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What makes star quality?
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Paris Hilton's money shows money makes star quality

Paris Hilton is a media personality and socialite. As great-granddaughter to the mega-rich founder of Hilton Hotels, her extravagant late-night lifestyle attracted media attention. She rose to global fame following a leaked sex tape and reality TV show.

Context

With her inherited fortune rumored to be worth around $300 million, Paris Hilton has seen her fame fluctuate over the years, peaking because of a reality TV show and leaked sex tape. [1] As a socialite who frequently appeared in Hollywood tabloids, Hilton fits stereotypical American fame to a T. But, this fame remains the result of her inherited wealth, as money played a principal role in cultivating her celebrity image.

The Argument

In aughts-era Hollywood, heiress Paris Hilton became the original celebutante-- celebrities who are famous for being famous-- with a fame that was fueled by vast wealth. While she frequently appeared in the tabloids, partied, and made various screen appearances in movies and even on the runway, Hilton’s fortune made her lavish lifestyle and well-known reputation possible. Even before landing her reality TV show, Hilton’s socialite influence on parties and the local tabloids soon became business opportunities. Party promoters began to offer Paris Hilton and her sister, Nicky Hilton, paychecks for simply going to certain parties because of all the media attention their appearance would inevitably bring. [2] While this socialite’s financial gains only escalated from there, her celebrity multiplied as well, undoubtedly due to the fortune Hilton already held in the first place. In 2003, Hilton saw her fame peak when an illegal sex tape of her and her then-boyfriend Rick Saloman began to circulate the internet. [3] Weeks after this video was released, Hilton debuted her own reality TV show, The Simple Life, which would star Hilton and her long-time friend Nicole Richie as they both attempted to work blue-collar jobs. Hilton adopted a ditzy, baby-voiced persona in the show to further increase viewers and make profits. [2] After 5 seasons, the reality TV show ended and Hilton’s fame relatively declined thereafter. But the fortune such a show afforded Hilton, aided by her inherited wealth, only expanded Hilton’s own stardom. Hilton’s status was derived primarily via money. Although Hilton is no longer New York’s ‘It Girl’ or at the center of the tabloids like she had been in the early 2000s, she remains the head of a billion-dollar empire. Hilton holds stores in 31 countries, selling many products like perfume, shoes, and handbags. [4] With regards to her former celebutante scene, her past apprentice, Kim Kardashian, now holds the limelight. Even so, Hilton performed a ditzy character on television and repeatedly partied to increase her fame and fortune, which she accomplished. But this fame had its beginnings in Hilton’s riches, and such fortune plainly paid a pivotal role in securing her fame.

Counter arguments

Although Paris Hilton's money certainly contributed to her fame, it is not the only factor that led to her success. On the contrary, her ability to grab the public's attention and tactful business decisions, including the promotion of numerous self-named products, has contributed remarkably to her fame. For this reason, we cannot argue that Hilton's money makes her famous because her star quality is due to much more than personal wealth. It is due to her ability to market from the public's attention. While money undoubtedly played an important role in Paris Hilton's Hollywood success, it is primarily her lineage that already set her up for success. Hilton's surname was long associated with prominence before Paris was even born. So Paris's own business endeavors and reality TV show may have put her on the front cover of tabloids, but it was ultimately her family that brought her status in the first place. Hilton's overall family tree also played an incredible role in Paris Hilton's star quality, not simply her money.

Proponents

Premises

[P1] Paris Hilton became a socialite celebrity in aughts-era Hollywood, a great deal of which is due to her inherited fortune and leaked sex tape. [P2] Following this leaked sex tape, Hilton experienced a spike in her fame and debuted her first reality TV show. [P3] After this reality TV show concluded in 2007, Hilton’s celebrity relatively decreased, but she still made millions off of her product lines, book publishings, other screen appearances, and media coverage. [P4] Through all these business ventures and media reportage, Hilton has increased her lucrative fortune, proving that star quality derives itself in money.

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2018/07/205006/paris-hilton-interview-greed-self-made
  2. https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/53nvp3/paris-hilton-profile-2015-19-fragrances-and-counting-heiress
  3. https://www.biography.com/personality/paris-hilton
  4. https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/paris-hilton-celebutante-billion-dollar-mogul/story?id=14112550
This page was last edited on Tuesday, 22 Sep 2020 at 13:28 UTC

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