We all know that at one point, Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton were best friends. For years, the two seemed inseparable, frequently seen together at public events. However, today, Kim Kardashian is in the spotlight far more than Paris Hilton, despite the fact that Kim initially started as Paris’s stylist. If we look at the current news, we rarely see them together anymore, and there’s a reason for that. Many people speculate that Kim used Paris as a stepping stone to gain fame and establish herself in the spotlight.
While this has always been a rumor, Paris Hilton has now spoken out about the drama between them, revealing that Kim has massively betrayed her. This betrayal has led to a significant period without contact between the two. Meanwhile, Kim denies many of the allegations and has expressed anger at Paris for speaking out. So, what exactly happened between them? Did Kim really just use Paris Hilton for fame? What did Paris expose? In today’s video, we’ll explore these questions, so make sure to stick around until the end to catch every juicy detail.
For those who may not remember, Paris Hilton enjoyed a huge rise to fame from about 2003 to 2007. She was one of the first celebrities to effectively use reality TV and the paparazzi's attention to her advantage, becoming one of the most talked-about women of that era. This strategy might sound familiar, as Kim Kardashian essentially followed the same playbook when she started her rise to fame. While Paris was born into the wealthy Hilton family, she sought to establish her own identity, even if it meant getting involved in a few scandals along the way.
Reflecting back, it seems her marketing strategy worked well to keep her in the public eye. At one point, she was even the most photographed woman in the world. During that time, opinions about Paris were polarized; people either loved her or absolutely hated her. While it seems there were more critics than fans, she was undeniably one of the first to master this controversial strategy in the early 2000s.
Now, you might be thinking that Kim Kardashian has used a similar approach to achieve fame. From 2003 to 2007, Paris was at the peak of her career, and in 2006, Kim Kardashian, who at that point was not yet a household name, began working as Paris Hilton’s personal assistant and friend. Kim was often seen in the background when paparazzi snapped photos of Paris. It’s safe to say that Kim learned a lot about media appearances and making headlines from her time with Paris, whether through observation or direct guidance. As Kim started to gain recognition, she began using the same strategies Paris employed to attract attention.
While the Kardashian-Jenner family was also trying to break into the spotlight—Kim's sister Kourtney even appeared on a reality show—it was her friendship with Paris that gave Kim the biggest advantage. Their dynamic shifted from assistant and celebrity to peers, with both attending parties together. Kim remarked, “We knew exactly where to go, where to be seen, and how to ensure something would be written about us.” At this point, Kim was still seen as Paris’s sidekick, which likely bothered her, while Paris enjoyed being the center of attention.
In September 2006, Paris faced legal troubles, receiving three years of probation and later serving 45 days in jail. Kim publicly stated she would support Paris during this challenging time, saying, “You have to support people that you love.” However, while Paris was in jail, Kim seized the opportunity to step into the limelight herself. Not long after Paris was released, Kim’s infamous tape was made public, leading to more attention on Kim than on Paris. During her post-jail interview, Paris expressed her discontent over the shift in public focus, saying, “I’ve gotten rid of a lot of people. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but they know who they are.” Given that their friendship deteriorated significantly after this, it’s likely she was alluding to Kim.
Following Paris's release, Kim and her family launched their reality show, "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," in 2007, which quickly became a massive hit. This propelled the Kardashians into stardom, allowing Kim to showcase her personality and connect with audiences. Paris, however, was reportedly unhappy with Kim’s newfound success. In an interview with Today, Paris described Kim’s appearance as “disgusting,” comparing her backside to “cottage cheese inside of a big trash bag.” This quote became viral after comedian Cat Williams made a similar comment about Kim. Although Paris later apologized, the friendship remained strained. Kim had further complicated things in a 2011 interview when she stated, “There comes a point in life where you just grow apart and realize you’re not as similar as you thought,” adding that she never ran into Paris anymore.
The most significant point of contention for Paris has been Kim’s denial of using her as a launching pad for fame. Many fans voiced their frustrations online, insisting that without Paris, Kim would have remained in the background. Comments ranged from “Let’s not rewrite history here” to “Everyone seems to forget how Kim got her start; she was literally in Paris Hilton’s shadow before any of us knew her name.” This lack of acknowledgment from Kim is what has upset Paris the most. Despite initial silence on the allegations, Kim eventually felt pressured to address them, stating on their reality show, “I really would want to do anything for her. She gave me a career.” While this may sound like a compliment, many believe Kim hasn’t done anything to help Paris regain her former fame, rendering her words somewhat empty.
Over the following years, Paris and Kim were occasionally seen together, and they both maintained they were friends.
