Paris Hilton Guests On "Archetypes" With Meghan, Duchess Of Sussex

 Paris Hilton is now 41 years old. Twenty years ago, she created the idea that a celebrity could be famous for "being famous?" Hilton created the template to fame for Kim Kardashian -- a leaked sex tape, a public social life that set the gossip columns on fire, and a flair for fashion and style.

On the sixth episode of  Archetypes with Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex sits down with self-described businesswoman, Activist, DJ, CEO of 11:11 Media, and original influencer Paris Hilton.

This week’s episode is described this way: "the women break down the labels of Bimbo and Dumb Blonde in search of a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the women behind the archetype. Meghan gets to know the real Paris Hilton, not the Barbie-doll character that graced the front page of the tabloids, but the strong, smart woman she has always been in private, and the person she is now defining in her own terms."

This episode also features comedian and actor Iliza Shlesinger who reveals the deep truth about the “dumb blonde” trope and how we fault women for wanting to be beautiful. Clare Malone, staff writer at The New Yorker, and host of the podcast Just Like Us: The Tabloids That Changed America, joins the conversation to discuss the limiting characteristics of being called a bimbo and how reality television led to the amplification of stereotypes like the “dumb blonde.”  

 You can check out the full episode here available now, only on Spotify. 

 Some notable moments from today’s episode include: 

• 18:00  - Paris opens up about the trauma she experienced at boarding school and shares that she built her Barbie-esque persona as a coping mechanism to keep her going in her darkest moments. Barbie had the perfect life, something Paris idolized.  So, while she [Paris]  was facing abuse, she fantasized about who she would become on the outside and the perfect life she would build. 
• 25:00 - Paris talks about getting cast as the “dumb blonde” when The Simple Life started, how the media defined her by this on-air persona, and how that persona became a mask she used to protect herself. 
• 40:00 - Paris talks about her advocacy work, standing up against child abuse by supporting legislation that will regulate schools like the one she attended, and turning her pain into purpose.
• 41:14 - Paris and Meghan connect on the power of finding yourself and reclaiming your narrative. Paris is not the “dumb blonde” anymore, and she wants everyone to know it. 

In Archetypes with Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex investigates the labels that try to hold women back. With the help of cultural commentators, historians, and contemporary thinkers, Archetypes uncovers the origin of stereotypes in honest conversations with women who know all too well how these typecasts shape narratives.

The podcast is produced by Archewell Audio, which is the audio-first production company started by Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Archewell Audio has an exclusive partnership with Spotify. 

So far, the Archetypes podcast has kept the conversation among its guests at a high-level without pandering to listeners and the pitter-patter of vacuous celebrity talk. The Duchess has shown herself to be a good listener, solid interviewer, and competent podcast host. In this episode, Hilton does break out of the dumb blonde mold and talks with discernment about her life and career. 

Maybe there's hope in the future for Kim Kardashian. Maybe not.

Check out Archetypes here.