Khloe Kardashian’s Most Significant Revelations About Lamar Odom and His Struggles with Addiction
Netflix’s documentary on Lamar Odom‘s near-fatal overdose features an open discussion with ex-wife Khloé Kardashian about his “monstrous” drug habits, his infidelity, and their eventual divorce.
Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom, which debuted on Tuesday, March 31, chronicles Odom’s life up to his marriage with Kardashian, 41. Following their wedding, Kardashian uncovered Odom’s substance abuse issues, which led to six heart attacks and 12 strokes.
Odom, 46, and Kardashian were engaged just a month after they started dating in 2009. They tied the knot later that same year, but Kardashian filed for divorce four years later. However, she paused her court motion after Odom fell into a coma following an overdose at a Nevada brothel.
After Odom recovered, Kardashian filed for divorce again. The two have since come together to confront their past on Hulu’s The Kardashians and Netflix’s Untold: The Death & Life of Lamar Odom.
Continue reading for the most significant revelations regarding Odom and Kardashian’s relationship as highlighted in Netflix’s revealing documentary:
Lamar Odom and Khloé Kardashian’s First Meeting
Metta World Peace, a former teammate of Lamar Odom, reminisced about organizing a party in Los Angeles where he paid Khloé Kardashian $5,000 for her appearance. Kardashian admitted she accepted the invitation due to her brother, Robert Kardashian, but the event is what led to her meeting Odom.
“Before this party, I had no idea who Lamar was. I remember he had a plastic bag, and I asked, ‘What’s in your bag?’ He replied, ‘Candy.’ I joked, ‘You’re lying. You probably have condoms.’ I was surprised when he poured it out and it was just candy,” she shared, feeling foolish afterward.
Odom shared a different take on their first encounter, stating, “The first night, I was trying to hook up with her. But she said, ‘It ain’t that type of party.’ Then we kept seeing each other the next day, and the day after that, it just continued.”
Lamar Odom’s Interest in Reality Television
Khloé Kardashian disclosed that Lamar Odom was enthusiastic about participating in reality TV. “He loves the camera. I remember having a photoshoot and telling him, ‘We can hang out for a bit, but I need you to leave because the camera crew will arrive to film.’ He wanted to know why he had to leave,” she recalled.
Kardashian explained that Odom was the driving force behind their spinoff show, Khloé & Lamar.
“It was largely driven by Lamar,” she added. “I was stretched thin and concerned it might jeopardize the family brand tied to Keeping Up at the time. I reminded him about his primary career with the Los Angeles Lakers.”
Lamar Odom’s Substance Abuse
Reflecting on his struggles with substance abuse, Lamar Odom recounted his “first hit of cocaine” with a woman and her husband. In contrast, Khloé Kardashian initially didn’t grasp the severity of Odom’s addiction.
“At first, it was just recreational. Oddly enough, it seemed manageable. It was only two years into our marriage that he vanished. I genuinely feared something had happened to him,” she mentioned. “I remember reaching out to everyone to find him.”
Kardashian continued, “When he returned, he implied that his struggles were mainly due to the loss of our infant son, Jayden. That was when it struck me: ‘This is a battle I’ve never faced. This is exceptionally dark, and I’m unsure how to navigate it.’”
The Moment Lamar Odom Started Cheating on Khloé Kardashian
Lamar Odom revealed that Khloé Kardashian learned of his unfaithfulness when a woman he’d been seeing reached out to her.
“One night, while I was in Big Bear, California, and under the influence, my companion must have been so shocked that she took my phone and contacted my wife,” Odom told producers.
Khloé shared a similar story, stating, “Out of nowhere, I received a call from her saying, ‘Hi, I’ve been sleeping with your husband. He’s high and keeps demanding money and drugs, and I need to get off this ride. Could you come pick him up?’”
Although Kardashian harbored “suspicions,” she admitted she “never had tangible proof” of Odom’s infidelity.
When Lamar Odom’s Addiction Escalated
Khloé Kardashian reflected on how Odom’s drug use intensified during the latter years of their marriage.
“The drug use was escalating. There were numerous occasions when Lamar would disappear for 12 hours or even two days, skipping rehab. He would go on benders and no one could locate him,” she recalled. “I found myself searching for him in alleyways and motels. He was often left with tinfoil and spoons while freebasing drugs, creating chaos everywhere. I even had to go to hotel rooms to clean up after him.”
She added, “I unknowingly became an enabler. I felt an overwhelming need to cover it all up, to maintain the façade and protect him.”
After Odom was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, his drug use became “monstrous.”
“I had never encountered such an abundance of drugs in such a dark situation. It was a sinister aura surrounding us. They weren’t testing for certain painkillers, and he was fully aware of which ones they weren’t testing,” Kardashian noted. “He was freebasing painkillers, locking himself in the hotel bathroom for four days with no concept of time, completely out of it.”
Why Khloé Kardashian Kept Lamar Odom’s Addiction Secret
Khloé Kardashian explained that she hesitated to disclose Lamar Odom’s addiction due to concerns regarding his career.
“When I finally recognized there was an issue, he insisted, ‘You cannot tell a soul, or I’ll lose everything. And if I lose it all, how will we survive?’” she explained. “I was only 24, still figuring out my life. I had the show, but we weren’t financially secure.”
She continued, “I remember holding onto all these secrets and feeling terrible about myself. My youth played a role in this. It was my first real love, and I felt a responsibility to show him love and support. I rationalized it by thinking about his tragic past and thought, ‘If I love him enough, I can help him.’ But every day turned into a struggle to shield him and preserve his image to the world. I hardly slept for years.”
Kardashian shared that the situation deteriorated whenever Odom was off-season.
“He would spiral further and engage in extreme drug use,” she added. “He overdosed several times. I had to pump his stomach—not publicly. I provided help at home and sought detox facilities. We did everything possible.”
Lamar Odom’s Intervention
The situation took a significant turn when Khloé Kardashian was pushed to arrange an intervention for Lamar Odom. “The interventionist informed me, ‘You’re going to confront him and demand he goes to rehab. If he refuses to stay for a three-month program, you’ll have to say that you’re filing for divorce.’ Everyone around me insisted, ‘He’ll never agree to a divorce,’” she said.
However, Odom’s response was unexpected.
“He said, ‘Sure, all I need is my passport, and let’s get the f***ing divorce.’ I honestly didn’t want a divorce,” Kardashian explained. “Lamar left immediately, declaring, ‘We’re getting divorced, and I’m done here.’”
Odom subsequently visited a legal brothel in Nevada, where he suffered an overdose.
The Aftermath of the Overdose
In the documentary, Khloé Kardashian revealed that Lamar Odom’s father visited him in the hospital but departed after she provided him “a pair of Nikes, $100, and a hotel room for the night.”
Odom expressed gratitude towards Kardashian, stating, “I had no control of my bowels. My wife helped clean me up.” Kardashian confirmed that she “never left the hospital” for “about four months.”
The Breaking Point
Khloé Kardashian arranged a home for Lamar Odom’s recovery but later discovered he was using drugs once more.
“I found him in his bedroom sitting on the bed smoking crack. I hit him in the face,” she recounted. “I had put my life on hold to care for you. He was playing me, allowing me to maintain this lifestyle for him. I told him, ‘By Monday, you need to be out of my house. I’m done, and I won’t support you anymore. I don’t want to speak to you again.’”
