Exodus and Slayer guitarist Gary Holt has never shied away from controversy—and that includes his merch. One item in particular has sparked ongoing conversation: the infamous “Kill The Kardashians” T-shirt. But behind the provocative message lies a more practical truth: it’s helped him stay afloat during tough times.
In a recent episode of Talk Is Jericho, Holt spoke candidly about the shirt and how it’s more than just a statement—it’s a source of income. “There are times like during the pandemic, s**t got tough,” he said. “I mean, I sell ‘Kill The Kardashians’ shirts. When I sell them, I mean I sell them.”
Rather than outsourcing the operation, Holt runs it himself. Every shirt sold is packed and shipped by the man himself—rock legend turned one-man fulfillment center. “When you bought that shirt, if I’m not on tour, I’m the guy who put it in that f**king envelope and took it to the post office,” he said. “It was out my garage and then we had an extra closet in the spare room. But yeah, I’m the guy shipping that st out.”
Holt knows the shirt ruffles feathers, but he says it’s not just shock for shock’s sake. “It’s like tasteless merchandise brought to you by Gary Holt,” he joked. “Because it helps me keep my bills paid.”
The shirt first went viral years ago, but its origin story is just as unfiltered as Holt himself. In a 2017 interview with RockSverige, he explained that a friend named Jack originally designed the shirt as a joke, inspired by Holt’s open disdain for the Kardashian brand of fame.
“It was made by a friend of mine, Jack,” he recalled. “[It was] put together just because he knows my deep, bitter, black hatred of them. I don’t begrudge them for their money, I just f**king hate people that are becoming superstars for doing nothing.”
According to Holt, it’s not personal—it’s cultural. “Kim Kardashian was a closet organizer and then she did a sex tape and became famous for it and now they stick their name on products and I hate their guts.”
