That’s not hot. Fans first got to know Paris Hilton‘s ditzy “personality” from the Fox reality show The Simple Life, which debuted in 2004. It took two heiresses and childhood pals — Paris, 39, and Nicole Richie, 38 — and put them in everyday life situations with families far removed from their wealthy L.A. clubbing world. While Nicole provided comic relief, Paris came across as a total rich ditz and an aired. She told supermodel Naomi Campbell during the Apr. 17 episode of her YouTube show No Filter that producers wanted her character to appear that way to audiences. Unfortunately, her reputation as a space case followed Paris after the show as a result, even though she went on to become a successful entrepreneur.
“I think it definitely all came about with The Simple Life. Just creating this character, because it was one of the first reality shows and the producers told me ‘we want you play up this character of this kind of spoiled airhead,'” Paris revealed. Who can ever forget when the family she was staying with was going to Wal-Mart and Paris asked if it was a place that sold walls, acting like she had no idea what the big box chain was.
“It was my first show. I’d never been on TV before. I had no idea what to expect. So I had to continue doing that character for five seasons, because I didn’t know the show would go on for so long. So I think that people assume that’s who I really am in life when I’m actually quite the opposite,” Paris continued. The show ran until 2007, eventually ending up on E!. You can see the conversation in the video above starting at the 6 minute mark.
Paris has parlayed her famous name into a number of business ventures. She admitted that today she has 25 fragrances, handbags, two hotels in the Philippines and 19 different global product lines that include perfume, sunglasses, jewelry, lingerie and shoes. Her products are valued at accumulative amount of $2 billion.
“I feel very proud. I’ve worked so hard. I learned that from my family,” Paris explained about her success as an entrepreneur. “Teaching me strong work ethic, which I think is so important, especially when you’re from a privileged family. It’s so easy to spoil your children and my parents never did that with my sister and I and my brothers, and always wanted us to work hard and make something of ourselves. So I’m very lucky that I was raised that way.”