Nick Lachey, who briefly dated Kim Kardashian in 2006 following his high-profile divorce from Jessica Simpson, suggested that the reality star used him to get famous.

When asked whether tabloid pictures of Nick Lachey and Kim Kardashian on one of their early dates marked the start of Kim’s career, the singer said: “That’s one way to interpret it. Let’s just say this: We went to a movie. No one followed us there. Somehow, mysteriously, when we left, there were 30 photographers waiting outside.”

Nick Lachey, 39, went on to suggest that Kim Kardashian, 32, had tipped off the paparazzi about their movie date on May 24, 2006.

“There are certain ways to play this game, and some people play it well,” Nick Lachey said in the May 2013 issue of Details.

Nick Lachey, who briefly dated Kim Kardashian in 2006, suggested that the reality star used him to get famous

“She also had some help from that sex tape,” the interviewer added, referring to Kim Kardashian’s infamous video with rapper Ray J.

“Yeah, well that was already in the can,” the singer said.

Kim Kardashian and Nick Lachey are said to have met at a party for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart in April 2006, but only officially dated for one week, according to Kim.

The reality star herself attributes the start of her fame to the couple’s May outing in Westwood, Los Angeles.

“It started when I went out on a date with Nick Lachey,” Kim Kardashian wrote in the 2010 book, Kardashian Konfidential.

“Of course the paparazzi took pictures, because people were curious about who he was with.”

“So the next night I was out with Paris Hilton,” Kim Kardashian continued.

“We were in her car and the paparazzi started taking pictures. Usually they would shout, <<Paris! Paris! Paris!>>

“[But] they started yelling <<Kim! Kim! Kim!>> I wanted to hide, and Paris and I just looked at each other and laughed.”

“She said, <<Whatever you do, just smile>>. I thought, this is so weird, I don’t know what’s going on. It was surreal.”

Now Kim Kardashian is dating Kanye West and is currently six months pregnant with his child while Nick Lachey recently welcomed a baby boy with his wife Vanessa.

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