The (Obviously Long Anticipated) Paris Post

This will be relatively short because as we all know there has been way too much written about this whole overblown affair already but this is my take on Paris Hilton. She was born into money and privilege, this was not her fault. Perhaps she was pampered as a child but I haven't yet heard where she had something as ostentious as a 17 ooo dollar diamond encrusted pacifier. So she grew up and when she turned around 20 she started appearing at premieres and clubs and stuff. Big deal, she's young rich and beautiful; going to clubs is what everyone does at that age, even if you're ugly and poor. So people photographed her because she takes fashionable pictures, makes good copy and sells magazines. Those things are not her fault. She made a sex tape and it was released by an asshole ex. It wasn't because of her own curiosity that everyone bought or saw it and if it was going to be out there why shouldn't she make something off of it? And that's what propelled her to stardom.
She went to more parties because club promoters and owners knew that she attracted attention and so more attention was given to the fact that she went to clubs and parties sort of a cycle of perpetuation. Then the Simple Life premiered, a show that at its core was made to make fun of these "spoiled rich kids", and it did its job with that infamous Walmart quip. But should there be a particular reason why Paris Hilton should know what Walmart is?(and to be fair they do sell "wall stuff" but I digress even further in this digression) Only recently have they been allowed within L.A. and its not like someone in Texarkana would know what Kitson is, which of course Paris does. It is all a matter of what you are familiar with and where you interact,; the circle you are within. And if you never had to work a day in your life or maybe see a cow, would you be comfortable milking one? The show was all in (mean-spirited) good fun where I think both parties played off stereotypes but maybe people didn't understand that and chalked it up to ignorance in the lap of privilege.
This whole thing continued because Paris became an easy target, a parody of what is wrong with the youth today, their material obsessions, lack of regard for others, yada yada. And I can understand when and why "serious newsmen" get upset when they have to cover Paris because she hasn't really done anything of import, but then when she tries to do something like write a book, make perfume, or an album, she's lambasted and lampooned immediately because of who she is. Like in the Carl's Jr ad she sells sex, but that probably wasn't her idea (cough marketing staff cough) and name a company marketing to men that doesn't sell sex.
It seems that people's main problem with her is that she's rich and doesn't have to do anything besides go out (though there haven't been many rumours of her getting Lohan'd no matter how often she goes out), is young and gorgeous. In other words she's living the new American Dream; I know a lot of my friends if they didn't have to work would go golfing everyday and out clubbing at night. They may not like her because she could do that if she wanted; she does what they wish they could do. So it is subconscious jealousy I think that causes much of this hate, as well as the oversaturation of media that follows her anywhere; neither of which are her fault directly. It's more this age we're living in; this celebrity obsessed age where every foible is brought to life and we mock those we want to be like. Where we help to build people up just so when they fall it will be more spectacular. I know it's a convenient cop out, especially in this day and age, but I blame the media- they can create and destroy (you know all the example that are too numerous to put here because I'm too lazy to think.)

But the saga of the past three and a half weeks has been the most obscene I've ever witnessed. At th MTV awards that sunday night when the audience cheered for minutes that she was going to jail and then Sarah Silverman, who I love btw) made the joke about the penis bars, I was shocked that people fail to realize she is still a person who, like any of us, don't like when people revel in their misfortune. Her being transferred to house arrest was not her doing; sure she was anxious and freaking out but I know I would be too my first few days in jail. The fact that that decision may lead to the downfall of numerous careers (i've already written about Rocky Delgadillo's) is absurd as was the tv coverage the day she was sent back to jail, with seven helicopters and like 200 cameras following her patrol car to the courthouse. And the glee that people seemed to take in that horrid picture of her crying in the back seat.And then the coverage just continued with people mocking her claims of having grown up (she's only 26!) and of course the million dollar interview, which I'm sure she masterminded and negotiated from solitary.
The coverage of her release was more of the same (though she looked so cute and geniune and happy when she got out. She really doesn't need the make up)
and I know its going to continue. I hope she has turned a corner like she said and is going to stop playing dumb (though I may have overestimated her smarts now that I've seen this sketch and letter- A Letter from a Birmingham jail it defintely is not.) But I really hope the media would let her be for a bit; its very hard to reinvent yourself when the whole world is watching. I won't watch the Larry Kind interview tonight because I know that all quotes and highlights will be everywhere later on. But I wish her luck and I wish parents would do their job. Too many children are getting sucked into this cult of celebrity and have these very flawed humans as role models ( there was like a 10 year old girl interviewed on the morning news and her quote was something like " I like Paris because she's so glamourous but she can also be casual" and I was in shock about this girl's admiration and obsession with fashion- I never used the word casual like that until...maybe 4 years ago) parents need to do their job and I hate if they have to use someone as a model of "what not to be" but if it works, I guess...
And though all this coverage may have generated more of a backlash towards Paris, there has also been a backlash against the backlash, or more simply put "sympathy" a word which is too often missing in our discourse. So I'll close with this comment from the Nora Ephron article:

You know something, seeing Paris emerge from jail with the first genuine smile I’ve ever seen spread across her face, it kind’ve heartened me. She’s done her time, even more than she should for her crime which most would do a week top for, so maybe we should cut her some kind of break and give her some credit for spending 23 days out of the spotlight, something an attention junkie craves on a daily basis.

Vilify the media for focusing their cameras on celebrity train wrecks, not the trains themselves. Of course they’re going to take any attention that comes their way. Fame is the most highly prized attribute one can have in American society, not a high I. Q.

People love it when you lose, they love dirty laundry, Don Henly once sang, but I question when someone revels a bit too much in anyone’s misfortune, even a hotel heiress. As obnoxious and smug as she seems, it’s nothing compared to the likes of Dick Cheney who hasn’t had to do one day in jail for the crimes he’s perpetrated against this country.

okay I'm done. on with the rest of life.

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