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Paris Hilton's Rwandan Drama
Paris Hilton is no longer going to Rwanda because the two people who founded Playing For Good have split their ways. Maria Bravo, a dedicated philanthropist who joined forces with Scott Lazerson, a former executive Director of the Larry King Foundation and equally dedicated philanthropist. Paris attended the Playing For Good Philanthropic Summit this past summer in Mallorca, Spain at the behest of Scott who met her through a mutual friend. He came away from their first meeting seeing a woman ready to change. Maria came away hopeful but a bit skeptical.
I was supposed to attend the same summit over in Mallorca and was asked to emcee the final gala on Saturday night. I told Maria and Scott I could not share a stage with Paris Hilton, casting the spotlight on her as a philanthropist, without having the simultaneous opportunity of interviewing her. There were questions, I contended, that she needed to answer.
I wanted to follow up on the many altruistic promises she made on Larry King during that groundbreaking post jail interview. Her words to Larry: "I feel like, you know, being in the spotlight, I have a platform where I can raise awareness for so many great causes and just do so much with this, instead of, you know, superficial things like going out. I want to help raise money for kids and for breast cancer, multiple sclerosis and..."
She's given the world a sex tape, bad movies, jail time; but the appearance in Spain would be her first step into helping others... although it WAS a party. Suffice it to say, I felt like a report card was in order. Still do... and its coming. Although, with it plain and clear that peoples' standards for Hilty are low, why bother, right?
Scott tried to make my interview happen. Paris' manager, Jason Moore, shot it down (with Paris' consent I imagine). They knew I wouldn't be kissing up during this interview. So, I had to turn the event down. Maria Bravo understood. Scott believed that Paris was the next Angelina Jolie, but also understood. They got Extra to come instead and they aired a nothing interview... no questions with any salt. I'm sure Hilty was happy, although Extra aired it on a night that they were preempted in New York and many other big eastern markets. So, not many people saw it.
Yesterday, People released a statement from Playing for Good that said Paris' trip was no longer happening. One reason is that Scott let the press in too early on the trip, long before any arrangements had been made with the Rwandan government for military security, and safety. As Maria said, "This is Rwanda, not Miami"... arrangements need to be made first including immunizations and shots.
Scott Lazerson told me that he recently left Playing For Good because he had not been paid since August. An hour ago, I asked him if he was still going to Rwanda. He said that he was indeed at the end of November. I asked if Paris was going to. He said, "She's 100% invited". He would not say more than that.
Now that Scott is on his own, likely the only way Paris can go is if she pays for the trip herself.
I love Paris! I have loved her since The Simple Life first season.
I hope she and everyone who has the money to make a differene in people's lives do the most that they can.
Let me say this, you don't need to just donate to charity- if you know people who need help or see them in a grocery store struggling to pay for food-help them out! This is not just a comment for Paris,but for everyone who is able to help someone else.