Paris Hilton

One of the last great American socialites, Paris Hilton has leapt off of the obscure society pages where beautiful, fabulously wealthy heiresses typically reside. While rigidly adhering to the dumb blond public persona that is her trademark, Paris Hilton secretly possesses the business savvy that made her family wealthy in the first place. A shrewd businesswoman, Paris has spun public misfortune and criticism into a growing media empire. Described by many as being famous for being famous, the reality behind the Paris Hilton phenomenon is not quite as simple as that.

Paris Hilton has captivated America’s imagination through a combination of elegant good looks, a mysterious air, and the sense that she’s nearly always sharing a private joke with herself. Unlike so many party girls such as Tara Reid, Paris hasn’t let her busy nightclub schedule keep her from punching her weight in terms of earnings. She pulls in millions of dollars a year from popular brands and products eager to be linked to the heiress—though it’s anyone’s guess if her lavish lifestyle allows her to break even.

Paris Hilton was born February 17, 1981, and at age 22 was made famous by the surfacing of a sex tape she had made in the year 2000. Allegations swirled around Rick Solomon, who also appeared in the tape, though the matter was eventually dropped. Many cynics saw the release of the tape as a form of viral marketing, but in fact the heiress has suffered other privacy mishaps—most famously the theft of her cell phone, which contained personal data such as video and images, celebrity phone numbers, and numerous text messages.

She has released an album entitled “Paris” and made several TV and film appearances. Until her album, her most noted project was the reality TV series “The Simple Life,” which placed Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie in situations that were uncomfortable both for them and for those around them. She and Ritchie have since suffered a falling out, as did she and former gal pal Lindsay Lohan. She continues to work on building her image and contributing to several media projects.