Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Paris Hilton interview and photos

By John P. Meyer

Photo by John P. Meyer

Paris Hilton: a seemingly nice person

Paris Hilton arrived in Dallas today (Jan. 22) to attend the red carpet premiere of her new starring vehicle, The Hottie and the Nottie, at the Regent Highland Park Village Theater. Before the evening's festivities she met with a group of journalists in a media suite at the W Hotel.

Participating along with yours truly were Daniel Kusner (of PegNews content partner Dallas Voice); Todd Jorgenson (of the Denton Record-Chronicle); Alice Reese (of the Greenville Herald-Banner); and Paul Salfen (for Quick).

Ms. Hilton was scheduled to join us at 1:05 but arrived fashionably late, giving us plenty of time to discuss the prospects for world peace and scarf down free sandwiches while sipping designer water from tube-shaped plastic containers with caps like you find on spray paint cans. (In fact, they may be the same ones.) It eventually got so bad that we were telling stories about the old days when hotel rooms were actually spacious.

The crowd braves the cold to catch a glimpse of Paris

Paris eventually did arrive, accompanied by a small entourage of assistants and media wranglers whose identities were never fully revealed. Several amongst the anonymous attendees began filming the proceedings on their little handy cams as we conducted the interview.

The PR folks had warned us before her arrival that we were not to ask Paris any personal questions, but to limit the scope of our queries to her movie (which we had screened previously), her career and her business ventures. (Did Daniel cross the line when he asked whether she thought she was 100% straight? You be the judge.)

It turns out Ms. Hilton is a well-spoken young woman with a great deal of poise. I'm not suggesting she should turn to the study of unified field theory, but she did prove to be a charming interviewee who was never at a loss for words.

Her new movie opens locally on Feb. 8, when you can read a review of it on these very pages.

Interview with Paris Hilton

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Highlights of our conversation, included in podcast form for your convenience:

Paris watched some old Marilyn Monroe movies to get ready for her role in the film (she plays Cristabelle Abbott - "the hottie").

Her next film is a horror musical, in which she sings.

Madonna, Prince, Britney and Michael Jackson are her musical favorites.

She's marketing a line of hair extensions called "dream catchers" through Denton-based Sally Beauty Supply.

Paris is an Aquarius - which she says means she's "outgoing & creative."

She wants to have kids "in the next couple of years."

Photo by John P. Meyer

Looking glamorous on the red carpet

She considers her movies and other public appearances to be a means of promoting her brands (fashion, fragrances, hair products, etc.).

She'll be performing in an episode of "The L Word" once the writer's strike is over.

Her ex-boyfriend once gave her a Porsche for a Valentine's present.

While in Dallas, she'd like to buy a cool cowboy hat, eat barbecue and go out with some "southern boys." (You'll note she said nothing about "nice" southern boys.)

Paris Hilton quotes:

"Is the heat on in here?"

"I think Angelina Jolie is the hottest girl in the world."

"I'm basically a drag queen."

Related stories

• New on DVD: Bella, The Hottie…, I’m Not There - and more! (May 6, 2008)
• Movie review: The Hottie and the Nottie (Feb. 8, 2008)

See more stories in:

• Arts > Movies / Film
• Celebrities!

Comments

Chad Jones Staff

Yeah, I did not know she could speak this long.

6 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Alex Bentley Staff

I think the answer to if she's 100% straight was confirmed by her upcoming appearance on The L Word.

6 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Pavel Lishin Verified

This article was fascinating and insightful, and I don't at all feel the urge to throw myself into traffic.

6 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Donna Chen Verified

"Her next film is a horror musical, in which she sings."

Is the horror classification because of Paris' musical performance?

6 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Erin Rice Staff

A DC9 at Night fan grabbed some photos of the Paris Hilton party at Ghostbar Tuesday night. Apparently TO was also in attendance, sans tears.

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/dc9/2...

Why do celebrities keep going to Ghostbar? I've been once and was bored out of my mind. Not to mention that the elevators broke at some point just before last call, so we had to walk down the 33 flights. Boo to you, Ghostbar.

6 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Rawlins Gilliland Verified

I was shocked to learn that, very quietly, Paris Hilton has been working toward her Doctorate degree in dementia/ behavioral studies (with a thesis about the adult response to celebrity swag), her Masters being in pre-natal so-called Utopian descendent psychosis studies for which, under an assumed name, she was considered by two Nobel recipients to be ‘one of the most compelling social forces on planet earth in childhood-to-fame mental marketing development currently at play.’ According to this pair of reputedly lauded laureates, her name has ‘come to be equated with unselfish excellence in the pursuit of a better world’.

6 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Pavel Lishin Verified

It's trendy. They have to show up, or something, I don't know. I guess your drinking habits probably change when you don't go out based on what bar has a vodka promotion and keeps handing out free t-shirts.

6 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )