Page 14 - Aruba-today-15 Sept 2020

A14 PEOPLE & ARTS
Tuesday 15 sepTember 2020

Paris Hilton says she 'feels free' after YouTube documentary

By ALICIA RANCILIO pened to her there. She
Associated Press also wanted to be very,
NEW YORK (AP) — There's very wealthy.
a scene in a new docu- "I saw success as freedom
mentary about Paris Hilton, and I just imagined this
where the so-called social- glamorous life. .. I made all
ite is speaking with former these plans of what I want-
classmates from a Utah ed to be. And all I cared
boarding school. They joke about was being successful
about how on her reality se- and independent."
ries "The Simple Life," Hilton For someone who has
pretended to be clueless been criticized for being
over many things— includ- famous for no reason, Hil-
ing how to perform any sort ton has built a multi-billion
of manual labor. dollar company around
One bluntly described it as her image. She has brand-
"some straight-up (exple- ed stores in the Middle East
tive)," as they all laughed. and Asia, is a successful
"I don't think you had like DJ, and has released 27
a high-pitch voice back fragrances, among other
then," was another obser- products.
vation. "It turns out that whole ma-
None of this is a surprise to Paris Hilton speaks during the YouTube TCA 2020 Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 18, chine, all that attention
Hilton. What's revealed in 2020. she got, the paparazzi, the
"This is Paris," which debuted Associated Press insta-fame, it was all a cre-
for free Monday on Hilton's ation of this traumatized girl
YouTube channel, is that caught and beaten in front claiming staff would beat that time," the school said trying to figure out how to
the ultra glam, baby-talk- of others as punishment. her, force her to take un- in a statement on its web- climb her way out of this
ing young woman whose When she was 17, Hilton known pills, watch her site. hole she was in," said Dean.
standard line was "that's was finally sent to what she shower and send her to sol- Attempts to find the previ- "She attracted it all. In some
hot," was a manufactured describes as "the worst of itary confinement without ous owners for comment ways she created it all.
caricature not just for fame the worst": Provo Canyon clothes as punishment. were unsuccessful. What I want people to know
but self-protection, too. School in Utah. The 39-year-old says the Hilton says when she is that they should give her
Hilton says as a teen she "This is the only place where treatment was so "trau- agreed to be the subject credit for being immensely
got into the nightlife scene it's impossible to run away. matizing" that she suffered of "This is Paris," it was nev- innovative, but they should
and would sneak out and So it's basically like that nightmares and insomnia er her intention to speak also understand that what
go to clubs while her family one place that they all talk for years. about past abuses, but she they watched was not the
lived at the Waldorf Astoria about at the other places "We are aware of a new opened up as she became person, but the shield that
hotel in New York. Her ex- saying, 'If you run away or documentary referenc- more comfortable with di- she constructed to protect
asperated parents sent her you're bad, you're going to ing Provo Canyon School rector Alexandra Dean. herself."
away to various programs be sent to Provo,'" said Hil- (PCS). Please note that Hilton said while she was Hilton says since speaking
to straighten out. There ton. PCS was sold by its previous at Provo, she decided she out about what happened
was an outdoor wilderness She stayed at Provo for ownership in August 2000. wanted complete control at Provo, she feels free.
camp where Hilton and an- 11 months and says while We therefore cannot com- in her life and image. That She's now sleeping through
other girl tried to escape. there, she was abused ment on the operations or meant she would never tell the night and no longer has
Hilton claims they were mentally and physically, patient experience prior to anyone about what hap- nightmares.q

George Takei, Ocean Vuong win American Book Awards

NEW YORK (AP) — Fiction winners of the 41st annual ly Gorgeous" and Ogawa on"; Kali Fajardo-Anstine's The Before Columbus Foun-
by Ocean Vuong and Yoko American Book Awards. for "The Memory Police," a story collection, "Sabrina & dation, "dedicated to the
Ogawa, a prison memoir The awards were an- National Book Award final- Corina," a National Book promotion and dissemi-
by Alfred Woodfox and a nounced Monday by the ist last fall for best trans- Award finalist for fiction; nation of contemporary
graphic memoir based on Before Columbus Founda- lated book (Stephen Sny- and Erika Lee's "America American multicultural lit-
actor George Takei's child- tion, which champions di- der translated the novel for Americans: A History of erature," was founded by
hood in a U.S. internment versity in literature. from the Japanese). Takei Xenophobia in the United Ishmael Reed in 1976.q
camp for Japanese Ameri- Vuong was cited for his worked with writers Justin States."
cans are the among the novel "On Earth We're Brief- Eisinger and Steven Scott Eleanor W. Traylor, a schol- Solution Sudoku
and illustrator Harmony ar of African American lit-
Scott on "They Called Us erature, received a lifetime
Enemy," in which he re- achievement honor. Kofi
members being forced into Natambu of The Panopti-
a camp at age 4, during con Review was given an
World War II editor award, and perfor-
Others books honored mance poet Amalia Leticia
Monday included Wood- Ortiz was cited for contribu-
fox's "Solitary," a National tions to oral literature.
Book Award finalist for non- The winners will be formally
fiction; Reginald Dwayne recognized during an on-
Betts' poetry collection "Fel- line ceremony Oct. 25. Puzzle on Page 13