From my understanding she is a was caught driving twice with a suspended license and was sent to jail (just like anybody else)... But this is Paris Hilton. Seeing Paris Hilton go to jail obviously brought much delight to people like myself and Sarah Silverman. Paris Hilton (in my humble opinion) is a plague on western civilization and a champion of Idiocracy, just the thought of her blank stare and the amount of publicity she gets makes me vomit in my own mouth... But I generally don't try to lose sleep over it.
But a couple days ago, anybody within an ear-shot of a Television witnessed "Apocalypse Paris." Here I will present, courtesy of Keith Olbermann, the events of June 8th 2007.
Sometime during all this coverage MSNBC looked to ex-celebrity convict Tommy Chong.. (for reasons, I can't explain).. asking for his insight on the Paris situation... Check it out.
Maybe it's because Tommy Chong and I take part in the same recreational activities (foosball) but I can understand where he's coming from in regards to the whole conspiracy surrounding this saga. The more news about Paris Hilton the more distracted the world is from actual news. Here are other news stories that took a back seat to the Paris coverage.
CIA jails in Europe 'confirmed' - BBC
Chinese slaves rescued from brickworks - News.com.au
Iraq Police Chief wife killed, children kidnapped - BBC
Pace out as head of Joint Chiefs - yahoo news
Atlantis Launched - BBC
I feel your frustration Jay.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 3)
1. Hey Jeff - I myself was VERY pleased to see Paris Hilton out of our media for the most part during the pendency of the sentencing for violating her probation. However, I think the current goings on are extremely relevant to today's world in the US.
In times when average Americans sense that their jobs and lives are on a downward trend there is ALMOST always a swing in the entertainment media to the lives of the rich. It happened in the movies of the 1930s and its happened during the Bush Administration with Paris Hilton. Its a reaction to the shipment of solid manufacturing jobs being outsourced, the lack of health insurance for 47 million Americans (80%) and a statistically proven increase in the gap between the assets owned by the richest one percent of Americans and the other 99% of us. I guess the attraction behind it is to view and live, for a few minutes or two hours in the movies a life that the vast majority of Americans will always be shut out of.
However, as news of the inequity of our society under Bush became more and more apparent, there was a backlash. Here was a young woman who has no talent and can barely spell - and her entire "mystique" was her enormous unearned wealth, bar fights, laughing at "fire crotch" jokes about another waste of time person, and saying "nigger" and "faggot" in a bar. Of course there was the added factor that this woman and her parents have done virtually nothing for society with the money they did nothing to earn.
I agree and disagree with Tommy Chong's analysis. He is right on about the inequity of the jail sentences he received and the time Hilton has received, but I do not think its a conspiracy to hide the real news. I know I was aware of all the things mentioned in the news that have happened since Parisgate started. Rather, I think there is a legitimate interest on society's part in whether Hilton would receive preferential treatment simply because she was born extremely wealthy and her grandfather was a heavy contributor to the LA sheriff's election and re-election campaigns. To analyze the issue, I think its important to look first at what led to the sentence, and then whether she received disparate treatment.
Paris was originally arrested for a DUI that was merely on the edge of a DUI with a .08 alcohol level. She served no jail time as a result of the arrest - but a friend of mine in CA for a similar offense with no priors had to spend 4 weekends in jail. In contrast, Paris got off with a minimal fine, a requirement to sign up for a SHORT alcohol course, and a suspended license.
She paid the fine (money has never been a problem), but she failed to sign up for the alcohol course, and was arrested TWICE for driving on a suspended license. When she was initially sentenced to jail she was a half hour late to the hearing. To anyone experienced with the California courts, this is a real no-no because it mocks the power of the court and justice. Given her disregard for the initial sentence, which she violated in every respect except for the fine, her sentence was appropriate and would likely have been much harsher absent her status.
So she goes to jail, to a freshly painted cell, fresh clothing so she did not have to wear prison washed uniforms, and an instruction to the other inmates to turn their heads when she went to her cell. SPECIAL TREATMENT. The night she turned herself in, she showed up in apparent glowing health and beauty to give interviews on the red carpet at the MTV music awards - only for us to discover she has a "serious medical condition" a mere three days into the sentence, and got house arrest even though the LA County Jail system is set up to handle all types of medical issues. SPECIAL TREATMENT.
Now, we find out the "serious medical condition" was withdrawal from a drug or drugs she did not specify when she turned herself in, or mere angst at being in a jail cell. So, back she goes, this time to the medical unit at the main jail where she should have been sent in the first place, and we discover that, unlike other inmates, she gets unlimited use of her cell phone (probably the only inmate in CA that gets that privilege). SPECIAL TREATMENT. Moreover, we find that she will spend the rest of her sentence in the medical facility despite the fact that she is stabilizing on psychotropic drugs, being treated by her own doctor instead of the county's doctor, and despite the fact that there are numerous mentally ill inmates in the jail who are simply served their pills in their normal cells without their phones. SPECIAL TREATMENT.
The relevance here is that, at least in LA, there are two Americas. If you are not rich and powerful, you don't get a break on anything (and the LA police are known for being very harsh), but if you are Paris Hilton - its a whole different story.
Moreover, the way the law works is that the judge writes the order, and the sheriff is required to comply with the order. However, in this case, the sheriff in sending her home violating an EXPRESS provision of the sentencing order. SPECIAL TREATMENT AND TWO AMERICAS.
Phil at 9:45AM on Jun 11th 2007
2. Mo, most people in our country are mentally lazy, they do not want to have to think., they want to be entertained. Sound bites are what americans crave in politics and world news. That is why an american will claim he is fully informed about the Iraq War when all he really knows is the half wit slogan "We are fighing them over there, so we won't have to fight them over here". Simple minded we are.
John Lysek at 9:52AM on Jun 11th 2007
3. Jeff - an add-on to my comment No. 1. Recently the conservative Wall Street Joural posted an article on AOL about how we have entered a "Marie Antoinette" period in our nation's culture, where, unlike during the Reagan years, ostentatious displays of wealth are now viewed extemely negatively by a majority of the population, and there is now a whole new battery of consultants for the wealthy on how to act like a "regular person" and how to live the good life as privately as possible. Again, I think this is indicative of the American people's anger at the widening gap of have and have-nots.
Phil at 9:58AM on Jun 11th 2007
4. I agree with Phil... I heard people at work last Friday saying how it "really says something" when CNN cut away from G8 coverage to cover the lovely Paris. But, I thought to myself, the G8 had been going on for a couple of days and that was the first time I'd heard anyone talk about it. I do think that the media pick-and-chooses what we see, but that is so lazy to blame the media. You can read the Wall Street Journal or the Financial Times (instead of US Weekly) and guess what - you'd never even know who Paris Hilton is! We have millions of options when it comes to news sources. I don't EXPECT to get the most hard-hitting news when I look at AOL - and if you do - then you're a moron.
kevin at 11:17AM on Jun 11th 2007
5. Perhaps we should let Paris out of jail, and send her to Iraq, to see what life is really all about. Perhaps the sheriff needs to go too????
sara at 11:34AM on Jun 11th 2007
6. PLEASE....ENOUGH WITH THIE :AIR-HEAD"...HILTON..SHE IS AN EMBARASSMENT ALREADY...GOOD SHE IS WEALTHY...WHO WOULD HIRE HER SKINNY ASS..SHE IS AN IDIOT...NOW LETS GET ON WITH REAL NEWS AND IMPORTANT ISSUES....
PARIS GET A LIFE...OBEY THE RULES..AND MOVE TO IRAG..PLESE WE ARE ALL SICK OF YOU...ADELINE
Adeline at 12:14PM on Jun 11th 2007
7. wow!!! phil (commenter #1) sure sounds like the most jealous, vengeful human being on earth. paris hilton is not the problem, people like phil are the problem. they can't stand it when they see others with more stuff than they have. try working your ass off phil and earn those material things you crave, and then get down on your hands and knees and beg the good lord to help you dispose of you jealousy and your mean streak. one more thing phil, you and all the liberals out there need to stop blaiming bush for everything.he is not the reason that you are dissatisfied with your place in life. you are.
christoff at 12:22PM on Jun 11th 2007
8. You should not forget that Paris has a very powerful publicist who is working the media to her advantage. It is LA after all. The last episode in the saga (that I'm aware of anyway) was Paris taking a direct 180 degree turn saying she would not appeal the judge's ruling and would serve the full sentence. This after the drama the day before, and pundits repeatedly saying she was losing her edge with the public by pushing her weight around.
Appearing to be a victim no matter who you are is the key in this situation.
The only way we can have more control over this white trash mentality is to turn off the television sets,and radios for a while and don't buy the rags that carry this stuff. Really it is our own trailer trash culture that is pushing this down our throats. Another idea is to start sending the message to the advertisers supporting the television and radio programs who carry this stuff 24/7.
Jay at 4:30PM on Jun 12th 2007
9. why is this a story and when is this not talent spoiled little rich girl ever out of the news what did she ever do her cd sucked as she did
amber lynn at 3:34PM on Jun 11th 2007
10. PARIS HILTON IS A RICH, NO BRAIN, SPOILED BRAT.
YES, SHE HAS LOTS OF MONEY BUT SHE HAS NEVER
EARNED A DIME HERSELF. SHE LOOKS DOWN ON PEOPLE
WHO HAVE TO WORK FOR A LIVING, SHE THINKS THEY ARE
BENEATH HER. SHE THINKS SHE CAN IGNORE THE LAW AND
DO AS SHE PLEASES AND THAT HER MONEY CAN BUY HER
OUT OF ANYTHING AND ANY MESS SHE GETS IN.
KUDOS TO THE JUDGE WHO SAW HER FOR WHAT SHE IS.
MARIE at 2:28PM on Jun 11th 2007
11. Oh Please Christoff- are you high on something. Paris NEVER worked for ANY of her money. Get a grip.
She should be held by the sam laws as the rest of us poor peons. I mean COME on!!!!!! And when I first heard she was beeing let out for a medical reason I suspected it was withdrawl from something she had taken. Why is this our only topic of conversation lately- cause all the other shit is real and far too painful to hear all the time.
Notafan at 2:48PM on Jun 11th 2007
12. I also wanted to add that I had no idea that TV was inundated with the news, because I haven't watched TV in a LONG time. When I see something like this though, it disturbs me because more and more people are working harder than ever for less and less. Americans deserve a better life. Democrats - 08
Phil at 2:42PM on Jun 11th 2007
13. Christoff, you just did the same thing to Phil that you claimed he did to Paris. Except for one thing - Phil actually had a point, whereas you were just whining. Or do you feel that Paris did NOT get special treatment?
The Shauggy at 2:58PM on Jun 11th 2007
14. That's easy for you to say christoff when your mommy's wiping your ass for you too!
jimwdooley at 8:56PM on Jun 11th 2007
15. Why doesn't Mommy and Daddy just buy the jail she's sent to and convert it into another posh hotel? Maybe her mystery ailment is cronic bed-wetting?
Meanwhile, soldiers continue to die in Iraq, Bush insults another country, gas prices continue to soar, cereal boxes get smaller etc...but we still get to hear about this whinney, sorry excuse of a spoiled brat...
Leo Swigonski at 3:14PM on Jun 11th 2007