Kim Kardashian Makes Bold Admission About 'Scamming' The Paparazzi

Kim Kardashian is looking back on the early days of her rise to superstardom, and she's not sugarcoating how badly she wanted it. During an appearance on her sister Khloé Kardashian's podcast, "Khloé in Wonder Land," the reality star admitted she was once so determined to get her face in front of cameras that she and longtime pal Jonathan Cheban allegedly pulled a stunt to trick paparazzi into thinking she was meeting up with Britney Spears. The confession comes as Kardashian continues expanding her empire beyond reality TV, balancing business, acting projects, and her ongoing pursuit of becoming a lawyer, all while revisiting what she says was a time when her hunger for fame was at an all-time high.

Kim Kardashian Says Fame Was Her 'Everything' In The Early Years

Kardashian didn't hold back while reflecting on the mid-to-late 2000s, the era just before and during the launch of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" on E!, when she was still carving out her place in Hollywood. Kim, who is now 45, said the drive to be famous wasn't just part of her mindset, but it was the entire goal.

"[Fame] is all I wanted. I lived for it," she said on the podcast, and according to Kardashian, that desire sometimes meant thinking strategically about how and where she showed up.

Kardashian Says She Pulled Up To Britney Spears' NYC Hotel For The Cameras

Kardashian recalled a wild moment in New York City when she and Cheban allegedly learned where Britney Spears was staying. From there, they made a move that was less about seeing the pop icon and more about being seen.

She explained that Cheban found out which hotel Spears was staying at, and they managed to get there thanks to a stranger with a luxury ride. "We were like, 'We'll sit in the back.' So, it looks like we got out with a driver at this hotel. Paparazzi everywhere waiting for Britney at her hotel," she said.

Once they arrived, Kardashian said photographers immediately swarmed, assuming she was there for Spears, and Cheban quickly tried to coach her through the moment. "We got out, and they were like, 'Kim, Kim, Kim, are you here to visit Britney?' and Jonathan [mutters], 'Keep your head down and just, like, shut up.'"

Kim Kardashian Hid In A Hotel Phone Booth After Paparazzi Mistook Her For Britney Spears' Visitor

But once inside the hotel, Kardashian admitted the plan stalled because they weren't actually visiting anyone and didn't have a reason to be there. Once inside, Kardashian and the 52-year-old influencer darted inside a phone booth in the lobby and remained there for 20 minutes because they 'didn't know anyone at this hotel.'

After waiting it out, they walked back out, and the paparazzi were still there, still convinced Kardashian had just had a Britney run-in. "We come out [of the hotel], and they're like, 'Kim, how was Britney? Kim, how was Britney?"' the reality star recalled.

Kardashian Says She 'Scammed The System' For Paparazzi Pics

Kardashian said they needed to make sure the exit looked just as "important" as the entrance, explaining they left differently than they arrived, and that the entire thing ended up working exactly the way they wanted. "We took a cab, I think, because this Rolls-Royce dropped us off, but they weren't going to take pictures of us, like, getting in," she added. "So, we totally scammed the system. And it was like on every [magazine] cover. And we thought we were killing it."

While Kardashian's friendship with Cheban has been a fixture of her public life for years, she noted their connection started unexpectedly. She is still friends with Cheban, whom she met "by chance" at a birthday party in 2009, and he last appeared in the March 6 episode of "The Kardashians."

What's Next For Kim Kardashian?

In addition to reality TV and law, Kardashian is also stacking up production and acting credits, including another round of Ryan Murphy's legal drama. This spring, the criminal justice reform advocate will executive produce and reprise her role as divorce attorney Allura Grant, leading an all-female law firm in the second season of Ryan Murphy's legal drama "All's Fair" despite absolutely dismal reviews.

And her schedule doesn't stop there. Kardashian's other upcoming projects include producing and starring in season eight of "The Kardashians" and Amazon's live-action "Bratz" film for Amazon MGM Studios.