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I know I am not the only person who found coverage of the Paris Hilton debacle completely fascinating. I don't like Paris Hilton; I've never even really followed Paris Hilton. But I was absolutely glued to the television on Friday, watching the drama unfold.
What made this such a media event? It wasn't as if she was suspected of killing anyone. Certainly, DUIs and driving with a suspended license are serious issues, but they are also (sadly) somewhat commonplace and nothing that would typically cause such public fascination. If the same events had happened to someone like Reese Witherspoon, I doubt we would have seen such a brouhaha.
So why Paris?
The answer is simple: she just sucks. She first became a household name when she arranged for the release of her own sex tape. She has had no work output of any value whatsoever. (And say what you will about Lindsay Lohan, but she has made some decent flicks.) She comes across as a simpering, spoiled brat and not even a remotely nice person. And yet, she is constantly given special privileges, media attention, and has more money than most of us. She is a glaring example of the "haves" who think they are better than the rest of us. And so, watching Paris treated like a common criminal - and fighting it every step of the day - was kind of an awesome affirmation that maybe we are all equal in this country.
Interestingly, Sheriff Lee Baca was also suspected of some celebrity favoritism with regards to Mel Gibson's arrest last summer when Gibson's racist remarks and resisting arrest were not included in the original report. Baca has given a plethora of excuses for Hilton's release ranging from overcrowding to her mysterious illness, despite the fact that the judge had specified "no house arrest."
Oh, and for the record, my guess is that Paris's "medical condition" was detoxing from whatever drug she was on when she was admitted. Which sucks, but hey, its jail.
