Kim Kardashian has had plenty of embarrassing moments in her life, including the one event that made her famous (though she doesn’t regret that infamous tape with ex Ray J) plus some wardrobe malfunctions over time. But during her rise to reality TV stardom, Kim was able to make industry connections that would help her career go even further than Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Sure, not everything worked out, but the now-billionaire can’t say she regrets much.

Amid all the smart business choices and money moves, however, Kim sometimes had moments captured by the paparazzi or fans that didn’t reflect well on her. One such moment was when she appeared during a concert with Prince, who was apparently offended by the reality star and ultimately had her booted from his stage.

Prince Threw Kim Off His Stage When She Refused To Dance

The View Cast and Prince Via: TheThings

Like any other celebrity, Kim Kardashian often rubs elbows with other celebrities. This was true as far back as 2011 when Kim attended a Prince concert with her then-fiancé Kris Humphries.

Prince, ever the party animal, was scanning the audience for folks to bring up on stage. Apparently, he often sought out celebrities to join him, particularly those who were jamming out to his music in the front rows.

He beckoned for Kim Kardashian to be escorted to the stage, which she was. Prince began to dance around the reality star, while she stood there somewhat awkwardly. After less than a minute, Prince famously threw Kim off his stage, apparently unimpressed that she wasn’t willing to dance.

 

It’s even said that Prince was heard telling her “Get off my stage,” before directing her toward the stairs to exit. The awkward moment lived on for over a decade afterward thanks to being memorialized on YouTube, but there’s also a follow-up that’s a bit harder to find.

Apparently, Prince brought Kim back up onstage for his encore, though it’s not clear if she danced during that time.

What year did Prince perform at Madison Square Garden? Prince’s final performance at Madison Square Garden was the February 2011 show where Kim made an appearance on stage.

Kim would, at first, try to downplay the moment, but she later brought it back up when Prince passed away.

Kim Kardashian Has Famously Said She Can’t Dance

Kim Kardashian on DWTS ABC

She might have wound up competing on Dancing with the Stars, but Kim already admitted she didn’t know how to dance. Long before the Prince concert debacle, Kim appeared on the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars, during which she was, of course, eliminated.

During the 2008 appearance, Kim and her partner Mark Ballas were eliminated third. Early footage of Kim learning to dance was a bit uncomfortable, but some commenters on that embarrassing YouTube video from Prince’s concert wondered why she didn’t bust out some moves, at least.

Later, while chatting with Ryan Seacrest, Kim was asked about the embarrassing moment. Quipping, “I swear I’m never gonna dance again, this is gonna haunt me forever,” Kim confessed that she was “just so nervous” being onstage with the icon.

She also reminded viewers she isn’t a good dancer, asking, “Didn’t [Prince] see Dancing with the Stars?” Kim admitted that DWTS was “so much fun” but that she wasn’t sure how she did it.

The reality star confessed she was “petrified of dancing” and cried backstage after every performance, hoping she would be eliminated so she could just stop dancing.

Kourtney Kardashian, who sat in the same interview with Kim and Ryan Seacrest, told her sister that it was her chance to whip her hair around and go crazy. Kim replied, “and humiliate myself in Madison Square Garden?”

 

Kourtney affirmed that Kim was a perfectionist, so she always worried about what people thought of her. It’s possible Kim later regretted messing up that once-in-a-lifetime moment, as she still hasn’t lived down the embarrassment.

To Kim’s credit, she somewhat redeemed herself later on.

While attending an Usher concert in 2023 (during Usher’s super-high-priced Vegas residency), Kim was spotted grooving to the music. She was even serenaded by Usher himself during the show, though she wasn’t pulled up on stage for that interaction.

Were Kim Kardashian And Prince Friends?

Although Kim had her on-stage run-in with Prince in 2011, it doesn’t seem that the two ever became friends after that. By all accounts, it’s possible that Kim only met Prince that one time.

The singer passed away in 2016, and fans’ grief poured out in the form of countless tributes.

For Kim’s part, she shared a snapshot from that moment on stage with Prince, writing, “I will always remember this moment with one of my favorite artists! I was so star struck I froze! RIP Prince.”

She might still be embarrassed about the decade-old moment, but Kim knew fans liked that old embarrassing moment, and didn’t mind trotting it out to pay tribute to Prince.