Paris Hilton (Credit: Chris Zylka)
From LLNYC: Ten years ago, I never imagined I would be — seriously — asking Paris Hilton whether she would consider running for president of the United States.
But in light of Donald Trump’s win — and interest in the top job from celebrities such as Oprah and Kanye West — Hilton’s 2008 gag song “Paris for President” (in which she promises to be “your commander in bikini”) and the photos she tweeted of herself on Election Day 2016 in front of a pink White House look less like a joke and more like a possible glimpse into the future.
Alas, Hilton tells me, she is not interested in being president. She is too busy running her empire.
That empire is Hilton’s multi-billion dollar international business, which encompasses — to name a few things — Paris Hilton-branded perfumes, hotels, clothes and accessories. But like many so-called celebutantes, her business is also herself or rather, it’s her image, which she has recently made an effort to change. If in the past, she appeared to be a pretty but spoiled L.A. heiress, now she resembles a polished professional woman à la Ivanka Trump (a family friend and also a blond, beautiful real estate heiress with a highly recognizable last name).
In the more than 13 years that Hilton has been famous, she’s managed to transform herself into a formidable businesswoman, complete with sky-high heels, power dresses and talking points. And she has a newfound wariness of fame. “When anyone enters this business, they need to know they’re being watched at all times,” she tells LLNYC. “It’s important to watch what you do, who you hang out with.” [Read the full profile here]