My gut is telling me we need to rally around Kendra Wilkinson right now. Following a very revelatory handful of photos posted to her Instagram story on Sunday, it became clear Wilkinson is having some very human, very real problems that are amplified by the kind of laser-focused attention beamed right from watchful public eyes to the celebrity in question. Like many of us, Wilkinson is balancing her personal life — which includes an unwavering public focus on the state of her marriage to Hank Baskett, with whom she stated in February she was having “marital problems,” — with the public life she leads, and yet it’s clear now more than ever that balancing act is wearing her down.
Earlier this week, Wilkinson seemed ready to open up about just how mentally and emotionally frayed she’s feeling right now. She took to her Instagram story to reveal just how tired and upset she’s been feeling lately, giving a distinct impression she’s emotionally wrung out. While the original photos from the Instagram story are gone, they were saved by E! News and included in their report, so her original statements and pics are preserved.
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In all the photos, which were taken in black and white, Wilkinson is sans makeup (and thus, sans celebrity polish, which is not a bad thing but only highlights serious this is) and laying around in what appears to be her bedroom. In one snap, she wrote, “Life isn’t making any sense right now. Sorry I’ve been MIA.”
She goes on to ask, “How much strength does it take to be strong?” and in another, she stated, “I try so hard to be good but [I’m] never good enough. Therapy is for the birds.” While Wilkinson didn’t relay why she was currently in therapy or what she might be working through, it’s easy to see she’s going through it right now, — “it” being a very raw period.
She continued, “No matter what…I am labeled. Playboy party girl. Bad mom. D list celebrity. Crazy. Always wrong. Sometimes a hug is all I need but I guess I’m covered in thorns.” She looked stressed and upset, and frankly, at this point, I know I can’t be the only one wanting to jump through the screen to give her a hug.
Wilkinson concluded the series of photos on a somewhat hopeful note, writing, “Thank [you] to those behind me [and] pushing me with love. My next fight will be for the KO [knockout]. Tomorrow is a new day. I will smile. Goodnight.”
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This is hard to read. Push aside whatever feelings you have about Wilkinson. Push aside any thoughts about this being a problem relegated to the specific woes of celebrity life. Most important, push aside any thought this is just Wilkinson looking for attention. Instead, focus on the fact that Wilkinson is comfortable enough to get very raw and real with us, her followers and the world at large. She is revealing to us the way she feels and is trying to publicly cope with whatever may be hurting her on a deeper level. This is bravery, and this is Wilkinson trying to sort through her very human problems the way we all do: by reaching out and looking for a supportive shoulder to lean on. If anything, Wilkinson’s honesty here is nothing short of praiseworthy. I don’t know if I would have the ability to come forward in such a public way with my problems, so we need to recognize she’s living her truth, and no, that truth isn’t always going to be pretty.
Shortly after Wilkinson posted this photo series, rumors arose she and Baskett were going the divorce route. At the same time, Wilkinson posted a photo that showed her without her wedding ring. There is no concrete evidence that no ring equals divorce for Wilkinson and Baskett, though, and we haven’t had any public statements, either individually or joint, confirming this to be the case.
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