February 14, 2022 • 22 mins
The Simple Life debuted on Fox on December 2, 2003.
Two friends, Paris and Nicole, leave the comfort of their mansions, money and cel phones behind and head to Arkansas.
Almost twenty years later, Paris is rewatching the pilot episode! Join Paris, as she shares the behind the scenes, what it's like to rewatch it now, who she is still in touch with, and all the juicy couture details!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is Paris. Hey everyone, so we are back for
another episode of This is Paris and Here at Home
with Hunter. Yeah. I'm excited today because it's gonna be
(00:22):
no guest, It's just me and you, but talking about
something that the audience has wanted us to talk about
for a while now, which is The Simple Life. Yes,
when you hear The Simple Life, do you get like
any feelings? Like when someone brings it up, do you go,
do you like ever get excited? Do you like the
butterflies of like, oh that was such a fun thing?
Do you get cringe? E ever? No? I love that show.
(00:46):
It literally started reality television. It was pioneering, is iconic,
it's timeless. People are obsessed with it still. I love it.
I watch it all the time. Um. So it's something
that I'm so proud of because it's what started my
whole entire career, and um I love that just so
many people have been inspired by it and tried to
(01:07):
do in versions of it, and it really just it
was such a amazing moment in pop culture history. Yeah.
I think there's like lots of times in the media
history where it's like everyone is pitching a show that's like, oh,
I want to do Anthony Bourdain style show, or I
want to do uh Soprano style show. But for so
long people wanted to do a simple lifestyle shows like
(01:30):
any celebrity they could think of. They tried to do it,
and nobody did it like you and Nicole, which makes
me wonder. I want to ask, because we're gonna talk
about the pilot in particular, but Nicole, how did that
come to be? Like? Was Nicole your first choice? Their
first choice? Um? When I got approached for the show,
it was actually supposed to be my sister and I,
(01:52):
so they said, we want the Hilton sisters and they
pitched us the show. Nikki said no right away, just
like there's I don't want to be on a reality show,
Like there's no way I'm going to do this, Like
you're crazy for doing this. Um So right away, the
first person I thought of was Nicole because we've been
best friends since we were two years old. There's no
(02:14):
one funnier entertaining. I just knew we would have the
best time together. And I definitely made the right choice
because she was just the perfect person to do this with.
It's just in the first episode where you guys are
talking about the son who's living at the house, and
you're like, he's such a sweet boy. And then Nichole
says she had it through some of them. It was
(02:35):
the greatest thing I've ever seen. Like I don't remember
like all the moments from when I watched it when
I was younger, but rewatching it. It is such a
funny show. And I do think you're right, Nicole is
the perfect choice, does NICKI at all? Do you think,
in your heart of hearts, do you think Nikki has
any regrets that she didn't do it or do you
think she's like I made the right choice of glad
Paris did it. But I'm fine. Nicky and I are
(02:56):
such complete opposites. Like she did say yes, I was wrong,
she said to me to not do it. She's like,
the show is amazing. You guys are so funny, Like
I love the show so um happy you didn't listen
to Mom and I when we said not to do it. Um.
But she's just she's more of like a person who
doesn't like the spotlight, Like she's not into that, Like
(03:18):
she would have hated being on the farm, like she
would have just been ms um. So I don't think
she No, she definitely does not have any regrets for
doing it. Do you think her and your mother were
the two most opposed to you doing this? Or where
there was there someone else in your life that was
like don't um? Basically them? Yeah, everyone else is like
(03:38):
that sounds awesome. Who is the biggest supporter of it?
Who like pushed you the hardest to do it? My agents?
That's good agents then that they knew that this would
be good for you. Yeah, definitely, were you positive from
the very beginning that it would be what it was?
Or obviously didn't blow your expectations away. I had no
(03:59):
idea of what to expect because you know, there was
no other reality shows to really compare it to, so
such a new territory. But I always loved doing things first,
and I love doing new things and having fun, and um,
I just thought the concept was really funny. Even though
we literally did not know where we were going. They
would not tell us, so even on the plane. So
(04:20):
when you're on the jet and you ask where are
we going? That's real, all about real Wow. Yeah, they
were instructed like most reality shows today are very you know,
scripted and not real and produced. With this, they told
the producers. They told the cameraman everybody on set, don't
talk to the girls. If they try to like communicate
(04:41):
with you, just ignore them. So even if we would
try to like say something off camera, they no one
would even look at us or say anything. The sea. Yeah,
so they were really strict about that. Like they really
took our phones away, They really took our credit cards
and money way like that was all real. Did you
get a chance to call your family at all? Or
because how long were you guys shooting? I'm trying to
(05:02):
think how long we were there. I think it was
like almost two months. It was a while. Um, and
you really had you did not have your phone for
two months, no phone at all, like not even to check,
like uncertain, Like we had no hours off, like it
was twenty seven cameras all the time. Um, and we
spoke to our parents like they wouldn't really let us
(05:23):
use the phone, but sometimes would be able to. I
don't remember what the rules were with that, but it
wasn't very often. Was that at all? Like traumatizing, especially
after everything you went through at the school and everything,
to be like put back in almost like this like camp,
you know where it's like you can't do these things
where you just like, no, this is an experience. Thank
god Nicole was with me because we always just had
(05:45):
the best time together and would always be laughing. Um,
if I had done it with someone else, I don't
it would definitely not have been as much fun, and
I probably would have been missed and wanted to leave.
But we just always like even if it was like
the worst craziest situation, like we would always just laugh
our way through it and have fun with it. It's
crazy watching that show and seeing how much fun you
(06:08):
guys are having the whole time, Like it is so
painfully clear that you enjoyed it, and I love that,
Like I did Nicole expect it to be fun? Like
did she like think like was she at all like
Paris were really going to do this? Or she's like, okay,
let's go. She was always just so cool and just
(06:30):
have fun with everything, so she never complained and just
had a great time and she was just like I
don't know, it's like the perfect friend to do anything with,
just going adventures with, laugh with like not afraid to
say anything, like just I love it, like no filter.
She's so great. You guys had the best time. So
why did you choose Altis Altis, Arkansas? I didn't choose it.
(06:55):
Why why did they choose Arkansas? I think they chose
it because it was cute little town. It had like,
I don't think seven people or something, and they had
went around and traveled and looked at a bunch of
towns and spoke to a bunch of locals, and I
think that they really just loved that family, the weddings,
(07:15):
and a little cute Altis, Arkansas, which was it was
so cute. It was just like this cute little town
and I'd never lived anywhere like that before, so it
was all very um new and definitely felt like a
fish out of water. Yeah. Well, I love when you
walk into the home and you like look at the
floor where they wanted to and there's a well there,
(07:36):
and you're like, what's a well for? Because genuinely, that's
not something you see in l a ever. Nobody has wells,
let alone a well in their house, but just wells
in general are not common. So it must have been
the biggest culture shock in the world for you at
that time. Yeah, Like the only wells I've ever seen
(07:57):
before were like in like Disney cartoons, Like, I forgot
what that movie wasn't the person like throws the thing
downe the well? I don't know what it was called,
but I had never seen a real well, so I
was like, how people like drink water from that? It's
just so weird, understand. I thought it was the funniest thing.
But then obviously there's so many iconic lines. You're talking
(08:18):
about Walmart, like what do they sell wall stuff there?
And then you've talked about on this show that that
was you were being a little facetious. But yeah, I
knew exactly what Walmart was. I just knew that it
would be a funny line to say. But they actually
did believe me. Everybody believed you. Uh. I mean, I
want to talk about that for a second, because I
(08:40):
did ever bother you that, like people think I'm this
person or you just loving it? You know. It was
a character that I created. The producers said, we want
you to Nicole. You'd be the troublemaker in Paris. You'd be,
you know, the blonde, rich airhead. Just act like you've
never done anything in your life and just kind of
play into that character. So that's what I did. The
(09:02):
amount of confidence and like self assuredness you need to
have to be like yep, I'll play that character and
I'll nail it. Because think about like every we know
so many people in this industry. Good luck telling anybody
who wants to be anything in l A. Hey, your
play stupid as your own name, and we're gonna do
it for seasons and seasons and seasons. Nobody's gonna know
(09:24):
you for anything else for a long time. Like you
must have been so sure that, like, all right, I'm
gonna eventually tell them who I really am and I'm
not worried. Is that how you how you thought about it?
I just thought of it as I don't know, I've
always been like a very naturally shy person, so I
feel that by playing the character, it was kind of
like wearing a mask where I could do anything and
(09:45):
I don't know, and just not feel like they're not
It's like it's not they're not talking about me, They're
talking about the character that I created. So I don't know,
I think it was just kind of like a shield. Um.
And also, you know, thinking about it now as an adult,
just what went through a pro Volcanian school and the
abuse and just the trauma from that. I think that
(10:06):
was also a reaction to it where I just kind
of wanted to portray this kind of like bubbly happy
like Barbie, um, just because I had was so traumatized
from what I went through. So I didn't even realize
that until recently. Um. But yeah, because that happens to
people who like deal with trauma when they're young. It's
like you almost stay in that, like you don't want
(10:28):
to go into the real world a little bit and
have to like face all this, so you take on
this role that is that's highly like, that's a that's
a big thing to process. How recently did you realize this?
Only within the past like maybe a year and a half.
Just ever since I've been really like talking and like
soul searching and everything I've been doing, and then talking
(10:49):
to other survivors who've been through what I've been through
and how they did similar things, you know, not on
like the simple life obviously, but in their lives of
how they are. So it just made me just realized
so much did that change anything for you? Like realizing that, yeah,
just how things can affect you and just how strong
(11:12):
I am, I don't know, very resilient, this is Paris
speaking of how strong you are. You through your luggage
into the back of that truck, and those were nice backs.
Not to go from a very serious subject to this,
(11:34):
but um, when you were doing stuff like that in
the show, is that all part of the character of like, oh,
I don't care, I'm gonna throw this luggage or were
you just like so it was yeah, you know, I
always would play into it, but um, that's probably how
it had normally thrown usface. I don't know how many
bags did you bring? Do you remember a lot? I
don't know. I think likes just not that much. For
(11:57):
being somewhere for two months and having to do so
many out the changes every day, you could have brought
three pairs of jeans and five T shirts and probably
been fine. We were like obsessed with wearing, like Louis
Baton dir and von Dutch. You had so much clothing
that one of the moments that everyone talks about, or
(12:18):
one of the fashion statements you were making at the time,
was the low jeans. Yes, and I think we have
a photo of it here and we can put it
up on our Instagram if you guys want to go
check that out. But it was you in the market
with low jeans? I was obsessed with those low rise jeans.
I literally bought like fifteen pairs of just that exact
style because they were so good. Yeah, are they coming back? No,
(12:40):
I'm not into them anymore, no, never, But I loved them.
I was so into that and like showing my belly
button ring and like, I don't know, I love Highways
jeans now, I just think that they're very cheic. Yeah,
they're They're great. They shop the butt better to the Highways.
All right, what about these other two looks? So this
is from the party when you were departing. Who was that?
This party that at your was your grandpa's house, your family, Yeah,
(13:03):
it's the same house where I got married. Um, and
it was just my family and their friends, and it
wasn't I don't feel like it was that many of
Nicole and I friends. I don't know, I don't even
remember of older people older. I feel it was like
my parents friends. Yeah, whose idea was the helicopter? Um,
I don't remember. I think the body is there? Yeah,
(13:25):
pretty bold move. And then I forget where this moment was.
But that is the the vest made of something? Oh
that's Oh yeah, that's the door monogram look with my
little short skirt. I love that I still have. That's
a swimsuit. And that's like when the whole like monogram
(13:46):
logo mania started from that and now everyone's doing it again. Now.
It's crazy that you are literally ten years ahead of
when was The Simple Life one? Was the first episode shot?
I think maybe like two thousand for something. Yeah, so
eighteen years ago if it's two thousand four, and all
the looks are just coming back, which is really funny. Um,
(14:10):
the truck that was waiting there for you not an
easy truck to drive. Had you ever driven a truck before? No?
Was it six shift automatic? I feel like it was
stick shift and they had to do something because I
was like, I did not know how to drive that
at all. Like I think they probably thought I knew,
(14:31):
so I remember them having to do something like fix
the truck or I don't know what it was, but
it was beyond Yeah, and that's just the start of
two months. Um. Was there a moment at some point
in the taping where you were like I want to
go home, Like I'm kind of done. Yeah, just like
I don't know a couple of weeks into it, just
(14:53):
I don't know. I was just feeling like, oh, my
friends are at home, it's much fun, Like we're missing
like the MTV or words. There was just like so
many things happening, and I was having the worst FOMO
ever because at this point in my life, I was
like obsessed with going out all the time. Um, so
just and they were really strict, like telling us we
had to be home before midnight and not letting us
(15:15):
go out, and then they would ground us and not
let us go out, which is so annoying, Like if
you did something bad, they ground you. Yeah, Nicole and
I just wanted to go anywhere. We go to like
these random like cowboy bars, and like I just would
go anywhere just to have fun because stay past curfew, yes,
and we're getting so much trouble. They get so mad.
(15:35):
So when they would ground you, you would actually listen
to it though, because it's so funny to think about,
like the star of the show, the reason everyone's there
can be grounded on her own show. I know that's
so weird, um, but yeah, we actually would listen. I
think it's like producers are scary people when you haven't
been in the industry before. It's like and then they
tell you to do something. Yeah, it was like so
(15:57):
new to us. We're just like okay, Like whatever they
would this to do, we would just do. Yeah. Now,
if you did like a Simple Life reunion or like
you brought it back in any way and someone told you,
what did you be like, Yeah, like, I'm not giving
my phone away. It's not happening. You can pick one
out of the three phones I have to take away
and that's Italy. Um wha. So that was maybe a
homesick moment. What was your favorite moment specifically from the
(16:21):
first episode if you have one, The chicken delem was
pretty Yeah. I don't know if that was my favorite moment,
but that was so funny. I was literally freaking out,
just like pulling up and she's like sitting there and
plucking the chicken and it was just I've never seen
that in my life and literally wanted to like puke.
It was so just disgusting. Yeah, it was one of
(16:44):
the few times I think in reality television like that's
what was so great about you Yours and Nicole's relationship
is like, you didn't do it, you didn't do the
thing that the producers clearly wanted you to do in
the family clearly wanted you to do, and it was
so entertaining, Like it was still just as fun to
watch you literally squirm as they're like, but we need
(17:05):
to eat tonight, and then you think Nicole is going
to say yes, and then she just comes up and
goes no. We love animals so much too, that just
like that would have like traumatized me for the rest
of my life. Like doing that just gross. I think
you made the right choice. Um, were you attracted to
the boy? They were so sweet? They were like teenagers.
(17:30):
I didn't know how old they were. I mean literally,
do you think that that boy had the fantasy of like, oh,
maybe they'll fall in love, Well, maybe they'll fall in
love with me. No. I feel like they were like
it was like a little brother vibes. They weren't like
they weren't guys like that. Okay, I'm telling you right now.
They were guys like that. They just put on the
(17:50):
little brother vibes. Okay. Well, if I was a boy
in Arkansas growing up with my grandmother and my parents,
and I have a well in my room, him and
then two girls from l A come wearing crop tops
and they both got belly button rings. There's not a
single part of my brain that goes that's my older sister.
(18:11):
I didn't think about it like that, But now that
you say that, had you made a move on either
of them, obviously, if everyone was of age, they would
have been in heaven. They would have told all their friends.
They probably do tell all their friends that off camera.
You guys may not. No, I feel like they wouldn't.
I actually was in contact with Braxton the little boy.
Oh that's cute. Yeah, he's all grown up now. It's
(18:33):
so cute. And ye, he was messaging me because the
grandpa passed away and then Curly the grandma was so sad.
Rest in peace to both of them. I know. I
love them so much. They were so sweet. Well, that's
sweet that you still have that relationship with them. Was
the last time you talked to the parents so long ago?
(18:54):
Only I don't even know if they have Instagram. But um,
we saw each other actually a couple of years after
the show because we did like this reunion. Um, but
I haven't seen them since. It's great though, it's great
that you got in touch with Braxton again. You can
Braxton Dams and be like hunters right, we told everybody, Um,
(19:15):
what were your the first thoughts when you saw the
shared bathroom? I was like, what, like the whole house
is this one bathroom? I was like, how many people
live there? Like ten or something like? Yeah, it was
a big family. So when I heard all of us
we're gonna have to share one, it was like, Wow,
did it proved to be an issue? Like were there
(19:36):
long showers or everyone was waiting? Yeah? That and like
we would be doing our makeup in the mirror and
it was like the only mirror that so, um, we
were in there a lot. Just for context, how many
bathrooms was that the house your grandpa's house in the beginning?
Do you know how many bathrooms that house house? No?
Idea twenty something for a much smaller family than the
(20:03):
living there. That's crazy. Um, when you watch the show
back with Carter, how does he react and like he
sees when he saw the first episode with you, what
was his reaction. It's laughing and just like, oh my god,
you literally look the same. He's like, actually you're even
hotter now, um, and just that I'm hilarious and that
(20:27):
he can since he knows me. He can tell that
I was playing a character and he's like, this is brilliant.
That's great. Yeah, well you did an incredible job on
the show. I'm excited if if people love this, let
us know, because we'll do the rest of the series.
There's a lot of episodes to break down and a
lot of really funny moments, like I want to talk
about the milk moment. The milk bottles is the one
(20:49):
of the most insane things I've ever seen. Just filling
it up with water, you get away, and it's great
knowing that these were real farmers and not like people
hired to just do this quick gig with you, like
a like a stand in or an extra. So yeah,
let us know. You guys think in Paris um. Is
there anything you'd like to say to all the people
(21:11):
of Altis, Arkansas right now? Yes, I missed you guys.
That was much fun. Thank you for putting up with us,
and sorry if we got fired from the jobs, all
of them. But I hope you guys enjoyed watching it
and putting all to us on the map. And uh,
(21:33):
I missed the wedding family. I love you guys, Thanks
for being amazing. Posts even though you're strict and didn't
let us go out too much. But I understand why
you're just being protective. UM and yeah, I love the
show and I love you guys. Yass perfect By guys. Bye,
(21:54):
thanks for listening to This Is Paris. We love hearing
from you, so leave us a review sending email to
Paris at I Heart radio dot com. Leave a voicemail
at eight three three eighty seven Paris, and follow us
at This is Paris podcast by Days, Follow Paris at
Paris Hilton, and follow Hunter March. Hosted e's nightly fob
at Hunter March
This is Paris. Hey everyone, so we are back for
another episode of This is Paris and Here at Home
with Hunter. Yeah. I'm excited today because it's gonna be
(00:22):
no guest, It's just me and you, but talking about
something that the audience has wanted us to talk about
for a while now, which is The Simple Life. Yes,
when you hear The Simple Life, do you get like
any feelings? Like when someone brings it up, do you go,
do you like ever get excited? Do you like the
butterflies of like, oh that was such a fun thing?
Do you get cringe? E ever? No? I love that show.
(00:46):
It literally started reality television. It was pioneering, is iconic,
it's timeless. People are obsessed with it still. I love it.
I watch it all the time. Um. So it's something
that I'm so proud of because it's what started my
whole entire career, and um I love that just so
many people have been inspired by it and tried to
(01:07):
do in versions of it, and it really just it
was such a amazing moment in pop culture history. Yeah.
I think there's like lots of times in the media
history where it's like everyone is pitching a show that's like, oh,
I want to do Anthony Bourdain style show, or I
want to do uh Soprano style show. But for so
long people wanted to do a simple lifestyle shows like
(01:30):
any celebrity they could think of. They tried to do it,
and nobody did it like you and Nicole, which makes
me wonder. I want to ask, because we're gonna talk
about the pilot in particular, but Nicole, how did that
come to be? Like? Was Nicole your first choice? Their
first choice? Um? When I got approached for the show,
it was actually supposed to be my sister and I,
(01:52):
so they said, we want the Hilton sisters and they
pitched us the show. Nikki said no right away, just
like there's I don't want to be on a reality show,
Like there's no way I'm going to do this, Like
you're crazy for doing this. Um So right away, the
first person I thought of was Nicole because we've been
best friends since we were two years old. There's no
(02:14):
one funnier entertaining. I just knew we would have the
best time together. And I definitely made the right choice
because she was just the perfect person to do this with.
It's just in the first episode where you guys are
talking about the son who's living at the house, and
you're like, he's such a sweet boy. And then Nichole
says she had it through some of them. It was
(02:35):
the greatest thing I've ever seen. Like I don't remember
like all the moments from when I watched it when
I was younger, but rewatching it. It is such a
funny show. And I do think you're right, Nicole is
the perfect choice, does NICKI at all? Do you think,
in your heart of hearts, do you think Nikki has
any regrets that she didn't do it or do you
think she's like I made the right choice of glad
Paris did it. But I'm fine. Nicky and I are
(02:56):
such complete opposites. Like she did say yes, I was wrong,
she said to me to not do it. She's like,
the show is amazing. You guys are so funny, Like
I love the show so um happy you didn't listen
to Mom and I when we said not to do it. Um.
But she's just she's more of like a person who
doesn't like the spotlight, Like she's not into that, Like
(03:18):
she would have hated being on the farm, like she
would have just been ms um. So I don't think
she No, she definitely does not have any regrets for
doing it. Do you think her and your mother were
the two most opposed to you doing this? Or where
there was there someone else in your life that was
like don't um? Basically them? Yeah, everyone else is like
(03:38):
that sounds awesome. Who is the biggest supporter of it?
Who like pushed you the hardest to do it? My agents?
That's good agents then that they knew that this would
be good for you. Yeah, definitely, were you positive from
the very beginning that it would be what it was?
Or obviously didn't blow your expectations away. I had no
(03:59):
idea of what to expect because you know, there was
no other reality shows to really compare it to, so
such a new territory. But I always loved doing things first,
and I love doing new things and having fun, and um,
I just thought the concept was really funny. Even though
we literally did not know where we were going. They
would not tell us, so even on the plane. So
(04:20):
when you're on the jet and you ask where are
we going? That's real, all about real Wow. Yeah, they
were instructed like most reality shows today are very you know,
scripted and not real and produced. With this, they told
the producers. They told the cameraman everybody on set, don't
talk to the girls. If they try to like communicate
(04:41):
with you, just ignore them. So even if we would
try to like say something off camera, they no one
would even look at us or say anything. The sea. Yeah,
so they were really strict about that. Like they really
took our phones away, They really took our credit cards
and money way like that was all real. Did you
get a chance to call your family at all? Or
because how long were you guys shooting? I'm trying to
(05:02):
think how long we were there. I think it was
like almost two months. It was a while. Um, and
you really had you did not have your phone for
two months, no phone at all, like not even to check,
like uncertain, Like we had no hours off, like it
was twenty seven cameras all the time. Um, and we
spoke to our parents like they wouldn't really let us
(05:23):
use the phone, but sometimes would be able to. I
don't remember what the rules were with that, but it
wasn't very often. Was that at all? Like traumatizing, especially
after everything you went through at the school and everything,
to be like put back in almost like this like camp,
you know where it's like you can't do these things
where you just like, no, this is an experience. Thank
god Nicole was with me because we always just had
(05:45):
the best time together and would always be laughing. Um,
if I had done it with someone else, I don't
it would definitely not have been as much fun, and
I probably would have been missed and wanted to leave.
But we just always like even if it was like
the worst craziest situation, like we would always just laugh
our way through it and have fun with it. It's
crazy watching that show and seeing how much fun you
(06:08):
guys are having the whole time, Like it is so
painfully clear that you enjoyed it, and I love that,
Like I did Nicole expect it to be fun? Like
did she like think like was she at all like
Paris were really going to do this? Or she's like, okay,
let's go. She was always just so cool and just
(06:30):
have fun with everything, so she never complained and just
had a great time and she was just like I
don't know, it's like the perfect friend to do anything with,
just going adventures with, laugh with like not afraid to
say anything, like just I love it, like no filter.
She's so great. You guys had the best time. So
why did you choose Altis Altis, Arkansas? I didn't choose it.
(06:55):
Why why did they choose Arkansas? I think they chose
it because it was cute little town. It had like,
I don't think seven people or something, and they had
went around and traveled and looked at a bunch of
towns and spoke to a bunch of locals, and I
think that they really just loved that family, the weddings,
(07:15):
and a little cute Altis, Arkansas, which was it was
so cute. It was just like this cute little town
and I'd never lived anywhere like that before, so it
was all very um new and definitely felt like a
fish out of water. Yeah. Well, I love when you
walk into the home and you like look at the
floor where they wanted to and there's a well there,
(07:36):
and you're like, what's a well for? Because genuinely, that's
not something you see in l a ever. Nobody has wells,
let alone a well in their house, but just wells
in general are not common. So it must have been
the biggest culture shock in the world for you at
that time. Yeah, Like the only wells I've ever seen
(07:57):
before were like in like Disney cartoons, Like, I forgot
what that movie wasn't the person like throws the thing
downe the well? I don't know what it was called,
but I had never seen a real well, so I
was like, how people like drink water from that? It's
just so weird, understand. I thought it was the funniest thing.
But then obviously there's so many iconic lines. You're talking
(08:18):
about Walmart, like what do they sell wall stuff there?
And then you've talked about on this show that that
was you were being a little facetious. But yeah, I
knew exactly what Walmart was. I just knew that it
would be a funny line to say. But they actually
did believe me. Everybody believed you. Uh. I mean, I
want to talk about that for a second, because I
(08:40):
did ever bother you that, like people think I'm this
person or you just loving it? You know. It was
a character that I created. The producers said, we want
you to Nicole. You'd be the troublemaker in Paris. You'd be,
you know, the blonde, rich airhead. Just act like you've
never done anything in your life and just kind of
play into that character. So that's what I did. The
(09:02):
amount of confidence and like self assuredness you need to
have to be like yep, I'll play that character and
I'll nail it. Because think about like every we know
so many people in this industry. Good luck telling anybody
who wants to be anything in l A. Hey, your
play stupid as your own name, and we're gonna do
it for seasons and seasons and seasons. Nobody's gonna know
(09:24):
you for anything else for a long time. Like you
must have been so sure that, like, all right, I'm
gonna eventually tell them who I really am and I'm
not worried. Is that how you how you thought about it?
I just thought of it as I don't know, I've
always been like a very naturally shy person, so I
feel that by playing the character, it was kind of
like wearing a mask where I could do anything and
(09:45):
I don't know, and just not feel like they're not
It's like it's not they're not talking about me, They're
talking about the character that I created. So I don't know,
I think it was just kind of like a shield. Um.
And also, you know, thinking about it now as an adult,
just what went through a pro Volcanian school and the
abuse and just the trauma from that. I think that
(10:06):
was also a reaction to it where I just kind
of wanted to portray this kind of like bubbly happy
like Barbie, um, just because I had was so traumatized
from what I went through. So I didn't even realize
that until recently. Um. But yeah, because that happens to
people who like deal with trauma when they're young. It's
like you almost stay in that, like you don't want
(10:28):
to go into the real world a little bit and
have to like face all this, so you take on
this role that is that's highly like, that's a that's
a big thing to process. How recently did you realize this?
Only within the past like maybe a year and a half.
Just ever since I've been really like talking and like
soul searching and everything I've been doing, and then talking
(10:49):
to other survivors who've been through what I've been through
and how they did similar things, you know, not on
like the simple life obviously, but in their lives of
how they are. So it just made me just realized
so much did that change anything for you? Like realizing that, yeah,
just how things can affect you and just how strong
(11:12):
I am, I don't know, very resilient, this is Paris
speaking of how strong you are. You through your luggage
into the back of that truck, and those were nice backs.
Not to go from a very serious subject to this,
(11:34):
but um, when you were doing stuff like that in
the show, is that all part of the character of like, oh,
I don't care, I'm gonna throw this luggage or were
you just like so it was yeah, you know, I
always would play into it, but um, that's probably how
it had normally thrown usface. I don't know how many
bags did you bring? Do you remember a lot? I
don't know. I think likes just not that much. For
(11:57):
being somewhere for two months and having to do so
many out the changes every day, you could have brought
three pairs of jeans and five T shirts and probably
been fine. We were like obsessed with wearing, like Louis
Baton dir and von Dutch. You had so much clothing
that one of the moments that everyone talks about, or
(12:18):
one of the fashion statements you were making at the time,
was the low jeans. Yes, and I think we have
a photo of it here and we can put it
up on our Instagram if you guys want to go
check that out. But it was you in the market
with low jeans? I was obsessed with those low rise jeans.
I literally bought like fifteen pairs of just that exact
style because they were so good. Yeah, are they coming back? No,
(12:40):
I'm not into them anymore, no, never, But I loved them.
I was so into that and like showing my belly
button ring and like, I don't know, I love Highways
jeans now, I just think that they're very cheic. Yeah,
they're They're great. They shop the butt better to the Highways.
All right, what about these other two looks? So this
is from the party when you were departing. Who was that?
This party that at your was your grandpa's house, your family, Yeah,
(13:03):
it's the same house where I got married. Um, and
it was just my family and their friends, and it
wasn't I don't feel like it was that many of
Nicole and I friends. I don't know, I don't even
remember of older people older. I feel it was like
my parents friends. Yeah, whose idea was the helicopter? Um,
I don't remember. I think the body is there? Yeah,
(13:25):
pretty bold move. And then I forget where this moment was.
But that is the the vest made of something? Oh
that's Oh yeah, that's the door monogram look with my
little short skirt. I love that I still have. That's
a swimsuit. And that's like when the whole like monogram
(13:46):
logo mania started from that and now everyone's doing it again. Now.
It's crazy that you are literally ten years ahead of
when was The Simple Life one? Was the first episode shot?
I think maybe like two thousand for something. Yeah, so
eighteen years ago if it's two thousand four, and all
the looks are just coming back, which is really funny. Um,
(14:10):
the truck that was waiting there for you not an
easy truck to drive. Had you ever driven a truck before? No?
Was it six shift automatic? I feel like it was
stick shift and they had to do something because I
was like, I did not know how to drive that
at all. Like I think they probably thought I knew,
(14:31):
so I remember them having to do something like fix
the truck or I don't know what it was, but
it was beyond Yeah, and that's just the start of
two months. Um. Was there a moment at some point
in the taping where you were like I want to
go home, Like I'm kind of done. Yeah, just like
I don't know a couple of weeks into it, just
(14:53):
I don't know. I was just feeling like, oh, my
friends are at home, it's much fun, Like we're missing
like the MTV or words. There was just like so
many things happening, and I was having the worst FOMO
ever because at this point in my life, I was
like obsessed with going out all the time. Um, so
just and they were really strict, like telling us we
had to be home before midnight and not letting us
(15:15):
go out, and then they would ground us and not
let us go out, which is so annoying, Like if
you did something bad, they ground you. Yeah, Nicole and
I just wanted to go anywhere. We go to like
these random like cowboy bars, and like I just would
go anywhere just to have fun because stay past curfew, yes,
and we're getting so much trouble. They get so mad.
(15:35):
So when they would ground you, you would actually listen
to it though, because it's so funny to think about,
like the star of the show, the reason everyone's there
can be grounded on her own show. I know that's
so weird, um, but yeah, we actually would listen. I
think it's like producers are scary people when you haven't
been in the industry before. It's like and then they
tell you to do something. Yeah, it was like so
(15:57):
new to us. We're just like okay, Like whatever they
would this to do, we would just do. Yeah. Now,
if you did like a Simple Life reunion or like
you brought it back in any way and someone told you,
what did you be like, Yeah, like, I'm not giving
my phone away. It's not happening. You can pick one
out of the three phones I have to take away
and that's Italy. Um wha. So that was maybe a
homesick moment. What was your favorite moment specifically from the
(16:21):
first episode if you have one, The chicken delem was
pretty Yeah. I don't know if that was my favorite moment,
but that was so funny. I was literally freaking out,
just like pulling up and she's like sitting there and
plucking the chicken and it was just I've never seen
that in my life and literally wanted to like puke.
It was so just disgusting. Yeah, it was one of
(16:44):
the few times I think in reality television like that's
what was so great about you Yours and Nicole's relationship
is like, you didn't do it, you didn't do the
thing that the producers clearly wanted you to do in
the family clearly wanted you to do, and it was
so entertaining, Like it was still just as fun to
watch you literally squirm as they're like, but we need
(17:05):
to eat tonight, and then you think Nicole is going
to say yes, and then she just comes up and
goes no. We love animals so much too, that just
like that would have like traumatized me for the rest
of my life. Like doing that just gross. I think
you made the right choice. Um, were you attracted to
the boy? They were so sweet? They were like teenagers.
(17:30):
I didn't know how old they were. I mean literally,
do you think that that boy had the fantasy of like, oh,
maybe they'll fall in love, Well, maybe they'll fall in
love with me. No. I feel like they were like
it was like a little brother vibes. They weren't like
they weren't guys like that. Okay, I'm telling you right now.
They were guys like that. They just put on the
(17:50):
little brother vibes. Okay. Well, if I was a boy
in Arkansas growing up with my grandmother and my parents,
and I have a well in my room, him and
then two girls from l A come wearing crop tops
and they both got belly button rings. There's not a
single part of my brain that goes that's my older sister.
(18:11):
I didn't think about it like that, But now that
you say that, had you made a move on either
of them, obviously, if everyone was of age, they would
have been in heaven. They would have told all their friends.
They probably do tell all their friends that off camera.
You guys may not. No, I feel like they wouldn't.
I actually was in contact with Braxton the little boy.
Oh that's cute. Yeah, he's all grown up now. It's
(18:33):
so cute. And ye, he was messaging me because the
grandpa passed away and then Curly the grandma was so sad.
Rest in peace to both of them. I know. I
love them so much. They were so sweet. Well, that's
sweet that you still have that relationship with them. Was
the last time you talked to the parents so long ago?
(18:54):
Only I don't even know if they have Instagram. But um,
we saw each other actually a couple of years after
the show because we did like this reunion. Um, but
I haven't seen them since. It's great though, it's great
that you got in touch with Braxton again. You can
Braxton Dams and be like hunters right, we told everybody, Um,
(19:15):
what were your the first thoughts when you saw the
shared bathroom? I was like, what, like the whole house
is this one bathroom? I was like, how many people
live there? Like ten or something like? Yeah, it was
a big family. So when I heard all of us
we're gonna have to share one, it was like, Wow,
did it proved to be an issue? Like were there
(19:36):
long showers or everyone was waiting? Yeah? That and like
we would be doing our makeup in the mirror and
it was like the only mirror that so, um, we
were in there a lot. Just for context, how many
bathrooms was that the house your grandpa's house in the beginning?
Do you know how many bathrooms that house house? No?
Idea twenty something for a much smaller family than the
(20:03):
living there. That's crazy. Um, when you watch the show
back with Carter, how does he react and like he
sees when he saw the first episode with you, what
was his reaction. It's laughing and just like, oh my god,
you literally look the same. He's like, actually you're even
hotter now, um, and just that I'm hilarious and that
(20:27):
he can since he knows me. He can tell that
I was playing a character and he's like, this is brilliant.
That's great. Yeah, well you did an incredible job on
the show. I'm excited if if people love this, let
us know, because we'll do the rest of the series.
There's a lot of episodes to break down and a
lot of really funny moments, like I want to talk
about the milk moment. The milk bottles is the one
(20:49):
of the most insane things I've ever seen. Just filling
it up with water, you get away, and it's great
knowing that these were real farmers and not like people
hired to just do this quick gig with you, like
a like a stand in or an extra. So yeah,
let us know. You guys think in Paris um. Is
there anything you'd like to say to all the people
(21:11):
of Altis, Arkansas right now? Yes, I missed you guys.
That was much fun. Thank you for putting up with us,
and sorry if we got fired from the jobs, all
of them. But I hope you guys enjoyed watching it
and putting all to us on the map. And uh,
(21:33):
I missed the wedding family. I love you guys, Thanks
for being amazing. Posts even though you're strict and didn't
let us go out too much. But I understand why
you're just being protective. UM and yeah, I love the
show and I love you guys. Yass perfect By guys. Bye,
(21:54):
thanks for listening to This Is Paris. We love hearing
from you, so leave us a review sending email to
Paris at I Heart radio dot com. Leave a voicemail
at eight three three eighty seven Paris, and follow us
at This is Paris podcast by Days, Follow Paris at
Paris Hilton, and follow Hunter March. Hosted e's nightly fob
at Hunter March
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