Paris Hilton

**Gary Wassner** · July 6th, 2005, 07:25 AM

This isn't about what I approve of or don't approve of. I'm just trying to figure out what that 'it' factor is in Paris Hilton, among others, that people latch on to. I am also wondering how much our choices of icons say about the current state of society. Could we learn more than we might imagine from and examination of our 'idols'? Are the people we worship (interesting that we use religious terminology to characterize pop culture) symptomatic or causal examples of the strengths and ills of a culture?

**Hereford Eye** · July 6th, 2005, 11:22 AM

Is this a case of chicken or egg? If we attempt to decide what causes media feeding frenzies - and isn't that the esssence of what we are talking about here - do we go with agencies designed to make such things happen or with the people who become the center of same who then become the pet of agencies designed to make the frenzy endure?

What is the difference between a Paris Hilton or a George W. or a Hilary or a Martha? Each began with a certain reconition factor that was easily exagerated into a media blitz. Merit had little to do with it; recognition had everything to do with it. It is difficult - not impossible - to transform a porn starlet into an everyday household name but it is not difficult to transform a household name into a porn bit player. In each case, it is a function of the media involved.

Does our media create the frenzies or - in the hypocrisy of a certain news Broadcast - does it merely report and let us decide?

**KatG** · July 6th, 2005, 11:35 AM

I don't really think anyone worships Paris Hilton. I think they're "scandalized" by her because she's from a wealthy family. Which results in a fashion show getting held up so they can have Paris in the audience and get more media coverage. There are a lot of actors who are stars, but who are not tabloid fodder -- people like Tom Hanks, Anne Hathaway, Jackie Chan, etc. But if an actor, singer or other entertainer does something racy or stupid, especially if they're young and good looking, and especially if a lot of people see them negatively already, they are tabloid fodder, which means fodder for media, as there's little to distinguish them at this point.

But that people like to read about these folks or see them, doesn't mean that they regard them as role models. It's more like they regard them as exotic animals at a zoo. And Paris is a monkey who's flinging poop, which people find amusing.

What I am saying is, don't worry about Paris Hilton. But if she's attending a fashion show you're at, leave if you can.

**Miriamele** · July 6th, 2005, 11:56 AM

Kat, you always express yourself with reason and eloquence, but this statement

Paris is a monkey who's flinging poop, which people find amusing.

takes the cake.

Well said.

**Gary Wassner** · July 6th, 2005, 12:40 PM

I think that's a great description too!

**Leiali** · September 3rd, 2006, 01:11 PM

This thread is really old! I can't believe I remembered it enough to look it up but Gary, I thought you might find this news headline amusing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5310416.stm

I don't know if Banksy is an international phenomenon, but he's worth looking up as a unique artist.

I think Paris Hilton would have annoyed me when I was a teenager, nowadays I'm not so bothered. I should think most people are like me about the whole thing - mildly bemused, occasionally annoyed and fairly apathetic. Anyway, it should be interesting to find out the details of what Banksy has done.

**Liondancer** · September 10th, 2006, 01:56 AM

I am reading a novel called Mr. Darcy takes a wife. It is the spin off from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I am finding it to be a rather difficult and interesting read…when I am not falling asleep on it of course. There have been a whole slew of questions and thoughts popping up in my mind. One of the basic thoughts is, I cannot relate to Mr and Mrs Darcy. I was born poor. My grandmother was the type to buy costume jewellery and make fur jackets to hide the fact that she was poor. She was ashamed of her family and of herself. What is it about the British, that tight upper lip that keeps their woes to themselves? My mind wanders to the sinking of the Titanic and if I would have been on that ship, I would have been left to drown or freeze to death because I was third class. It’s no wonder my grandmother tried to be someone she wasn’t. My thoughts wander back to Mr and Mrs Darcy, and I wonder what it would be like to be born into money. What would it be like to go to parties so I could keep up appearances and my only concern was what people thought of me? How would it feel to have maids dressing me! Yikes! Paris is born into old money, where she doesn’t have to work a day in her life. She is not that pretty in my books, but every young girl wants to be like her. There is a part of me that pities her and dislikes her all at the same time. All people do, is use her to gain popularity or to sell their products. No one takes her seriously and among all the glitter her voice is lost. She is young, and one day she may wake up from her dream and realize that this dream life she is leading is a farce. She will either fall hard and stay forever down or wake up and try to do something useful with her life. Unlike the days of Mr Darcy’s world, woman can do so much more than get married and have children. The world is in the palm of her hands, and she has the power to do anything she wants.

If anyone is to be blamed for our children looking up to her as a role model it is the media and us. In some respects we still live in the old ages where we believe that money and material things mean we are successful. Being poor are shameful in the eyes of our society. Our children listen to us complain about the things we don’t have, or their friends and will see Paris Hilton in all her sparkles and see success. Of course they look up at her as a role model. After all doesn’t money buy you all those pretty things, friends and opportunity? No one praises the little guy and thank him for scrubbing the public toilet so you don’t get virus from the seat. Yet it’s these little people that actually make the world go around. My role models are not famous, although I did like Brandon Lee for awhile as a teenager. My locker door was not covered in posters like the others, for I never admired anyone in the public eye. I liked a few people, but the thing was…one day you would hear about the good things they have done and the next day you were hearing about the bad. Inside these people were just like you and me. The only difference is that they had more money. My role models were and still are Lynne Bowen who wrote Boss Whistle, Joe Garner (a BC writer), my father and yes my art teacher. All these people gave me dreams, hopes and yes they kept me holding on when all hope seemed lost. Two of these people are authors; one beat and mentally abused me as a daily event and the other shook a finger at me and got me back on the right path. These are ordinary people, who merely took the time to care or helped me grow stronger. None of them is perfect, in fact two of them are dead, but I have never forgotten the lessons they gave or the gifts. There is no glitter in them, or media events. But too me they are role models. My children have been raised in the same manner. They are taught to look past the glitter and see who is really there. Unfortunately, in teaching them this inner sight it has caused them alienation at school. Yes, they are getting good grades, but they lack friends and they get bullied a lot. Yet as I look at my daughters I am shown every day just how strong they are and proud I am of them. They do not run with the crowd, and they see what is important. Most of the teens in their school lack their strength. They buy the in clothes, buy the cool gadgets and run with the in crowd or are too stoned or too drunk to care.

What is wrong with this world? God, I keep asking myself these questions these days. In my hometown, the drugs are getting worse and I watch as more grandparents are raising their kid’s kids. The forest all over BC is either being clear cut or is on fire, and oil and chemicals are seeping into our water poising our fish and wild life. I had a fight with a mother two weeks ago about turning in child pornographers; she told me that if it’s not happening too her child she doesn’t care. Last year I helped to save a girls life from pain killers, her mother is still in denial and refuses to deal with the problem. When you open your eyes you begin to see how bad off the world really is. Yet, under all that bad, there is always hope. Not everyone is blind, not everyone sees the glitter and the falseness as a way of life. There is always hope and people who give a damn. As writers we have already learnt that the pen is mightier than the sword.

I think the parents who allow their daughters to look up to Paris Hilton; need to take time to ask them why. I think the answers would shock them. And last of all…reality TV…read an essay by Barbara Ehrenreich called “ In Defence of Talk Shows.” It totally cured me from watching Talk shows!

Just my thoughts….sorry for my ramblings.

**zorobnice** · September 13th, 2006, 04:29 AM

Originally Posted by Gary Wassner

I'm just trying to figure out what that 'it' factor is in Paris Hilton, among others, that people latch on to.

I have been wondering the same thing. I decided to turn to wiser sources than any here, my 12yr old son (they know everything). When asked why he thought everyone wanted to know about PH, even though she is a silly blonde millionairess his reply was "She's cool", "Why?" I asked, "Because she's famous dad", "But lost of people are famous and we don't hear about them much", "Yes but they are sooooo boring"

I still feel left in the dark by this little man, I cannot see what she does as exciting, but her life seems to scream sensationalism. She seems to embody the free will youngsters are after in this generation. After all, they have such normal lives of going to school, doing homework, sports etc. She however does whatever she wants, and the more she pisses people off, the more the kids seems to love her. She is being rebellious in their stead, cos they know they'd get a serious whap if they tried what she did.

When my son heard tat she had inherited so much money, he wanted to know who would inherit my house after my wife and I died. To cut off that train of thought my answer was "Not you boy-o". Shut him up for a while.

Somebody want t inherit a house???

**HellCold** · June 5th, 2007, 09:34 AM

Just mentioning the name makes me grimace. But generally, she's just another one of those "things" I never cared about. She's a dumb wh*re with money and fame, so what? At least I have no kids to worry about, yet...

**Gary Wassner** · June 5th, 2007, 10:48 AM

And now, knowing how jaded our culture has become, she'll become a cult figure by spending three weeks in a minimum security prison! Let's see how the media wraps itself around this event. Will she come out on top or not? My guess is that now all the little Paris Hilton's and their Mom's will be clamoring to read her memoirs and buy Free Paris tshirts.

**Prunephoenix** · June 5th, 2007, 10:59 AM

When is the first episode of "Paris Imprisoned' airing?

**Gary Wassner** · June 5th, 2007, 11:42 AM

They're not allowing cell phones in jail. But let's see what people smuggle out! There's lots of money involved. Think of how much the tabloids will pay for candid shots of Paris in jail.

Some security guard at the prison will be tempted.

She's still on TV now with the new season of her warped series, The Simple Life.

**zorobnice** · June 7th, 2007, 02:44 AM

I'm with you guys on this, she will most probably make huge money out of it. Her fame makes no sense to me whatsoever. What's the bet she will put in a cameo on 'Prison Break', and get paid a fortune for it too. She ranks up top with the world most unlikebale famous people, like Robert Mugabe and Idi Amin.

**Dawnstorm** · June 7th, 2007, 03:56 AM

She managed to get a thread of five pages all to herself, didn't she?

The currency for celebrities is attention, not admiration. She's paid that sum of money so that you folks can dislike her publicly.

She's just a celebrity, a person who's got cameras pointed at her. She's not the only one, and whether she's the worst or not is a matter of debate. A debate, for that matter, I'm not interested in, because like commercials, celebrities tend not to pass my spam filter.

As unlikeable as Mugabe or Amin? Now you've spawned an idea for a new reality TV show. The UN try to pursuade Paris Hilton away from TV. On prime time.