The reality star and DJ, whose great-grandfather was Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton, previously told Refinery29, “I think of myself and anyone who does business as being self-made. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done on my own, and yes, I do come from a last name, but there also are many children I know that come from families who, you know, take the choice of not doing anything with their lives.”
Paris added that she’s turned the Hilton name into “such a huge business that even my grandfather said to me, ‘I used to be known as Barron Hilton. Now I’m known as Paris Hilton’s grandfather.'”
And while this claim has undoubtedly earned her some pushback, Paris is sticking by it.
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“I’m self-made,” she insisted to the Sunday Times magazine. “Like, I’ve done this all on my own. No one’s ever given me anything in my entire life.”
But people weren’t convinced that Paris did it all by herself – reality TV shows, fragrances, businesses — without a little help from the family name.
Another shared a GIF that said, “Sure, Jan.”
One reader called Paris “delusional,” while another called it a classic case of “epic narcissism.”
“The delusion,” one person said, as another wrote, “There’s no way even she herself believes this.”
Many argued that Paris’s opportunities were largely possible because of the Hilton name, regardless of her work ethic.
One comment said, “If you werent a Hilton then you wouldnt be as big as you are. Yes you made a name for yourself but its because you came from wealth and a household name.”
Another agreed: “Even if you didn’t take seed money, handouts, or other direct support, there’s a huge difference between the kinds of risks someone coming from a background of wealth and security can take and someone just trying to keep food on the table can take.”
“Yeah in pretty much every city in the country there’s a building with her name on it,” someone else shared. “She came from money of that legacy.”
However, some tried to see both sides.
“She is and she isn’t,” one reader wrote. “I’m not saying it didn’t take a lot of work or effort for any woman to be new York socialite level active on top of building a business, but she also wouldn’t be known at all if it wasn’t for the background of generational wealth. She has no idea of her privileges she has.”
Someone else also shared, “As offensive as that is, it’s still not as bad as when folks kept calling Kylie Jenner a ‘self-made billionaire.'”
For the most part, though, people weren’t feeling it. “i feel like she’s rage baiting,” a different Reddit user said as one more added, “Were not doing this. Anyway.”
What do you think — is Paris Hilton self-made? Share your thoughts below.
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