Kim Kardashian was "flour bombed" Thursday night -- that is, someone hurled a baggie of flour at her -- as she arrived on the red carpet to market the launch of her new fragrance.

The flour bomb assault on Kardashian could lead to new rules of engagement between the public and public figures. Hollywood and the tabloid machine relish images of celebs interacting with fans at red carpet events -- like Tom Cruise being close enough to grab a fan's camera and pose with it.

But such proximity can potentially be fraught with danger. It gives haters an opportunity to inject themselves into a celebrity's circle of gravity, and share the spotlight. It's a tactic that has been employed for years by animal rights activists who douse fur-wearing celebrities with red paint to signify the blood shed by the animal being worn as fashion.

It's not just Hollywood celebrities such as Kardashian who are under attack from a testy public.

"Glitter bombers" have been out in force during the Republican presidential campaign, believed to be the work of gay rights and Occupy activists.

 Mitt Romney was the target of "glitter bombs" twice last month while on the campaign trail. One glitter bomb fell short. Another hit the candidate, but Romney brushed it off and later referred to it with a far more celebratory sounding label, "confetti."

The assault on Kardashian on Thursday night at the London Hotel in West Hollywood caused a momentary panic as those in attendance tried to figure out what the white substance was. Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies responded to the scene, as did firefighters. They quickly determined that Kardashian was struck with common flour, nothing more serious.

The attacker's motive remains unclear. TMZ reports that she screamed "fur hag" at one point. She was taken into custody briefly, but Kardashian declined to press charges and she was released, TMZ also reported.

After she was powdered, Kardashian--the celebrity people love to hate and hate to love--was wisked to an anteroom where she removed her flour-doused coat. She brushed the flour out of her locks and then returned to the red carpet to promote the launch of her new fragrance, "True Reflection."

After all, this was Hollywood. The show must go on.

In later interviews, Kardashian laughed it all off. "That probably is the craziest, unexpected, weird thing that ever happened to me," Kardashian told E! online. "Like I said to my makeup artist, I wanted more powder and that's a whole lot of translucent powder right there."

In case you forgot the multimillion dollar wedding that led to a 72-day marriage, we get reminded of it right up front on “Kourtney and Kim Take New York” by a montage of clips of talking heads. 

We’re plunged right into the world of the Kardashian Clan.

Flash back to eight weeks earlier in Los Angeles. Kim calls him “husband!” Her new (temporary, 

as it turns out) husband Kris Humphries replies “wifey!” It’s right after their honeymoon in Italy, and they’re about to move to NY for fashion week.

Wow, he is about a foot and a half taller than her. He picks her up then falls on the bed with her.

Kourtney booked a two-story suite at the Gansevoort hotel, so they can live with Kim and Kris. She and Scott have different rooms. And Scott is jealous of the baby, hoping being in NY will give them a chance at a fresh start.

Kourtney’s holistic lifestyle irritates everyone. Scott doesn’t like kale chips, and neither does baby Mason, who makes a face after tasting one. Kim resists an enema treatment at the ayurvedic spa, and back at the hotel when Kourtney leaks on the bed everyone’s grossed out. Kourtney thinks naked yoga will ease the tension; that’s the final straw which prompts Kris to tell his wife she has to move out. But in the end it’s Kris who moves, to do basketball training in Minnesota.

Kim realizes that marriage means living with someone. She hates that Kris is messy, that he doesn’t like red carpet events. Kris gets a lot of dumb frat guy edits. She yells at him when he messes up her pedicure. He tells the camera she’s a classic overreactor. He’s a newly-married guy, living with his wife, his wife’s trouble-making sister, a baby, and the wife’s boyfriend. He’s kind of a jerk but he’s got some cause. The baby wakes him up in the morning, which interferes with his work out. That sounds dumb but hey, he’s a professional athlete. Kim apparently sleeps in full makeup. Ew, she licks his face.

You definitely get the feeling neither one of them really thought this through. She wants a celebrity lifestyle, he just happens to be a celebrity because he’s an athlete.

The men bond over the women not being ready on time for the Welcome to New York party. Somehow this leads to Kris shaving Scott’s armpits. Kourtney watches and mocks them–and who can blame her?

Kourtney tells Kris that Scott is moving out. When Kris tries to suggest that some of this might be Kourtney’s control issues, she still tries to paint herself as a victim. Scott goes to confide in his pal Jonathan.

The sisters bond. And Kourtney says Kris tells her he said he’s purposely a slob to annoy her. Kourtney doesn’t want to be the only sister without a man, I think.

Kim thinks she should be supportive when Kris says he needs to go. But the handwriting is on the wall here, and in the previews for next week, when Kim cries tears of self-pity about what she wanted from life.

MUNCIE, IN - Kim Kardashian Celebrated her Bridal Shower late last month. This was after the $2 million dollar engagement ring was announced to the world. Can you wait until later this month or even October to see KimKardashian's wedding? Recent reports set the date of the wedding for August 20th, 2011.

Following weeks of buzz about when Kim Kardashian will say "I do" to Kris Humphries,  Kardashian, 30, and the New Jersey Nets player, 26, will tie the knot in Montecito, California and celebrate with an exclusive black tie affair.

While undoubtedly a large percentage of the world will be able to wait, there are those who are getting excited online. Perhaps not as excited as the Royal Wedding, but the Kim Kardashian wedding has been buzzing around the blogosphere and Internet at large.

Kim Kardashian's wedding dress was designed by Vera Wang. As for the ring, it is a bright, custom created 20.5-caratLorraine Schwartz design. The Kim Kardashian wedding ring has three inscriptions, two biblical. Fiance Kris Humphriespresented it to Kim with a proposal spelled out with red rose petals.

Fans are following Kim on Twitter (@KimKardashian) to get a look at the bride-to-be-details she is tending to as the days to the wedding count down. . 

"Such a great workout w @Gunnar! Gunnar has me on the grind!!!!:" she tweeted Aug. 15 about her training with celebrity body guru GunnarPeterson.

Some experts have put the cost of Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding celebration at $70 million-$100 million. It is expected that the Kardashians will likely take in some revenue to foot the wedding bill, starting with the broadcast and photo rights of the Kim Kardashian wedding. Kim also created created 1,000 bottles of a first run of a limited-edition fragrance called "Love," which sold out quickly at $100 a bottle.