Who is Cici Bussey? 'The Kardashians' Season 8 sees Kris venting amid Kim Kardashian biography drama

Kris Jenner (the matriarch of the Kardashian-Jenner clan) has a ton of folks she can lean on when shit hits the fan, but Cici Bussey (who has been in the Kardashian family orbit since the beginning) is a close confidant. The two women appeared on Season 8, Episode 6 of ‘The Kardashians,’ where a chat gave fans the opportunity to get another peek at their long-standing friendship. And if her face looks familiar but you’re not quite sure what exactly she has to do with the family, there is a reason for that.

In the November 12 episode of the series, ‘Blame the Dead Man,’ Kris vented to Cici about her anger over Kim Kardashian’s (Kris’s eldest daughter) permission to go ahead with a biography without consulting her longtime manager. Kris was especially annoyed that the book would have access to private family topics. As Kris explained to Cici, “I just feel a way about it, because I don’t understand it and no one has ever come to me. I’m her manager!”

However, Cici is not just a good friend who pops up now and then. She has a close family connection to the Kardashians through Kris’ late ex-husband, Robert Kardashian Sr. (attorney and father of Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, and Rob Kardashian). Cici is Robert’s first cousin, so she is a Kardashian family relative. Kim explained in the past that Cici’s mum and Robert’s mother were sisters, which is why the family has always called her their cousin, even though she is not related to Kris by blood. Cici’s connection to Kris and the children dates back many years. After Kris and Robert divorced in 1991, much of Robert’s family reportedly distanced themselves from them. However, Cici chose to maintain her relationship with them. Kim has previously described Cici as the one person from her father’s side who continued to stay close to the family. 

‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’ fans may also remember Cici from the first wave of the Kardashians’ reality TV stardom. She appeared on the first season of KUWTK and owned the Khaos store, which the Kardashians operated at The Mirage in Las Vegas from 2011-2014. She also appeared alongside Kris, Khloé, and other family members on the show ‘Celebrity Family Feud’ in 2018. Another reason the family has been so protective of her may be because Cici had battled cancer for a while, and in 2017, Kris asked her fans to pray for her during a tough time when she required a stem cell transplant. In 2021, Kim revealed to the world that Cici was cancer-free, according to HELLO!