That's Hot - Celebrity Status

Celebrity Status

Although being already a fixture in entertainment news for her heavy-party lifestyle, she gained significant notoriety for her participation in 1 Night in Paris, a sex tape that was leaked before the premiere episode of her reality show The Simple Life, which aired to high ratings. Some entertainment writers felt the overnight success of Hilton was spawned by the whole tape controversy. Entertainment Weekly commented: "I dare say the Paris Hilton-Rick Salomon tape received more print and television coverage in a week than the run-up to The Simple Life received in the months since its premiere was announced. We in the media have become Paris-ites". People magazine wrote that the show "no doubt was helped by the very public saga of a pirated three-year-old video tape, which recently made the rounds on the Internet showing Hilton engaged in various sex acts with ex-boyfriend Rick Salomon". As a result, Hilton's profile was raised significantly, paparazzi began following her and her relationships, lavish lifestyle and legal issues became frequent targets of gossip sites and tabloid media worldwide—for which critics suggest that Hilton epitomizes the title of famous for being famous and she is an example of the modern phenomenon of the "celebutante", the celebrity who rises to fame not because of their talent or work but because of their inherited wealth and controversial lifestyle.

Hilton appeared for the third time in FHM's 100 Sexiest Women poll in 2006, ranking at number thirty four. She was twenty three in 2005 and fifty nine in 2004. In a poll conducted by the Associated Press and AOL, Hilton was voted the second "Worst Celebrity Role Model of 2006", behind Britney Spears. She denied proclaiming herself as the "iconic blonde of the decade" such as Diana, Princess of Wales, and Marilyn Monroe in the May 2007 issue of Harper's Bazaar. She appeared in the 2007 Guinness World Records as the world's "Most Overrated Celebrity". New York Daily News gossip columnist Lloyd Grove banned her from his page and the Associated Press conducted what they called an experiment in February 2007, trying not to report on Hilton for a whole week.

During 2009, a quiet free relationship between Hilton and tabloid headlines led entertainment writers surmise Hilton's popularity had plummeted. In an article from CNN called "Why has Paris Hilton disappeared?", editor Samantha Yanks (of Gotham and Hamptons magazines) was quoted saying: "Phase one was the ascension, seemingly out of nowhere. That came with a media frenzy, the antics, the partying, the music, the babe-like status and of course, the fashion label. Phase two, she disappears" The absence of Hilton in the news and tabloids seemed to be a response to a new generation of tabloid consumers' lack of interest in her. The suspicion of her star power fading came back in June 2011, when her reality show, The World According to Paris failed to get high ratings. As a result, Hilton walked out during an interview with Good Morning America, after she was asked if she worried about her moment having passed. Remaining a frequent target for paparazzi, Hilton has been keeping clear from news headlines in recent years. On the May 2, 2013 episode of The Wendy Williams Show, Hilton adressed about her current presence in the news circuit, saying that she was simply "staying out of trouble" and that she has grown up.

In 2011, she was named one of the "100 Hottest Women of All-Time" by Men's Health. According to a 2011 poll conducted by Ipsos, Hilton is the most unpopular celebrity among Americans, with 60% of the responders having an unfavorable opinion on her. In 2012, she ranked at number five in the "Most Over-exposed" list by Forbes.