Two Blondes Walk Into an Opera

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As I delve into the vibrant lives of these captivating personalities, it seems that they are as diverse and dynamic as the roles they play. From the glamorous world of Paris Hilton to the energetic and versatile Rawlins, both have carved their unique niches in the realm of entertainment and social media.

In a time before social media influencers and reality television stars as we know them today, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie paved the way. Before terms like “influencer,” “bestie,” or even “nepotism” were common, these two women captivated over 10 million television viewers each week with their innovative approaches to fame.

In the thick of the tabloid era, Hilton and Richie found their fame, making “The Simple Life” all the more remarkable to revisit in 2024. With no roadmap to follow, these renowned socialites capitalized on their fish-out-of-water persona, traveling across the nation for five seasons, from a jail cell to a sausage factory to a drama camp. In many ways, they were like cleverly comedic versions of Borat, leveraging people’s perceptions and biases, crafting witty, shocking quips on the fly, and amplifying their own personas for maximum humor. Reflecting on it now, it was truly groundbreaking work.

Over time, they have continued to be significant figures in our culture as their professional paths have changed: Both are now mothers, Hilton has become an activist, touring DJ with a new album, while Richie has ventured into fresh and oddly funny realms through her comedy. Their latest venture? They attended the Vulture Festival, where they discussed their upcoming three-part reunion special on Peacock, Paris & Nicole: The Encore, and celebrated their enduring friendship. Cheers! Cheers!

What’s it like to collaborate with each other once more?
Paris Hilton: It’s just like old times! Working with Nicole brings back such great memories. When we’re together, it feels like I’m a teenager again, full of excitement and fun.

Nicole Richie: For some time now, both of us have been offered chances to revive the show in various forms. But instead of doing something simply because it’s trendy, we started discussing the idea last year. Paris sent me a picture of Braxton, who was three when we filmed the original show and is now 23. This reminded us that it has been nearly 20 years since we first shot the series. When I asked if we should do something, Paris agreed and asked if we really wanted to. Since we were both on vacation at the time, we decided to let the idea simmer and revisit it in the New Year. On January 2, we met up and began planning; if we were going to reunite, what would that look like and how could we make it unique? We wanted to approach this in our own way, and we got the opportunity to do just that.

So after exchanging messages about bringing this project to life, what’s the next step?
N.R.: We placed a high emphasis on fully developing the entire show before sharing it with anyone. From deciding the number of episodes, designing the reunion, to outlining each episode, we wanted everything to be thoroughly planned. In today’s fast-paced world, I believe it’s crucial to have a well-structured plan to avoid losing control over the project.

And then you landed on producing an opera. 
P.H.: We love doing the unexpected.

Although I’ve always believed that neither of you were opera singers in the past, it seems like we have started singing opera now!

During our planning sessions, the thought occurred: “Remember that song we composed at such young ages? It’s become a global hit unexpectedly. Why not transform it into an opera?” The question wasn’t about the reason behind it, but rather the possibility – “Why not?

Can you share some of your initial experiences that stand out from our friendship?
P.H.: Whether it was a Christmas party or any gathering at our parents’ homes, we used to collaborate on entire plays and dress up in our moms’ closets. It was Nicole who applied liquid eyeliner for the first time on me, which was quite transformative. We also secretly attended school dances when growing up, as our parents were quite strict. I was only allowed to stay at your place, and vice versa. Each memory I cherish is with you. I love you.

N.R.: I love you.

Which of you was the bigger troublemaker growing up?
N.R.: In what respect?

In simpler terms, when we were forbidden to spend time together due to a punishment, we lived close enough that we could see each other’s homes across the Bel-Air Country Club. To communicate and express our desire to be reunited, we purchased megaphones and would sing a song called “SANASA! SANASA!” through the hills of Bel-Air every morning until they allowed us to hang out again.

Did you and your friends often create new words as children? Absolutely! In fact, we developed an entire language system. If we were to compile it all, it would be like creating a massive dictionary of our own inventions.

P.H.: The Simple Life paved the way for reality TV over the next two decades, and as far as we knew, there wasn’t a roadmap for us to follow. We were just being ourselves, and it feels incredible to know that we started this trend and laid the foundation for the genre.

Currently, I’m reflecting, and I want to make this clear: there is a certain strategy. You can utilize it to appear on TV and strengthen your public image. However, we never considered that approach at all. We hadn’t even contemplated a second season, let alone a fifth one.

Considering your subsequent careers, it’s intriguing in hindsight. During those initial few seasons, you both molded characters based on yourselves that continue to resonate in pop culture. Can you share some insights about the process of creating these entertaining, exaggerated versions of your personas?

I’ve historically been quite reserved, but portraying this character brought me great joy. Over time, it felt like an extension of myself, something I now view as my lively, amusing persona.

“I find it amusing to rewatch this show because both of you were young and comedians back then. The series has produced numerous hilarious moments and memes that are still popular today. What kind of comedy do you two enjoy now?

Personal Preference: I’m quite fond of the TV series, “30 Rock”. I adore Tina Fey’s group and had the pleasure of working with them in another show titled, “Great News”. John Early is simply hilarious. As for theatre, the current best performance on Broadway is undoubtedly “Oh, Mary!“.

As a die-hard movie buff reminiscing about my days on The Simple Life, I can’t help but look back fondly at the third season when we were city-hopping across the East Coast. We were living the show and embracing every moment – from our on-camera goodnights to the late-night adventures that followed. Looking back, it feels like a magical time capsule of us exploring our twenties and seizing life’s opportunities with unbridled enthusiasm. Truly, those times filming The Simple Life were an extraordinary chapter in all our lives.

I truly enjoyed my time with the families, particularly Grandma Curly. She showed us the art of making apple pies.

N.R.: She also taught us to make our grilled cheeses in bacon grease.

Are you still in contact with Braxton and Curly?
P.H.: Braxton and I have maintained our connection through years of exchanging messages on Instagram. He frequently shares family news and photos with me, including when Grandpa passed away, followed by Curly’s passing shortly after – it was truly heartbreaking to learn about their losses. Now that he has become a lawyer, I feel immense pride for him.

We’ve spoken about you guys coming up with the idea. But then you go to Peacock and you say, “We want to do something together. It’s an opera.” And they were like …
P.H.: “Loves it.”

In our final episode of Simple Life, we found ourselves inadvertently creating a musical, reflecting on the past four seasons, without even realizing it at first. It was like a memory that surfaced as we embarked on this unexpected opera journey!

N.R.: We had a clear plan this time around, so it wasn’t just an abstract concept. It was like stepping into a new realm, much like The Simple Life did, but this time we’re interacting with top musicians. Was there any resistance from the network regarding this unique approach?

How did that cultural collision in the world of opera feel? Well, Paris and I have quite a past with the orchestra. From third to sixth grade, we played the violin together, then moved onto cellos. Recently, we reconnected with our former teacher, Mr. Hauser, who makes an appearance in this show. It seems like this was destined to happen. We were meant for this.

I’m intrigued by the lessons you’ve gleaned from leading successful brands and businesses. Could you share some insights that might also be useful in creating TV shows and art?

You’ve appreciated the impact of “ADHD,” a track that resonates strongly with your audience. Over time, you’ve shown more authentic aspects of yourselves to the public, including your ADHD diagnosis. I appreciate your perspective, as you view ADHD not just as a challenge, but as a unique trait that has shaped your identity and success. You believe that the misunderstandings and misconceptions surrounding it are widespread, yet you see it as a source of creativity, innovation, and risk-taking. In essence, you consider ADHD your superpower, acknowledging its potential difficulties for children in academic settings but emphasizing their immense creative potential. You aim to reassure them that they’re not alone, encouraging them to embrace their uniqueness and channel their energy into pursuits they love, as the only things they can’t focus on are mundane tasks. Here’s to ADHD family!

Indeed, our bond is quite robust as Nicole always manages to keep things lively and interesting, which suits me perfectly since I find monotony rather unbearable.

Have your kids watched the new show?
N.R.: This one? Oh, no.

But they’ve watched the old one?
N.R.: Yes. The Simple Life was having its own moment on TikTok. We didn’t push it, it just organically happened. They were a very big part of me wanting to do this reunion, period.

Is it possible for you to share some insights on how Sia came to be involved with The Encore, given that she is the executive producer of my album, Infinite Icon, and practically my musical sibling, who I know is skilled in identifying talent?

How many people did you audition?
P.H.: Hundreds of people.

And those were clearly the best of the best.
P.H.: Trained opera singers, all of them.

In our group, which includes trained opera singers and musicians, we strive for inclusivity, ensuring everyone who desires to participate in the opera has the chance to do so.>

Not only parrots, but also enthusiasts are part of the spectacle. I posted a TikTok video asking followers to share their reasons for adoring “The Simple Life” and sing ‘Sanasa’, and numerous responses poured in. Nicole and I were overwhelmed by the submissions, and one standout was Rawlins, whom we immediately thought would be ideal for our opera production.

Are you able to share some insights into the relationship between your pets and human children? Are they related by blood, like siblings?

N.R.’s response: The teenagers used to get along better with the chickens when they were younger. Now they’re quite occupied with their personal lives. My daughter keeps her distance from the bees due to past incidents where she was stung seven times, but those weren’t from my bees. My bees are gentle and wouldn’t harm anyone.

Did you finders believe that your furry companions contributed significantly to the concept of designer dogs, or perhaps even paved the way for the recognition of emotional support pets?

Prior to this, let me share an interesting fact: I used to adore keeping pet rats, something I discovered wasn’t typical until recently. There was a store on La Cienega Boulevard called Tropical Fish that we frequented often to buy our pet rats. We were utterly enamored with them! All of the rats were named after characters from 90210, with me having Tori Spelling and Paris having Jenny Garth. Our obsession didn’t end there; we would also travel to Vegas’s Boulevard Mall, where they had an exotic pet store, to acquire ferrets. I even had a ferret named Kennedy, after the MTV VJ. Due to their illegal status in California (I’m not certain about the current laws), we would secretly bring them back home. We also had chinchillas and parrots. Our affection for animals has always been strong; they have always been an integral part of our lives.

P.H.: Nicole had a tarantula.

N.R.: Bambi! I loved her.

P.H.: Bambi was so scary.

N.R.: She was so cute!

P.H.: She was not! It was terrifying!

N.R.: Was it?

P.H.: It was like something out of a horror film!

N.R.: Did you like my ball python Cleopatra?

P.H.: Yeah!

N.R.: I used to take her to clubs.

N.R.’s response: Back then, during my roller-skating-to-the-club phase, I used to have a ball python named Cleopatra. She’d sit comfortably around my neck like a charming accessory, and she seemed to really enjoy the club music.

Nicole Richie has seven chickens, two turtles, a couple of cats and dogs, and 200 bees.
Rawlins is dancer, actor, and active TikToker, which is where Paris Hilton discovered him.

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2024-12-13 00:55