Last week a veteran Hollywood publicist told a reporter from TV’s Entertainment Tonight: “Usually powerful people protect powerful people.” His comment was made following the re-jailing of Hollywood socialite Paris Hilton and spoke to the fact that when celebrities fall on tough times they can typically rely on their fellow stars to back them up in the midst of their crisis. In the case of Paris Hilton this celebrity “support” has been noticeably missing.
Frankly, I find the publicist’s comment to be very interesting. Especially if you take a look back at other “fallen” stars.
For example, when Mel Gibson got caught for driving drunk and unleashing his anti-Semitic rant on a sheriff’s deputy, Jodie Foster issued a statement that insisted the actor was a wonderful human being who had simply made an error in judgment. Then there was Alec Baldwin. When an angry voicemail message he left for his 11-year-old daughter was made public he was welcomed with open arms by Rosie O’Donnell to explain his side of the story on “The View.” And look at Robert Downey, Jr., he endured multiple drug arrests, but was offered movie roles and letter of support from his fellow actors while in jail.
I don’t see any of that star rallying going on for Hilton, save for maybe the somewhat sympathetic comment made by Hugh Hefner who said he felt “very badly” for the hotel heiress upon hearing that she was headed back to jail last week. Even her BFF (former of otherwise) and reality TV co-star Nicole Richie didn’t have much to say in the way of support when she was pressed to speak about the downtrodden hotel heiress during an appearance on David Letterman’s show last week. (Possibly because she was contemplating her own time in the clinker.)
Perhaps one Hollywood publicist said it best when he told reporters: “Paris is a person who got into the famous club for nothing and I think there’s some contempt around that.”
Others in the business speculate that Hilton doesn’t have the “strong foundation of relationships in this town that would motivate famous folks to stand behind her.”
Actor and comedian George Lopez sure isn’t. He told a reporter that Hilton’s brief stay behind bars was “more like a spa treatment than an actual sentence.” He went on to say “justice should be blind… even when the criminal is a hot blonde.”
Another Hollywood publicist weighing in on the Hilton hoopla noted: “Paris’ career was made in a microwave and not in a crock pot,” referring to the fact that hotel heiress lacks the self-awareness that might elicit empathy from Hollywood heavyweights.
“You’ve got to understand and accept responsibility for yourself in order for people to rally around you,” he said.
In less than two weeks Hilton will likely be sprung from the slammer, but I highly doubt the socialite’s saga be over even when that happens.
Related Articles:
Star Updates: Paris the Potter and Princely Perfume
Drama Queen Lives Up To Her Name
Moving From Denial To Acceptance