New Yorkers are no strangers to bizarre sights in Times Square, but this one took the cake—or rather, the bikini.
A 60-foot-long inflatable version of Kim Kardashian, clad in a barely-there blue swimsuit, suddenly appeared in the middle of the city’s busiest hub this week, as reported by The New York Post.
But it wasn’t just the reality star’s face grabbing attention—it was the massive, 15-foot-high replica of her backside, leaving pedestrians either amused, confused, or just plain annoyed.
Elon Musk Called This Financial News ‘Terrifying’
The enormous balloon, an apparent marketing stunt for Kardashian’s SKIMS clothing line, drew crowds of onlookers eager to snap selfies with the absurd display.
The swimsuit on the inflatable figure matches one Kardashian, 44, wore in a recent Bahamas photoshoot, proving once again that no marketing gimmick is too outlandish when it comes to the Kardashian empire.
On Wednesday, a steady stream of passersby stopped in their tracks to take in the scene. Among them was a father who, rather than shielding his young daughter’s eyes, decided to take a picture of her in front of the balloon.
Afterward, they switched places, with the little girl capturing some photos of her dad in front of the towering Kardashian tribute. Nothing says quality family bonding quite like a half-naked, 60-foot reality star floating above the sidewalk.
Tina Mitsogolu of Hell’s Kitchen was one of the many who stumbled upon the spectacle. She sent a picture to her friends with the simple caption, “why…”
A self-proclaimed fan of the Kardashians (but notably not a SKIMS customer), she admitted the entire thing seemed “silly” and that the marketing was “vague.” That’s the Kardashian brand in a nutshell—selling something without anyone really knowing what it is.
Times Square sees roughly 300,000 pedestrians per day, making it prime real estate for advertising. But some wondered if the location was appropriate for such a suggestive display.
“For the center of Times Square, I don’t think it belongs here,” said Mitsogolu. “But there’s worse things in Times Square too. We have the Naked Cowboy walking around. He might have less clothes than her.”
Coworkers Amanda Hernandez and Alison Cohen had differing opinions on whether the display was fitting for a place visited by families and children.
Kim Kardashian’s ‘terrifying’ 60-foot bikini blow-up doll in Times Square mercilessly mocked by fans https://t.co/jNUUxkxyna
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) March 5, 2025
“I don’t know, a woman in a bikini is not something that is X-rated,” Hernandez reasoned. But Cohen noted that the sheer scale of the ad added a level of absurdity. “It’s another level. But that’s part of Times Square—you see things that are right on the edge of being acceptable or not.”
Others weren’t so entertained. Leslie, a mother of three from Nashville, was disappointed to stumble upon the risqué balloon with her family.
“I don’t like it,” she said, before turning to her kids to gauge their thoughts. They shrugged it off, but Leslie remained unimpressed. “It doesn’t bother me that much, but it’s just like, ‘Oh, great.’”
Some saw humor in the stunt, but even they acknowledged it was an over-the-top attempt at attention-seeking. “It’s funny, yet jarring,” said Andrew Petrecca, 24, who, along with his brother William, posed for pictures in front of the display.
Their mother, Tina, was less amused. “I don’t think it’s appropriate,” she said, “but for Times Square, anything’s possible. It’s shocking, not surprising.”
It’s not Thanksgiving but a giant balloon of Kim Kardashian in a bikini stunned some spectators in New York. pic.twitter.com/kh0jsGGEHj
— USA TODAY Life (@usatodaylife) March 5, 2025
And that sums up the Kardashian brand perfectly—shock value over substance, and a relentless push to stay in the headlines.
Whether it’s breaking the internet or taking over Times Square with an inflatable rear end, the Kardashians will always find a way to make everything about them.
Read the full article here