’t you just stand up? Call the police.’”
Over the years, stars including Jennette McCurdy and Macaulay Culkin have discussed hitting rock bottom with their parents. The iCarly alum broke down the abuse she faced because of her mother, Debra McCurdy, in her memoir, I Am Glad My Mom Died. “Of course, there are moments where I fantasize that my mom would’ve apologized […]
Kim revealed she still had her own questions about Gypsy’s case — including whether she ever told her father.
“I didn’t because I didn’t even know his phone number. My mom literally had put a block on our relationship. She created a fake Facebook account as me talking to him,” Gypsy claimed. “Now looking back on it, I am like, ‘I could have done things a lot differently and it would have ended with my mother being in prison.’ Did she deserve prison? Yes.”
According to Gypsy, her prison sentence included grieving the loss of her mother.
“There were times in prison where I would just sit on the bed and play one of her favorite songs and just cry. I would just allow myself that time to cry and grieve,” she continued. “Sometimes I would have to do it in the shower too because crying in prison — you are so vulnerable. Especially women. They can be so catty. Their first go-to is, ‘Well, you killed her so why are you crying about it?’”
Kim made it clear in a confessional that her support for Gypsy didn’t mean she didn’t understand the gravity of the case.
“I know it is a controversial subject when people want to help people that were involved in something so violent,” she told the cameras. “But I do believe people should have second chances in life and I take her entire background into consideration. It is so crazy not to.”
Later in their conversation, Gypsy addressed the pressure that came with her story being portrayed in projects such as Hulu’s limited series The Act.
“I am doing my best to make my family proud and there’s an internal battle going on. Because I know I did something wrong and I paid my consequences,” Gypsy detailed. “But I feel like half of everybody still wants to condemn me and the other half is rooting for me. Because I post a selfie and I am supposed to have a greater message behind it. But I am just having fun.”
Law & Crime/YouTube Gypsy Rose Blanchard has made headlines for more than just murder. Gypsy was released from prison in December 2023 after serving seven years of a 10-year sentence. She was granted parole in September of that year. Gypsy pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in 2016, the year after her allegedly abusive mother, Clauddine […]
Gypsy was also upset about the limitations in prison, adding, “This is what upsets me so much is you know everything that I have been through. When I got to prison, I asked them if I could get therapy and really deal with the trauma that I went through. I received a notice that I didn’t qualify for therapy.”
She continued: “Reentry has been a whirlwind for me. Unfortunately, we are living at a residence and they are pressuring us to put me on the lease. And I won’t pass a background check. The system is just setting us up to fail.”
After speaking with Gypsy, Kim was hopeful about how they could push for change. “Hopefully, with her help, we can try to bring therapy into more prisons and try to change the way the system operates,” Kim concluded.
Hulu releases new episodes of The Kardashians every Thursday.