Logo

NBC, ABC Kill Plans for Paris Hilton Interview

Jun 22, 2007  •  Post A Comment

NBC has killed its plans for a Paris Hilton interview and Barbara Walters, ABC’s queen of the big celebrity sitdown, has told representatives of the so-called celebutante’s family that she has no interest in doing the interview, according to sources familiar with the situation at both networks.
On Friday afternoon came word that NBC News suddenly called off the plans it was putting in motion to have “Today” co-anchor Meredith Vieira do the first post-incarceration interview with Ms. Hilton in an exclusive that would carry a $1 million price tag.
Ms. Hilton is scheduled to be released from a Los Angeles jail next week after completing her sentence for driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license.
There was no immediate word about the change of plans from NBC News, whose spokesperson earlier had said, “A million dollars is not changing hands” and that she had nothing to announce.
A source familiar with what was going on in the Walters camp at ABC News said that late Thursday, Ms. Hilton’s mother, Kathy, called Ms. Walters to see what could be done to get the interview back on track after the prospect of interviews on other networks arose.
According to the ABC source, a Hilton aunt called Ms. Walters in the middle of the night and patched Ms. Hilton herself through from the Los Angeles jail.
Ms. Hilton is said to have apologized for the unexpected run-around regarding the interviews. Ms. Hilton reportedly said that she hadn’t wanted to give her interview to anyone but Ms. Walters. Ms. Walters had dutifully reported on her show “The View” the contents of a phone conversation she had with Ms. Hilton during the young woman’s first weekend in jail.
Then Paris’ father, Rick Hilton, left a message for Ms. Walters about getting the interview back on track for no fee, the ABC source said. After talking the matter over with ABC News magazine executive David Sloan, Ms. Walters told Mr. Hilton that she was no longer interested in a sit-down with Ms. Hilton.
Even though more than one person had been led to believe they had the inside track to a first post-incarceration interview, Ms. Hilton rang up E! Entertainment anchor Ryan Seacrest before her release and gave him an interview.
She told him: “I’m so much more grateful for everything that I have, even just to have a pillow at night or food. You know my gratitude has gone up so much and I just realize that the media used me to make fun of and be mean about it. [I’m] sick of it and I want to use my fame in a good way.”
(Editor: Baumann)
What do you think of the networks plans to interview Paris Hilton, and their subsequent decisions to shelve those plans? Leave your comments below.

284 Comments

  1. The networks are no longer important.
    Any one who get the interview is then
    diseminated to all other media.
    Paris Hilton is a media magnet,
    Ms walters is yesterdays news,
    too old and slow. i think TMZ
    would be a good thing

  2. No interview with Paris Hilton? You mean I might tune into the news and get actual news? Well the terrorists have won, haven’t they! The fact that this is even a topic of discussion is disgusting. Paris Hilton is a non-issue…an unimportant person who broke a law and is paying for it. Why do we care what she has to say for herself? What is her role in society other than to keep the tabloids busy?

  3. I would have gladly settled for a mere 1/2 million to interview with the networks about my few years incarceration vs. Hilton’s few weeks in Death Row vs. celebrity row, but then I was just a Hollywood Madam/pop star’s wife, and not a hotel heiress.
    -Cheri Woods
    Author, Death Row Madam
    Website: myspace.com/cheriwoods

  4. Hello
    Great book. I just want to say what a fantastic thing you are doing! Good luck!
    G’night

  5. Paris Hilton

    She had that Sidekick hacked once, and whether or not it’ happened a sec

  6. Interesting Post! By the way, I’ve seen new Paris Hilton Sex Tape! It’s shocking!

  7. Good post, thanks

  8. Thanks for your visiting this http://www.glamour-watches.com online store,

  9. This really is a superb resource you are giving and you simply give it free of charge. I enjoy seeing sites that recognize the benefit of supplying a outstanding resource without cost. Many thanks!

  10. Great post… I found this through google, google ftw!

  11. I’ve subscribed to your rss feed after reading this piece! Will you write more on this topic in future articles?

  12. This is nice! How did you learn this stuff when you were getting started?

  13. Nice!! Great Ifo. Great People. Great Blog. Thank you for all the great sharing that is being done here.

  14. This is good info! Where else can if ind out more?? Who runs this joint too? Keep up the good work 🙂

  15. I really like the colors here on your blog. did you design this yourself or did you outsource it to a professional?

  16. Neat blog layout! Very easy on the eyes.. i like the colors you picked out

  17. Nice!! Great Ifo. Great People. Great Blog. Thank you for all the great sharing that is being done here.

  18. High quality info here! Keep up the great work. I love the feelings being expressed.

  19. Interesting layout on your blog. I really enjoyed reading it and also I will be back to read more in the future.

  20. I love the way you write and also the theme on your blog. Did you code this yourself or was it done by a professional? I’m very very impressed.

Your Comment

Email (will not be published)