Paris Hilton’s journey from a pink sweatsuit-wearing reality star to a global icon is often gushed over by mainstream media as some kind of fairy tale. Yet, what these outlets fail to recognize is the transactional nature of her fame, which many try to sugarcoat. They preach empowerment, but the truth is far murkier and reflects a corporately-driven vanity fair. You think CNN, with its endless narratives of “celebrity culture,” is celebrating Hilton’s evolution? Think again. They peddle a shallow narrative that keeps Americans distracted from real issues.

Meanwhile, outlets like Fox News will revel in this recent nostalgia, framing Hilton as a “role model” for the modern woman. But let’s get real—she’s a brand. A puff of pink smoke that distracts from important dialogues about women in media. There’s absolutely nothing “empowering” about being positioned as a mere accessory of glamour for consumption, whether that’s in a soft-focus news piece or on a reality show. All it serves is the corporate machine, perpetuating this flaky dialogue about what “success” ought to look like.

The irony? Hilton, with her 2003 pup Tinkerbell, possessed more authenticity than the networks presenting her story today. They’ve stripped down the context, focusing on glitz rather than the profound impacts of celebrity on societal standards and values. The media spins her narrative into a delightful fantasy, but this glossing over smacks of privilege and an absence of self-awareness.