Kris Jenner describes falling in love with Bruce Jenner when he had just $200 in the bank, revealing she turned the Olympian into a star so the couple could afford to look after their kids

  • The 61-year-old 'momager' opened up about her meeting with her second spouse in an interview published on Tuesday
  • She discussed the beginnings of their marriage with writer and transgender rights activist Janet Mock
  • Kris met the Olympic gold medalist during her divorce with her first spouse, attorney Robert Kardashian, the father of her first four children
  • She recounted how the decathlete, who has since transitioned to become Caitlyn, only had $200 in the bank and didn't have 'a lot going on' publicity-wise
  • 'I had a cell phone the size of a brick and a typewriter and an old-fashioned Rolodex thing on a spindle,' Kris said of building her spouse's public profile

Sharing: Kris Jenner has opened up about the start of her marriage to Bruce Jenner

Sharing: Kris Jenner has opened up about the start of her marriage to Bruce Jenner

Professional 'momager' Kris Jenner has told how she had to build up the career of her ex-husband Bruce Jenner in order for their family to survive, after she fell in love with the former Olympian when he had just $200 in the bank. 

Kris candidly opened up about the beginnings of the couple's marriage in a podcast interview with writer and transgender rights activist Janet Mock, a transcript of which was published on Tuesday in Lena Dunham's Lenny Letter.

The 61-year-old reality TV mogul recounted how she 'fell in love 150 per cent' with the transgender gold medalist, who is now known as Caitlyn, despite the athlete's dire financial situation, which contrasts vastly with the family's current affluence.

Love: The 61-year-old reality TV mogul (pictured with her spouse in 1991, the year of their wedding) recounted how she 'fell in love 150 per cent' with the gold medalist

Love: The 61-year-old reality TV mogul (pictured with her spouse in 1991, the year of their wedding) recounted how she 'fell in love 150 per cent' with the gold medalist

Back when she met Bruce, Kris was in the midst of her divorce with attorney Robert Kardashian, the father of her first four children, Kourtney, Kim, Khloe and Rob.

Kris, who referred to her second spouse by her given name of Bruce during the podcast, rather than using her current name of Caitlyn, told Janet how her marriage to her first husband led her to make friends at the top of the entertainment industry.

'Then, when I met and married Bruce Jenner, I became his manager instantly because he didn't have a lot going on. I saw this incredible potential, and he wasn't doing anything,' Kris said.

'Nobody was booking him for speeches. Nobody was sending him out on the road. I thought, Wow. You should be this incredible public speaker. I just figured it out to that point.'

Stepping into her manager shoes, Kris gathered her tools, which she described as 'a cell phone the size of a brick and a typewriter and an old-fashioned Rolodex thing on a spindle'.

Words: Kris (pictured with Caitlyn and their daughters Kylie and Kendall as children)  referred to her second spouse by her given name of Bruce during the interview

Words: Kris (pictured with Caitlyn and their daughters Kylie and Kendall as children)  referred to her second spouse by her given name of Bruce during the interview

Efforts: Kris recalled spending her 'last dime' to get 'beautiful, glossy press-kit folders' made for her spouse (Caitlyn is pictured last month)

Efforts: Kris recalled spending her 'last dime' to get 'beautiful, glossy press-kit folders' made for her spouse (Caitlyn is pictured last month)

While the Kardashian family now has expertly curated social media accounts, there was, at the time, 'no Internet that [Kris] used or knew about', she said.

Yet, the mother didn't let that deter her. 

'I told my assistant, Lisa, "OK, listen. We have the greatest guy here. He really knows his craft. He is really good at what he does, but he doesn't have anybody doing anything for him. He doesn't have a lot going on. He has $200 in the bank. What are we going to do? 

'Because the kids have to eat. We have to get it together,' she recounted.

Janet stopped to probe Kris further about her financial situation at the time, pointing out how the mom picked a partner with just a couple hundred dollars' worth of savings even as she didn't have a lot of income.

Feelings: 'I fell in love with him, 150 per cent. I've always looked at things like, "We're just going to figure this out," ' Kris (pictured with her spouse and Kylie and Kendall as kids) said

Feelings: 'I fell in love with him, 150 per cent. I've always looked at things like, "We're just going to figure this out," ' Kris (pictured with her spouse and Kylie and Kendall as kids) said

Strategy: Ultimately, Kris (pictured with her spouse in 1993) said she and her team sent 7,000 press kits to 'every speakers' bureau in the United States' before waiting for the phone to ring
Memories: Kris (pictured with Caitlyn last year) also explained how she organized a photo shoot for her then-husband by enlisting the help of a friend, and had a promotion video made

Memories: Kris (pictured left with Bruce in 1993, and right with Caitlyn last year) also explained how she organized a photo shoot for her then-husband by enlisting the help of a friend

'Well, it didn't look so good on paper,' Kris admitted, before explaining that her choice was motivated simply by love.

'I fell in love with him, 150 per cent,' she said. 

'I've always looked at things like, "We're just going to figure this out." I don't stop and think about, What's the plan here? I just went for it. I realized after we got married and I had a limited amount of money, and I said, "We're going to move into this house. We're going to work hard." '

Kris recalled spending her 'last dime' to get 'beautiful, glossy press-kit folders' made for her spouse.

She also explained how she organized a photo shoot for her then-husband by enlisting the help of a friend, and had a promotion video made for her spouse—paving the way to her career as a producer.

Ultimately, she said, she and her team sent 7,000 press kits to 'every speakers' bureau in the United States' before waiting for the phone to ring. 

Public: Caitlyn started booking speaking engagements and her spouse's public persona took off, Kris (pictured with her spouse, Khloe, Rob, Kendall, Kim, Kylie and Kourtney in 2006) said

Public: Caitlyn started booking speaking engagements and her spouse's public persona took off, Kris (pictured with her spouse, Khloe, Rob, Kendall, Kim, Kylie and Kourtney in 2006) said

Words: Kris recalled saying about her second spouse (pictured at the 1976 Olympics): 'He is really good at what he does, but he doesn't have anybody doing anything for him'

Words: Kris recalled saying about her second spouse (pictured at the 1976 Olympics): 'He is really good at what he does, but he doesn't have anybody doing anything for him'

Caitlyn started booking speaking engagements, and as her spouse's public persona took off, Kris remembers realizing how far they had come while sitting with the head of Coca-Cola at the Olympics.

Meanwhile, Kris recounted feeling daily satisfaction at being able to send her children to school, feed them, and make sure their needs were met.

While she didn't specify which school she had in mind, Kourtney, Kim and Khloe all attended Los Angeles' Marymount High School, where tuition fees currently reach more than $34,000 a year.

Reflecting on that time in her life, Kris explained how it had impacted her personality in the long run. 

'A strong woman doesn't just get there because she woke up one day and she was strong. Being a strong woman is almost earned,' she said.

'You go through a series of events in your life that make you stronger each time. If you could keep getting up and dusting yourself off, it's very rewarding.'

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