Kim Kardashian’s Marilyn Monroe Hair Lock Might Be Fake, Historian Claims
During the 2022 Met Gala, reality TV star/businesswoman Kim Kardashian made headlines when she showed up to the red carpet wearing Marilyn Monroe’s iconic dress from her “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” performance at John F. Kennedy’s 45th birthday.
Kardashian received the dress as a loan from Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum, and she was also given a lock of Monroe’s hair. However, according to a historian, the hair lock might actually be fake.
Kim Kardashian received Marilyn Monroe’s hair lock from Ripley’s
According to Us Weekly, Kardashian did not keep the dress she wore to the Met Gala. However, the museum gave Kardashian what was purported to be Monroe’s lock of hair.
“We really appreciated her partnership and felt that she was a great partner with Ripley’s Believe It or Not! for us to be able to retell the Marilyn Monroe story to a new generation,” Amanda Joiner, Ripley’s vice president of publishing and licensing, told the news outlet. “We have 25,000 exhibits in Ripley’s, and when we’re working with partners, we want to show them our quirky side as well — and so that was the gift that we chose to give to her.”
In a video of Kardashian receiving the lock of hair, she said, “Oh, my God, I’m literally going to do some crazy voodoo s**t [to] channel her. This is so special to me. Thank you so much. This is so cool. Wow, this is sleeping with me every night.”
A historian claims the hair lock might be fake
A historian and Marilyn Monroe expert named Scott Fortner recently made an Instagram post claiming that the hair Kardashian received may not be authentic.
According to Fortner, Ripley’s website stated that the hair “was clipped by her hairstylist Robert Champion just prior to her Madison Square Garden performance.” However, Fortner claims that Champion did not cut Monroe’s hair for the event.
“It was actually the one and only ‘Mr. Kenneth’ (Kenneth Battelle) who had the honors,” Fortner said.
The Instagram post also includes a photo of a receipt allegedly proving this claim. Fortner wrote, “The receipt, dated May 25, 1962 list a ‘Hair Dress’ and references May 18 and 19, 1962. May 19th was the date of the Kennedy gala. The bottom the receipt reads, ‘Kenneth Services at home Fri + Saturday.’ Marilyn paid $150.00 for the service.”
“So, I think we have to now wonder: Just who’s hair is she actually sleeping with?” Fortner asked, referencing what Kardashian said when she received the hair.
Ripley’s maintains that the hair lock is authentic
Ripley’s has responded to the accusation from Fortner. The museum continues to maintain that Kardashian did receive authentic hair.
“Ripley’s exhibit collection contains six different samples of Marilyn Monroe’s hair — all authenticated and truly Marylin’s,” a rep told People.
They added, “The hair gifted to Kim was given by Marilyn Monroe to Robert Champion. This clipping was authenticated by John Reznikoff, one of the most respected and trusted experts in the field of hair collecting.”
