Paris Hilton: ‘I was before my time, the beginning of a whole new era’
Oh how lucky we are to living in the Paris Hilton Age. I’m positive that’s how this time will be remembered in history and we shall be referred to as PHiltonites. I love writing about Paris. I know I mock her quite a bit, but she utterly fascinates me. She was recently given the cover story for Ocean Drive Magazine and, I mean – why? She’s got a new(ish) perfume to sell but it’s her 24th fragrance, does that deserve a cover story? In the interview, Paris reiterates some of her favorite talking points, mostly that the current phenomena of celebrity is all her doing. While I can point out her hubris, I can’t really fault what she’s saying. She was, in many ways, the first of her kind – for better or worse. You can read the full interview here. I really like the fashion they have her in for the photos. I’m posting a few highlights but I had to edit the responses for space.
Think about all the potential opportunities and money that could have been made back then…
I was definitely before my time, and the beginning of a whole new era, and it started a new generation and genre of celebrity. I think it was pretty groundbreaking, and I love being a pioneer. But being a businesswoman, I would’ve loved to have capitalized on it. I was just doing it because I was having fun… I’m very proud I started a whole new way for young people, young entrepreneurs and people with dreams to make a living and a very lucrative business off
of it.
What would be your advice if you were staring into a mirror, or you were talking to young stars of today?
I’ve been in this business for so long now, I’ve seen so many people come and go, it can’t just be some little boring shit that they do. I’ve seen a lot of things where people do some crazy publicity stunt that’s humiliating.
How would you say you’ve evolved?
My priorities have completely shifted. I’ve really grown and just became an adult, learning and having a lot of life lessons. It really shaped me into the person I am today… I’m very proud of the woman I am today. I didn’t want to be known as just the Hilton Hotel granddaughter. I wanted to be known as Paris.
Do you have any regrets? Is there anything you wish you would have done differently?
I have no regrets in life; everything made me the woman I am today. But there are certain people who I wish I never met and that I just wasn’t so naïve sometimes, and I always wish that I knew everything that I know now back then. I look back and I don’t even feel like I’m the same person anymore.
[From Ocean Drive]
Again, I can’t dispute that Paris did expand the circle of the celebrity genre. I’m confused about her comment that she would have liked to capitalized on her paid appearance – she was earning $1M to show up at a party and used that money and fame as a foundation for her current empire, I think she completely capitalized on it. She was 20, by her own admission, I think she played her cards better than most would at that age. Also her comments about publicity stunts gave me pause because I would put that stupid airplane prank up as a dumb publicity stunt so she’s obviously not above that kind of self-promotion.
Paris admitted she did nothing to generate being paid for appearances, that the opportunities fell into her lap. It makes me wonder how much of her other businesses were the same. We often hear about her being a businesswoman (mostly from Paris herself) but we don’t hear about her going after business. I’m not discrediting her as a businesswoman, just wondering if she’s driven as well as savvy. I really liked that this interview covered her philanthropy, much more than I’ve read elsewhere. She said she has her team check out locations to find “the most credible charities or orphanages or anything that has to do with animals or children, where I can go and donate and spend my time there.” Well-considered contributions impress me. Good for you, Paris.
But seriously, whom does Paris wish she’d never met?
Photo credit: Ocean Drive and WENN Photos
Source: Paris Hilton: ‘I was before my time, the beginning of a whole new era’
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