January 23, 2026
Kim Kardashian is setting the record straight about her longtime friendship with Jonathan Cheban.
While the two don’t spend as much time together as they once did, Kim says there’s no drama between them. The Kardashians star addressed their relationship on Khloé Kardashian’s Khloé in Wonder Land podcast on January 21.
“I love Jonathan,” Kim, 45, said. “I think people think we don’t talk.”
The SKIMS mogul explained that their lives simply changed over time, especially after she became a mom to North, 12, Saint, 10, Chicago, 7, and Psalm, 6, whom she shares with ex Kanye West.
“Jonathan and I are good,” Kim said. “Here’s the thing. I had kids and it’s really hard to maintain friendships when you have kids and you’re like in it. And Jonathan’s not going to come and sit around Calabasas all day, he’s like always on the move.”
Khloé agreed, adding of Cheban’s lifestyle, “I get that. There’s so much history there.”
Despite their busy schedules, Cheban remains close to the family. He attended Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday party in November, and Kim even FaceTimed him during the podcast.
“That was probably one of the best parties in like 15 years,” Cheban, 51, said. “They don’t do parties like that anymore.”
Kim also reflected on the early days of their friendship, recalling how they once staged paparazzi moments in New York.
“We totally scammed the system, and it was on like every cover, and we thought we were killing it,” she said.
Cheban also helped shape Kim’s public image early on.
“‘You have got to stop smiling,’” Kim recalled him saying. “’Like, Victoria Beckham never smiles.’”