Kardashians looking to kill new book based on sex tape scandal

“Strongarm tactics” are being used to stop a former Kardashian family confidant from publishing a book based on the family.

The Kardashians appear to be aggressively trying to block the publication of a scorching roman-à-clef novel about the family.

As Page Six first reported, former family confidant Kevin Dickson has written a book called Post Famous whose central character, Zia Zandrian, bears a striking resemblance to Kim Kardashian.

Among other uncannily familiar plot points, Zandrian sells her sex tape for $US5 million at the urging of her mother.

Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner. Picture: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Kim’s sex tape. Picture: Splash

Dickson – who’s written two successful books about the seamy side of celebrity, Blind Item and Guilty Pleasure – is a former tabloid editor who acted as a go-between between the family and In Touch magazine from the very beginning of Kardashian’s career until their relationship blew up during Kardashian’s divorce from NBA star Kris Humphries.

Now an insider tells us that at least one publisher has been scared off by strongarm tactics.

“It seemed a dead certainty that the deal would happen (with that publisher),” said an insider. “Another author (who writes for) the same publisher even reached out to Kev to say that they were excited because they’d heard that they were (now both) going be published by the same company.”

But we’re told that Dickson’s agent got a sudden and unexpected “polite pass”.

Insiders at the publishing house said that they’d been told that if they published the book, they’d face a legal backlash.

“It wouldn’t be worth the hassle,” said the source. But we’re told that Dickson’s in negotiations with two other houses and a studio is interested in a TV adaptation.

Kardashian’s infamous sex tape with Ray J was released in 2007 by Vivid Entertainment, and its founder Steven Hirsch has denied persistent rumours that Kris Jenner was involved in its sale as “nonsense”.

Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West at the 2019 Met Gala. Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

However, he has confirmed Vivid paid Kardashian to release the footage and would not dispute rumours her fee was as much as $US5 million.

A lawyer for the star has said that figure was “greatly inflated”. Jenner has also denied leaking Kardashian’s sex tape.

This article originally appeared on The New York Post and was reproduced with permission