The Simple Life
Encyclopedia
The Simple Life was a reality television
series that was broadcast from December 2, 2003 to August 5, 2007. The first three seasons aired on Fox
, and the final two on E!
. The comedic show depicts two wealthy young socialites (Paris Hilton
and Nicole Richie
) as they struggle to do manual, low-paying jobs such as cleaning rooms, doing farm work, serving meals in fast-food restaurants and working as camp counselors.
The idea for The Simple Life was generated in Fox
's comedy department. Brad Johnson, Senior Vice President of comedy development, said The Simple Life was born out of a challenge from Fox Television Entertainment Group Chairman Sandy Grushow and News Corp. President and Chief Operating Officer Peter Chernin
to find another way to do comedies outside of the traditional sitcom format.
"The areas that seemed simplest and cleanest was to go back to those high-concept '60s sitcoms and say let's do them for real," Mr. Johnson said. The Simple Life was inspired by Green Acres
, a sitcom about a New York society couple who moved to a farm. Mr. Johnson said they originally thought of moving an entire family to the South. Cameras would observe as the former socialites, deprived of access to their bank accounts and Beemers
, attempt to get a job, buy groceries and fit in with average Americans.
At the same time the comedy department was developing the idea, Paris Hilton
was meeting with the studio's casting department. Sharon Klein, senior VP of casting at the studio, said she was immediately fascinated by Ms. Hilton and wanted to do a show with her. "I'm used to meeting with actors who are putting on a facade," Ms. Klein said. "She was so real. She was funny. At that first meeting she did not come off stupid. She was in her own reality and not embarrassed to talk about it. There was a sweetness to her."
The two departments talked and realized they had their show: Send Paris Hilton
and her sister Nicky
, who had never worked a day in their lives, to live and work on a farm. At the time, the studio was working closely with Mike Darnell
, head of reality programming at Fox, who liked the idea. "They wanted to see stilettos in cow shit," Ms. Klein said. Paris was convinced to come on board, however Nicky, being somewhat shy to the limelight at the time, opted out. Paris told some media that she was in talks to do the show by herself, but ultimately, Fox decided the city-living cast had to be a duo.
Paris allegedly asked several close friends on board, including Kimberly Stewart
and the late Band Aid heiress Casey Johnson
. After Johnson declined, Hilton ended up making the agreement with Nicole Richie
. Fox hired established reality producer Bunim/Murray
to produce the show. Bunim/Murray found the Leding family in Altus, Arkansas
, for Paris and Nicole to move in with. Production began May 2, 2003.
in its fourth season, but plans were quickly put on hold, and rearranged. In an interview with USA Today
, Paris confirmed the longstanding rumor that Nicole and she were no longer friends by that time, and that Nicole would not be part of the fourth season. Plans at this point were now to shoot on the Hawaii
an island of Maui
.
Instead, said Paris, the new co-star would be Paris' friend Kimberly Stewart
, the daughter of rocker Rod Stewart
, and someone Paris had wanted on the show to begin with. Kimberly said that producers would attempt to mollify Nicole by giving her a new reality show of her own, a Newlyweds
-styled effort focused on her then-upcoming wedding to Adam Goldstein, known professionally as DJ AM.
Fox was quick to debunk what Paris and Kimberly had said. Fox Network head Peter Ligouri told the Television Critics Association press tour in Los Angeles that Paris and Nicole were actually both contracted for another two seasons. Kimberly was not going to be involved at all, and Paris and Nicole are, in his words "TV professionals, who will be ready to work together when the time comes."
Fox then unexpectedly canceled its plans for any further seasons of The Simple Life in October 2005, both because it had filled its mid season show quota, and because Paris and Nicole had the falling out as friends.
, The WB, VH1
and MTV
were all reported to be interested in obtaining the rights to air new seasons of the show. On November 28, 2005, E!
announced that they had picked up The Simple Life and had ordered production go ahead on the fourth season, along with the rights to re-air the first three seasons. Shooting for the new season finally began February 27, 2006.
Production resumed as of March 2, 2007, however more complications arose. Both Paris and Nicole faced major charges for DUI
, and were at risk of serving jail time. Paris was sentenced to 23 days in jail, though this was after production of the season had finished. Nicole accepted a plea agreement and was sentenced to 4 days in jail, again after production had wrapped.
During some early shooting days, Nicole complained of illness. After she was examined by the on-set doctor she was taken to a nearby hospital where she received intravenous fluids for 15 minutes before being released. This incident set production behind schedule.
Courtney Love
described Paris's birthday party on her website as having a "big pile of white powder" in the bathroom. It was thought the description of the incident, which took place on the eve of the Oscars, might have cost Paris and Nicole the new season. Despite all the problems, the shooting of the season finished in time and the season actually premiered earlier than otherwise expected.
in Los Angeles that she and Paris signed a contract for a sixth and seventh season of the show. In an interview on Larry King Live
, Paris confirmed that she and Nicole would start shooting Season 6 by the end of 2007. "In a couple of months" in her own words. Despite the initial hopes for continuation, E! announced they had canceled the show on July 30, 2007, mainly due to personal problems overshadowing the show. E! networks final statement: "The Simple Life has been a wonderful addition to the E! Schedule for two years and we will always be grateful to Paris and Nicole for their hard work and graciousness." Paris herself made a statement at the premiere of Rush Hour 3
saying "It's been a great five years and we had so much fun, but I'm happy to end it at that." suggesting she has opted out of any continuation of the series.
Series producer Twentieth Century Fox held out hope another network would pick it up for another go-round. It was reported a new incarnation may not feature Paris and Nicole. Other networks were said to be interested, including MTV as a strong possibility. A new incarnation nearly occurred, in a newly-developed spin-off that, following negotiations, was set to air on E!, featuring Kelly Osbourne
and Kimberly Stewart
in Paris and Nicole's shoes. The show was not picked up, however, after Kelly opted out of the project after a few days shooting, branding it "demeaning and juvenile". Distribution rights to The Simple Life are still held by 20th Century Fox
, who may submit the series for syndication in the USA in future. In Australia
, it is already syndicated; with various seasons now airing on Arena TV (on Foxtel & Austar).
for a month.
What was supposed to be an experiment in learning how to adapt to doing chores and getting their hands dirty turned out to be a failure. In the process they would ruin a dairy farmer's milk supply, wreak havoc at a local Sonic Drive-In
and take advantage of an employer's credit card, ultimately getting fired from every job they took up. This was greatly upsetting to the Leding family. Despite all of this, the two would often get a reality check from the family themselves. Whether Paris and Nicole took it to heart remains to be seen.
The show started airing on Fox December 2, 2003, to surprisingly well received ratings. The premiere episode drew 13 million viewers, increasing Fox's Adults 18-49 rating a phenomenal 79%. The second episode drew 13.3 million viewers, an increase of 300,000 viewers over its premiere. During the airing of the series, Fox added two extra episodes and a reunion special, which continued to draw ratings. The DVD of this season was released in U.S.
on January 20, 2004. Some international releases included the bonus episode and the reunion episode.
(driven by Paris), pulling an Airstream
trailer
. They participated in such activities as catching crayfish
, working as maid
s in a nudist resort, and sausage
-making.
The premiere episode (drawing 9.8 million overall viewers) showcased Hilton's horse
back-riding accident, which made headlines when they were still filming.
The ratings continued to climb during the season, and Fox was quick to announce heading into production on Season 3, not before airing a special episode titled The Simple Life - The Stuff We Weren't Allowed To Show You on November 17, 2004. The special showcased several cut scenes from the season (some of which appear on the Season 2 DVD) as well as preview clips for the third season. The DVD of this season was released in U.S.
on November 2, 2004. A CD-soundtrack for this season was also released.
The third season, subtitled Interns, would see Paris and Nicole take various intern
ships with companies along the East Coast of the United States
. Paris and Nicole traveled around the northeast United States via the Greyhound Bus company's publicly available bus routes.
The season featured one memorable encounter with twin baby orangutans from Parrot Jungle Island in Miami, Florida
. Nicole Richie's former fiance DJ Adam Goldstein
also appeared in this season when he surprised Nicole and took her on a date. In this season, there were episodes where they were given little or no money while interning, or their internships were shortened because instead of being professional, they would goof off or fail to do the work properly.
The episode Mortuary was set in a funeral home
. It drew minor controversy among viewers because Paris and Nicole struggled with unloading a casket
from a hearse
, then spilling cremated ashes on the floor and using a vacuum
to clean it up. The show's producers claimed the casket was empty and the "human ashes" was just a stage prop made of cement and cat litter. In the last episode of the season, there was no party shown with friends or family. Instead, they were hounded by paparazzi
, one of the final times the two were seen together on good terms for quite some time. The DVD of this season was released in U.S.
on March 19, 2006.
. Paris and Nicole alternate between the family each episode, with the family then deciding which of them was better in the role.
This season was also unique, as Paris and Nicole did not leave L.A.
The families they stayed with were L.A. area residents, and the episodes often focused on Paris and Nicole's personal lives and careers as well as the challenge of being a wife and mother. This season also featured guest appearances from Paris and Nicole's well-known friends, family and associates. Since the season was set in their hometowns, Paris and Nicole had cell phone and credit card usage, previously denied to them in earlier seasons.
The season finale ended with Paris confronting Nicole, stating "We have to talk", and Nicole answering "So talk...", followed by a screen that read "To be continued... next season!" Many viewers were shocked and angry over this cliffhanger ending.
On Thursday, July 28, 2006, several E! series were added to the iTunes Music Store. Among these series was The Simple Life Seasons 1 and 4. The DVD of this season was released on December 26, 2006.
magazine in January 2007, Paris confirmed The Simple Life will resume shooting in March 2007, in Malibu, California
. The tentative title for the season was Malibu: Camp Simple Life, but later adjusted to The Simple Life Goes to Camp.
Paris explained how she and Nicole will be counselors for multiple camps, including, but not restricted to, a beauty pageant camp, a fat camp
and a couples camp.
It was subsequently confirmed that The Simple Life Goes to Camp has Paris and Nicole working as counselors at Camp Shawnee, a fictional camp on the site of an actual camp, Camp JCA Shalom
. The camp was host to five different specialty groups: Wellness Camp, Pageant Camp, Couples Camp, Survival Camp and Drama Camp.
The season began picking up where the last left off, with Paris and Nicole recreating their true-to-life reconciliation
onscreen for viewers, and then being driven by limo
to the campsite.
At least one of the counselors, Hunter Cross, admits he is an actor who auditioned for the role. Also, the camp nurse is an actress according to IMDB. Although most of the campers were in fact non-actors, one of them (the high maintenance girl who quit the camp early) from the survival camp was also seen on an Oust air freshener commercial. The only real individuals from Camp JCA Shalom to appear on the show are Jorge, the camp chef.
The season premiere was on Memorial Day
, Monday, May 28, 2007, and the show began its normal Sunday night time slot the following week on E!.
The complete fifth season was released to DVD on January 22, 2008. It contained no special features and not even the extended version of the first episode that was only shown on the premiere. This season is also available for download on iTunes. Also released exclusively to iTunes on August 13, 2007 was a compilation of camp songs dubbed The Simple Life: Camp Songs. The album received no promotion and none of the songs on the album were heard on the show.
Paris and Nicole's rural misadventures on The Simple Life have proved so popular with viewers that Fox World has produced international versions for overseas television. While Paris's international counterparts aren't hotel heiresses, they are relatively rich and well-known in their home countries, and the plots of the remakes tend to be the same. So far, at least eleven official remakes have been produced:
Some other international markets, such as Japan chose to subtitle
or dub
the original.
Paris has released several other ventures into reality television. The first, titled This Is Paris, focused more around her personal life, and the recording of her debut album, very much in the vein of Madonna: Truth or Dare
. It aired on MTV
on August 8, 2006 and on VH1
on August 9, 2006.
A fly-on-the-wall reality documentary titled Paris, Not France premiered on MTV on July 28, 2009. It featured Paris discussing several personal hurdles she had overcome & provided a look into her busy daily life & career.
Paris has since gone on to produce and star in a new reality series centering around her search for a new best friend. The series, picked up by MTV and titled Paris Hilton's My New BFF
, began airing in September 2008. So far, it has featured 2 seasons set in the U.S.A, 1 set in the U.K., 1 set in U.A.E., with another U.S. season currently in pre-production.
The rumours of Nicole set to have her own show about her romance and wedding planning with then-fiancée Adam Goldstein
were put to rest by Nicole herself, when she said she would never do a reality show about her personal life. Nicole took time away from television for several years after The Simple Life finished, finding time to display her niche in fashion, writing books
and raising a family with current boyfriend Joel Madden
. She has since announced plans to produce & star in a sitcom to air on ABC
, loosely based around her life.
Ever since plans to appear in The Simple Life fell through, Kimberly Stewart has been working hard to develop her own reality series. A series pilot, titled Win Your Life Back featured Kimberly taking favourite personal belongings off two teams of young female contestants, and putting them through challenges to win their belongings back. Whichever team wins back the most belongings would win a $100,000 shopping spree. The pilot was presented to MTV, but was not picked up.
Kimberly then began shooting a direct spin-off to The Simple Life with Kelly Osbourne for E!, but after it was also not picked up, she finally secured an active reality show, shot in London, titled Living With Kimberly Stewart, in which she put contestants through challenges involving living arrangements. The winner got to live in a luxury London pent-house, rent-free with Kimberly for a year. The show premiered on Living TV in the U.K. in 2007.
In 2005, NBC
produced a reality series titled I Want To Be a Hilton
. I Want To Be a Hilton took the idea of The Simple Life, and reversed it. Hosted by Kathy Hilton
, Paris' mom, the show saw several contestants from rural country and suburban areas having to perform certain tasks ranging from dog grooming to a fashion show and organizing a charity event, while learning etiquette
and manners
. The finalist of the competition received a prize package that included a $200,000 trust fund, a new apartment, wardrobe and the opportunity to live the life of high society for one year. Paris and Nicky
guest starred in an episode, and Paris's dog Tinkerbell (who appeared in The Simple Life) also took part.
, which shared various unquestionable similarities with The Simple Life. It centered around sending several well known young socialites (including Kourtney Kardashian
& Brittny Gastineau
, among others) to live on a rural ranch
, minus cellphones and other luxuries they have come to swear by.
In 2008, MTV produced Exiled!, a spin-off to its hit reality series My Super Sweet 16
. Exiled! took eight former stars of My Super Sweet 16, who have grown up spoiled, self-involved & without any idea about real work, and sent them to live in third world countries to teach them a lesson in how hard life can be for people other than themselves. The promo clips for the show were quickly compared to The Simple Life. The series aired on MTV in Spring 2008.
It has also been said that The Simple Life has inspired other works such as Cow Belles
and Material Girls
; movies with very similar premises to The Simple Life.
South Korean television channel KBS2 has produced a reality-variety show, titled "Invincible Youth
" which is loosely based on "The Simple Life", consisting of various K-pop
girl group members. The show is centered around "the G7" - Girls Generation's Yuri and Sunny, 4minute
's Hyuna, KARA
's Goo Hara, Brown Eyed Girls
' Narsha, T-ara
's Hyomin and Secret's Han Sunhwa.
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series that was broadcast from December 2, 2003 to August 5, 2007. The first three seasons aired on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, and the final two on E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
. The comedic show depicts two wealthy young socialites (Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
and Nicole Richie
Nicole Richie
Nicole Camille Richie is an American fashion designer, author, actress, singer and television personality. Her father was Peter Michael Escovedo, a musician who played for a brief time with Lionel Richie, and her mother Karen was the executive assistant for Sheila Escovedo...
) as they struggle to do manual, low-paying jobs such as cleaning rooms, doing farm work, serving meals in fast-food restaurants and working as camp counselors.
Beginnings
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
's comedy department. Brad Johnson, Senior Vice President of comedy development, said The Simple Life was born out of a challenge from Fox Television Entertainment Group Chairman Sandy Grushow and News Corp. President and Chief Operating Officer Peter Chernin
Peter Chernin
Peter Chernin currently owns and runs Chernin Entertainment and The Chernin Group, both of which he founded in 2009. He was formerly President and COO of News Corporation, and Chairman and CEO of Fox Entertainment Group. He is a Corporate Director for American Express and sits on the Board of...
to find another way to do comedies outside of the traditional sitcom format.
"The areas that seemed simplest and cleanest was to go back to those high-concept '60s sitcoms and say let's do them for real," Mr. Johnson said. The Simple Life was inspired by Green Acres
Green Acres
Green Acres is an American television series starring Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor as a couple who move from New York City to a country farm...
, a sitcom about a New York society couple who moved to a farm. Mr. Johnson said they originally thought of moving an entire family to the South. Cameras would observe as the former socialites, deprived of access to their bank accounts and Beemers
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
, attempt to get a job, buy groceries and fit in with average Americans.
At the same time the comedy department was developing the idea, Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
was meeting with the studio's casting department. Sharon Klein, senior VP of casting at the studio, said she was immediately fascinated by Ms. Hilton and wanted to do a show with her. "I'm used to meeting with actors who are putting on a facade," Ms. Klein said. "She was so real. She was funny. At that first meeting she did not come off stupid. She was in her own reality and not embarrassed to talk about it. There was a sweetness to her."
The two departments talked and realized they had their show: Send Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
and her sister Nicky
Nicky Hilton
Nicholai Olivia "Nicky" Hilton is an American businesswoman, fashion model, socialite, celebutante, heiress and fashion designer. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton and younger sister of Paris Hilton....
, who had never worked a day in their lives, to live and work on a farm. At the time, the studio was working closely with Mike Darnell
Mike Darnell
Michael H. Darnell is an American television executive.Darnell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. He is currently president of Alternative Entertainment for the Fox Broadcasting Company. He is credited for launching When Animals Attack!, Temptation Island, Joe Millionaire,...
, head of reality programming at Fox, who liked the idea. "They wanted to see stilettos in cow shit," Ms. Klein said. Paris was convinced to come on board, however Nicky, being somewhat shy to the limelight at the time, opted out. Paris told some media that she was in talks to do the show by herself, but ultimately, Fox decided the city-living cast had to be a duo.
Paris allegedly asked several close friends on board, including Kimberly Stewart
Kimberly Stewart
Kimberly Alana Stewart , is an actress, model, and fashion designer. She is the daughter of Rod Stewart and Alana Stewart.-Early life:...
and the late Band Aid heiress Casey Johnson
Casey Johnson
Sale Trotter Case "Casey" Johnson was an American heiress, socialite and celebutante, as well as an occasional actress, model and author. She was one of the great-great-granddaughters of Robert Wood Johnson I .-Early life:Johnson was born in Florida...
. After Johnson declined, Hilton ended up making the agreement with Nicole Richie
Nicole Richie
Nicole Camille Richie is an American fashion designer, author, actress, singer and television personality. Her father was Peter Michael Escovedo, a musician who played for a brief time with Lionel Richie, and her mother Karen was the executive assistant for Sheila Escovedo...
. Fox hired established reality producer Bunim/Murray
Bunim/Murray Productions
Bunim/Murray Productions is an entertainment production company based out of Van Nuys, California, and is considered a pioneer in the reality television genre. It is best known for The Real World, The Bad Girls Club, and Road Rules...
to produce the show. Bunim/Murray found the Leding family in Altus, Arkansas
Altus, Arkansas
Altus is a town in Franklin County, Arkansas, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 817 at the 2000 census. When the Iron Mountain Railroad laid rails up the Arkansas River Valley in the 1870s from Little Rock to the...
, for Paris and Nicole to move in with. Production began May 2, 2003.
Fox cancellation
Bunim/Murray originally had plans to send the cast on a trip to MexicoMexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in its fourth season, but plans were quickly put on hold, and rearranged. In an interview with USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, Paris confirmed the longstanding rumor that Nicole and she were no longer friends by that time, and that Nicole would not be part of the fourth season. Plans at this point were now to shoot on the Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
an island of Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
.
Instead, said Paris, the new co-star would be Paris' friend Kimberly Stewart
Kimberly Stewart
Kimberly Alana Stewart , is an actress, model, and fashion designer. She is the daughter of Rod Stewart and Alana Stewart.-Early life:...
, the daughter of rocker Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
, and someone Paris had wanted on the show to begin with. Kimberly said that producers would attempt to mollify Nicole by giving her a new reality show of her own, a Newlyweds
Newlyweds
Newlyweds is often a term for a recently married couple. It also could refer to:* Newlyweds , an Australian sitcom from 1993-1994* Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, an American reality television series about Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson...
-styled effort focused on her then-upcoming wedding to Adam Goldstein, known professionally as DJ AM.
Fox was quick to debunk what Paris and Kimberly had said. Fox Network head Peter Ligouri told the Television Critics Association press tour in Los Angeles that Paris and Nicole were actually both contracted for another two seasons. Kimberly was not going to be involved at all, and Paris and Nicole are, in his words "TV professionals, who will be ready to work together when the time comes."
Fox then unexpectedly canceled its plans for any further seasons of The Simple Life in October 2005, both because it had filled its mid season show quota, and because Paris and Nicole had the falling out as friends.
Picked up by E!
After it was dropped by Fox, other networks, such as NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, The WB, VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
were all reported to be interested in obtaining the rights to air new seasons of the show. On November 28, 2005, E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
announced that they had picked up The Simple Life and had ordered production go ahead on the fourth season, along with the rights to re-air the first three seasons. Shooting for the new season finally began February 27, 2006.
The fifth season complications
Despite the fact that the stars of the show had sorted out their differences and agreed to shoot the season together, the fifth season had many complications during production. It was originally set to begin production in November 2006 and air in March 2007 but was put on temporary hold, as Nicole had to enter a health care facility for her ongoing weight issues."Production resumed as of March 2, 2007, however more complications arose. Both Paris and Nicole faced major charges for DUI
Driving under the influence
Driving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
, and were at risk of serving jail time. Paris was sentenced to 23 days in jail, though this was after production of the season had finished. Nicole accepted a plea agreement and was sentenced to 4 days in jail, again after production had wrapped.
During some early shooting days, Nicole complained of illness. After she was examined by the on-set doctor she was taken to a nearby hospital where she received intravenous fluids for 15 minutes before being released. This incident set production behind schedule.
Courtney Love
Courtney Love
Courtney Michelle Love is an American rock musician. Love is the lead vocalist, lyricist, and rhythm guitarist for alternative rock band Hole, which she formed in 1989, and is an actress who has moved from bit parts in Alex Cox films to significant and acclaimed roles in The People vs...
described Paris's birthday party on her website as having a "big pile of white powder" in the bathroom. It was thought the description of the incident, which took place on the eve of the Oscars, might have cost Paris and Nicole the new season. Despite all the problems, the shooting of the season finished in time and the season actually premiered earlier than otherwise expected.
Final cancellation by E! and attempted continuation
Nicole confirmed on KIIS-FMKIIS-FM
KIIS-FM is a Los Angeles, California, USA-based radio station with a partial Top 40 musical format. It is owned by Clear Channel Communications. KIIS is also simulcasted on KVVS in Rosamond, at 105.5 MHz...
in Los Angeles that she and Paris signed a contract for a sixth and seventh season of the show. In an interview on Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
, Paris confirmed that she and Nicole would start shooting Season 6 by the end of 2007. "In a couple of months" in her own words. Despite the initial hopes for continuation, E! announced they had canceled the show on July 30, 2007, mainly due to personal problems overshadowing the show. E! networks final statement: "The Simple Life has been a wonderful addition to the E! Schedule for two years and we will always be grateful to Paris and Nicole for their hard work and graciousness." Paris herself made a statement at the premiere of Rush Hour 3
Rush Hour 3
Rush Hour 3 is a 2007 martial arts/action-comedy film, and the third installment in the Rush Hour film series, starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, that began with the 1998 film Rush Hour and continued with the first sequel Rush Hour 2 in 2001. The film was officially announced on May 7, 2006,...
saying "It's been a great five years and we had so much fun, but I'm happy to end it at that." suggesting she has opted out of any continuation of the series.
Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Michelle Lee Osbourne is an English media personality, television personality, host, judge, fashion designer, singer, and actress, best known for being the daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne...
and Kimberly Stewart
Kimberly Stewart
Kimberly Alana Stewart , is an actress, model, and fashion designer. She is the daughter of Rod Stewart and Alana Stewart.-Early life:...
in Paris and Nicole's shoes. The show was not picked up, however, after Kelly opted out of the project after a few days shooting, branding it "demeaning and juvenile". Distribution rights to The Simple Life are still held by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox Television
20th Century Fox Television is the television production division of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, and a production arm of the Fox Broadcasting Company...
, who may submit the series for syndication in the USA in future. In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, it is already syndicated; with various seasons now airing on Arena TV (on Foxtel & Austar).
The First Season
In the first season, Paris and Nicole agreed to leave behind their cellphones, credit cards and celebrity status to move in with the Leding family in Altus, ArkansasAltus, Arkansas
Altus is a town in Franklin County, Arkansas, United States. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 817 at the 2000 census. When the Iron Mountain Railroad laid rails up the Arkansas River Valley in the 1870s from Little Rock to the...
for a month.
What was supposed to be an experiment in learning how to adapt to doing chores and getting their hands dirty turned out to be a failure. In the process they would ruin a dairy farmer's milk supply, wreak havoc at a local Sonic Drive-In
Sonic Drive-In
Sonic Drive-In is an American drive-in fast-food restaurant chain based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, complete with carhops who sometimes wear rollerskates. As of August 31, 2010, there were 3,500 restaurants in 43 U.S. states. Sonic serves approximately 3 million customers daily.-1950s:Following...
and take advantage of an employer's credit card, ultimately getting fired from every job they took up. This was greatly upsetting to the Leding family. Despite all of this, the two would often get a reality check from the family themselves. Whether Paris and Nicole took it to heart remains to be seen.
The show started airing on Fox December 2, 2003, to surprisingly well received ratings. The premiere episode drew 13 million viewers, increasing Fox's Adults 18-49 rating a phenomenal 79%. The second episode drew 13.3 million viewers, an increase of 300,000 viewers over its premiere. During the airing of the series, Fox added two extra episodes and a reunion special, which continued to draw ratings. The DVD of this season was released in U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on January 20, 2004. Some international releases included the bonus episode and the reunion episode.
Road Trip
A second season, subtitled Road Trip, began broadcasting in the summer of 2004. In this season, Paris and Nicole traveled across the United States in a pink pickup truckPickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
(driven by Paris), pulling an Airstream
Airstream
Airstream is a brand of luxury recreational vehicle manufactured in Jackson Center, Ohio, USA. It is currently a division of Thor Industries. The company, which now employs fewer than 400, is the oldest in the industry. Airstream trailers are easily recognized for their distinctive rounded...
trailer
Mobile home
Mobile homes or static caravans are prefabricated homes built in factories, rather than on site, and then taken to the place where they will be occupied...
. They participated in such activities as catching crayfish
Crayfish
Crayfish, crawfish, or crawdads – members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea – are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are related...
, working as maid
Maid
A maidservant or in current usage housemaid or maid is a female employed in domestic service.-Description:Once part of an elaborate hierarchy in great houses, today a single maid may be the only domestic worker that upper and even middle-income households can afford, as was historically the case...
s in a nudist resort, and sausage
Sausage
A sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
-making.
The premiere episode (drawing 9.8 million overall viewers) showcased Hilton's horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
back-riding accident, which made headlines when they were still filming.
The ratings continued to climb during the season, and Fox was quick to announce heading into production on Season 3, not before airing a special episode titled The Simple Life - The Stuff We Weren't Allowed To Show You on November 17, 2004. The special showcased several cut scenes from the season (some of which appear on the Season 2 DVD) as well as preview clips for the third season. The DVD of this season was released in U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on November 2, 2004. A CD-soundtrack for this season was also released.
Interns
The third season began shooting October 27, 2004. The first episode premiered January 26, 2005.The third season, subtitled Interns, would see Paris and Nicole take various intern
Intern
Internship is a system of onthejob training for white-collar jobs, similar to an apprenticeship. Interns are usually college or university students, but they can also be high school students or post graduate adults seeking skills for a new career. They may also be as young as middle school or in...
ships with companies along the East Coast of the United States
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
. Paris and Nicole traveled around the northeast United States via the Greyhound Bus company's publicly available bus routes.
The season featured one memorable encounter with twin baby orangutans from Parrot Jungle Island in Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Nicole Richie's former fiance DJ Adam Goldstein
Adam Goldstein
Adam Michael Goldstein was an American DJ, remixer, record producer and musician better known as DJ AM. Goldstein was a member of the rock band Crazy Town, co-owner of a management company called Deckstar and worked on albums for Papa Roach, Madonna and Will Smith, among others...
also appeared in this season when he surprised Nicole and took her on a date. In this season, there were episodes where they were given little or no money while interning, or their internships were shortened because instead of being professional, they would goof off or fail to do the work properly.
The episode Mortuary was set in a funeral home
Funeral home
A funeral home, funeral parlor or mortuary, is a business that provides burial and funeral services for the deceased and their families. These services may include aprepared wake and funeral, and the provision of a chapel for the funeral....
. It drew minor controversy among viewers because Paris and Nicole struggled with unloading a casket
Coffin
A coffin is a funerary box used in the display and containment of dead people – either for burial or cremation.Contemporary North American English makes a distinction between "coffin", which is generally understood to denote a funerary box having six sides in plan view, and "casket", which...
from a hearse
Hearse
A hearse is a funerary vehicle used to carry a coffin from a church or funeral home to a cemetery. In the funeral trade, hearses are often called funeral coaches.-History:...
, then spilling cremated ashes on the floor and using a vacuum
Vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner, commonly referred to as a "vacuum," is a device that uses an air pump to create a partial vacuum to suck up dust and dirt, usually from floors, and optionally from other surfaces as well. The dirt is collected by either a dustbag or a cyclone for later disposal...
to clean it up. The show's producers claimed the casket was empty and the "human ashes" was just a stage prop made of cement and cat litter. In the last episode of the season, there was no party shown with friends or family. Instead, they were hounded by paparazzi
Paparazzi
Paparazzi is an Italian term used to refer to photojournalists who specialize in candid photography of celebrities, politicians, and other prominent people...
, one of the final times the two were seen together on good terms for quite some time. The DVD of this season was released in U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on March 19, 2006.
'Til Death Do Us Part
The fourth season premiered on June 4, 2006, drawing 1.3 million viewers. While those ratings would have been dismal for Fox, it was actually more than four times E!’s prime-time average. And in key adult demographic groups, ratings more than tripled from the network’s average. The season features Paris and Nicole playing "Wife" to a different family every episode, in a similar manner to Wife SwapWife Swap
Wife Swap is a reality television program, originally produced by UK independent television production company RDF Media and created by Stephen Lambert. It was first broadcast in 2003 on the UK's Channel 4. Since 2004, a US version has also been broadcast on the ABC network...
. Paris and Nicole alternate between the family each episode, with the family then deciding which of them was better in the role.
This season was also unique, as Paris and Nicole did not leave L.A.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
The families they stayed with were L.A. area residents, and the episodes often focused on Paris and Nicole's personal lives and careers as well as the challenge of being a wife and mother. This season also featured guest appearances from Paris and Nicole's well-known friends, family and associates. Since the season was set in their hometowns, Paris and Nicole had cell phone and credit card usage, previously denied to them in earlier seasons.
The season finale ended with Paris confronting Nicole, stating "We have to talk", and Nicole answering "So talk...", followed by a screen that read "To be continued... next season!" Many viewers were shocked and angry over this cliffhanger ending.
On Thursday, July 28, 2006, several E! series were added to the iTunes Music Store. Among these series was The Simple Life Seasons 1 and 4. The DVD of this season was released on December 26, 2006.
Goes to Camp
It was announced on October 9, 2006 that Paris and Nicole had rekindled their friendship and had agreed to shoot the fifth season of The Simple Life together. In an interview with Australian CosmopolitanCosmopolitan (magazine)
Cosmopolitan is an international magazine for women. It was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine, was later transformed into a literary magazine and eventually became a women's magazine in the late 1960s...
magazine in January 2007, Paris confirmed The Simple Life will resume shooting in March 2007, in Malibu, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The tentative title for the season was Malibu: Camp Simple Life, but later adjusted to The Simple Life Goes to Camp.
Paris explained how she and Nicole will be counselors for multiple camps, including, but not restricted to, a beauty pageant camp, a fat camp
Fat camp
A weight loss camp is a term for a type of program where overweight and obese people of all ages go to lose weight. However in common parlance the term "fat camp" is today also often used to refer to residential programs, usually in rural settings, where adults stay to eat nutritious foods,...
and a couples camp.
It was subsequently confirmed that The Simple Life Goes to Camp has Paris and Nicole working as counselors at Camp Shawnee, a fictional camp on the site of an actual camp, Camp JCA Shalom
Camp JCA Shalom
Camp JCA Shalom is a Jewish summer camp located in Malibu, California. The camp opened in 1951 in Barton Flats before moving to its current location in the Malibu mountains....
. The camp was host to five different specialty groups: Wellness Camp, Pageant Camp, Couples Camp, Survival Camp and Drama Camp.
The season began picking up where the last left off, with Paris and Nicole recreating their true-to-life reconciliation
Conflict resolution
Conflict resolution is conceptualized as the methods and processes involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of some social conflict. Often, committed group members attempt to resolve group conflicts by actively communicating information about their conflicting motives or ideologies to the rest...
onscreen for viewers, and then being driven by limo
Limo
Limo may refer to:* Limousine, a luxury car* Limo , an administrative division in southern Ethiopia* Limousine , a song from the band Brand New* LiMo Platform, a mobile phone and device operating system...
to the campsite.
At least one of the counselors, Hunter Cross, admits he is an actor who auditioned for the role. Also, the camp nurse is an actress according to IMDB. Although most of the campers were in fact non-actors, one of them (the high maintenance girl who quit the camp early) from the survival camp was also seen on an Oust air freshener commercial. The only real individuals from Camp JCA Shalom to appear on the show are Jorge, the camp chef.
The season premiere was on Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
, Monday, May 28, 2007, and the show began its normal Sunday night time slot the following week on E!.
The complete fifth season was released to DVD on January 22, 2008. It contained no special features and not even the extended version of the first episode that was only shown on the premiere. This season is also available for download on iTunes. Also released exclusively to iTunes on August 13, 2007 was a compilation of camp songs dubbed The Simple Life: Camp Songs. The album received no promotion and none of the songs on the album were heard on the show.
Awards & recognition
- 2004, won ASCAP Award for Top TV Series.
- 2004, won BMI TV Music Award
- 2004, nominated in the Teen Choice AwardsTeen Choice AwardsThe Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...
for Choice Reality/Variety TV Star - Female Paris HiltonParis HiltonParis Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
and Choice TV Show - Reality/Variety. - 2005, nominated in the Teen Choice AwardsTeen Choice AwardsThe Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...
, Choice TV Show: Reality and for 'The Simple Life: Interns'. - 2006, nominated in the Teen Choice AwardsTeen Choice AwardsThe Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...
for TV - Choice Reality Star (Female) - Paris HiltonParis HiltonParis Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
. - 2007, nominated in the Teen Choice AwardsTeen Choice AwardsThe Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...
for Choice TV: Female Reality/Variety Star - Paris HiltonParis HiltonParis Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
. - 2009, won Fox Reality AwardsFox Reality AwardsThe Fox Reality Awards is an awards show to honor achievements in reality television. It was broadcast by the Fox Reality Channel from 2006 to 2009 when the channel was replaced in 2010 by National Geographic Wild.-Favorite Fight:...
for 'Innovator of Reality TV' - Paris HiltonParis HiltonParis Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
.
International Remakes
| Countries | Title | Host | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
 Brazil |
Simple Life: Mudando de Vida | Karina Bacchi & Ticiane Pinheiro | Rede Record Rede Record Rede Record de Televisão is a Brazilian television network, founded in 1953 by Paulo Machado de Carvalho, also founder of Rádio Record. Currently it is owned by businessman Edir Macedo, founder and bishop of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. Since 2007 it is Brazil's second largest... |
 Belgium |
Ciao Bella | ||
 Canada |
La Vie Rurale | Anne-Marie Losique | |
 Estonia |
Lihtne Elu | ||
 Germany |
Gülcan und Collien ziehen aufs Land | Gülcan Kamps & Collien Fernandes | ProSieben |
 Israel |
Y החיים על"פי Ha Chayim Al-Pi Y |
Reshet Reshet thumb|right|"Reshet" logoReshet is one of the two concessionaires running the Israeli commercial television channel, Arutz 2 since 1993. Reshet is considered one of the most successful television networks in Israel.... |
|
 Italy |
On the Road | ||
 Serbia |
Jednostavan život | Ana Mihajlovski & Marijana Mićić | RTS1 |
 Turkey |
Her Şey Yolunda | Tuğba Özay & Yeliz Yeşilmen | |
 Uruguay |
Cambio de Vida | Claudia Fernández & Tamara Venazúz | Canal 10 Saeta TV Channel 10 Saeta TV Channel 10, founded in 1956 by Raul Fontaina, is the first Uruguayan television channel, and the fourth based on Latin America, the acronym means SAETA Sociedad Anónima de Emisoras de Televisión y Anexos.... |
Some other international markets, such as Japan chose to subtitle
Subtitle (captioning)
Subtitles are textual versions of the dialog in films and television programs, usually displayed at the bottom of the screen. They can either be a form of written translation of a dialog in a foreign language, or a written rendering of the dialog in the same language, with or without added...
or dub
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
the original.
Spin-Offs
Madonna: Truth or Dare
Madonna: Truth or Dare is a 1991 American documentary film chronicling the life of American singer-songwriter Madonna during her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour...
. It aired on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
on August 8, 2006 and on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
on August 9, 2006.
A fly-on-the-wall reality documentary titled Paris, Not France premiered on MTV on July 28, 2009. It featured Paris discussing several personal hurdles she had overcome & provided a look into her busy daily life & career.
Paris has since gone on to produce and star in a new reality series centering around her search for a new best friend. The series, picked up by MTV and titled Paris Hilton's My New BFF
Paris Hilton's My New BFF
Paris Hilton's My New BFF, also known simply as My New BFF and other alternate titles, is a competitive reality television show in which Paris Hilton searches for her new BFF . Following the success of the original US version, another US season and two international spin-offs followed...
, began airing in September 2008. So far, it has featured 2 seasons set in the U.S.A, 1 set in the U.K., 1 set in U.A.E., with another U.S. season currently in pre-production.
The rumours of Nicole set to have her own show about her romance and wedding planning with then-fiancée Adam Goldstein
Adam Goldstein
Adam Michael Goldstein was an American DJ, remixer, record producer and musician better known as DJ AM. Goldstein was a member of the rock band Crazy Town, co-owner of a management company called Deckstar and worked on albums for Papa Roach, Madonna and Will Smith, among others...
were put to rest by Nicole herself, when she said she would never do a reality show about her personal life. Nicole took time away from television for several years after The Simple Life finished, finding time to display her niche in fashion, writing books
The Truth About Diamonds
-The story line:The novel tells the story of Chloe Parker, a woman in her early 20s who had been adopted at the age of seven by a music superstar and his wife, and who now associates with Hollywood celebrities...
and raising a family with current boyfriend Joel Madden
Joel Madden
Joel Rueben Madden is an American singer, record producer, actor, DJ, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, best known as the lead vocalist for the pop punk band Good Charlotte.-Early life:...
. She has since announced plans to produce & star in a sitcom to air on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, loosely based around her life.
Ever since plans to appear in The Simple Life fell through, Kimberly Stewart has been working hard to develop her own reality series. A series pilot, titled Win Your Life Back featured Kimberly taking favourite personal belongings off two teams of young female contestants, and putting them through challenges to win their belongings back. Whichever team wins back the most belongings would win a $100,000 shopping spree. The pilot was presented to MTV, but was not picked up.
Kimberly then began shooting a direct spin-off to The Simple Life with Kelly Osbourne for E!, but after it was also not picked up, she finally secured an active reality show, shot in London, titled Living With Kimberly Stewart, in which she put contestants through challenges involving living arrangements. The winner got to live in a luxury London pent-house, rent-free with Kimberly for a year. The show premiered on Living TV in the U.K. in 2007.
In 2005, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
produced a reality series titled I Want To Be a Hilton
I Want To Be a Hilton
I Want To Be a Hilton is a 2005 weekly NBC reality television series that was hosted by Kathy Hilton.The show featured people who "Wanted to be like a Hilton." The finalist of the competition receives a prize package that includes a $200,000 trust fund, a new apartment, wardrobe and the opportunity...
. I Want To Be a Hilton took the idea of The Simple Life, and reversed it. Hosted by Kathy Hilton
Kathy Hilton
Kathleen Elizabeth "Kathy" Hilton is an American actress. She is the mother of Paris Hilton and Nicky Hilton.-Personal life and family:...
, Paris' mom, the show saw several contestants from rural country and suburban areas having to perform certain tasks ranging from dog grooming to a fashion show and organizing a charity event, while learning etiquette
Etiquette
Etiquette is a code of behavior that delineates expectations for social behavior according to contemporary conventional norms within a society, social class, or group...
and manners
Manners
In sociology, manners are the unenforced standards of conduct which demonstrate that a person is proper, polite, and refined. They are like laws in that they codify or set a standard for human behavior, but they are unlike laws in that there is no formal system for punishing transgressions, the...
. The finalist of the competition received a prize package that included a $200,000 trust fund, a new apartment, wardrobe and the opportunity to live the life of high society for one year. Paris and Nicky
Nicky Hilton
Nicholai Olivia "Nicky" Hilton is an American businesswoman, fashion model, socialite, celebutante, heiress and fashion designer. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton and younger sister of Paris Hilton....
guest starred in an episode, and Paris's dog Tinkerbell (who appeared in The Simple Life) also took part.
Unofficial remakes
The Simple Life has also been emulated by other less-official remakes. A good example of another reality series is E!'s Filthy Rich: Cattle DriveFilthy Rich: Cattle Drive
Filthy Rich: Cattle Drive is an American reality television program that aired on the E! network in 2005. On E! Australia it aired as Rich Kids: Cattle Drive.-Synopsis:...
, which shared various unquestionable similarities with The Simple Life. It centered around sending several well known young socialites (including Kourtney Kardashian
Kourtney Kardashian
Kourtney Mary Kardashian is an American businesswoman, socialite, model, actress and reality television personality who gained fame as a cast member of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kourtney and Kim Take New York, and Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami.She is the oldest child of Kris Jenner and...
& Brittny Gastineau
Brittny Gastineau
Brittny Gastineau is an American model, socialite, and reality television personality.-Early life and family:Gastineau is the daughter of Lisa Gastineau and former New York Jets player Mark Gastineau...
, among others) to live on a rural ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
, minus cellphones and other luxuries they have come to swear by.
In 2008, MTV produced Exiled!, a spin-off to its hit reality series My Super Sweet 16
My Super Sweet 16
My Super Sweet 16 is an MTV reality series documenting the lives of teenagers, usually in the United States, Canada and UK, who usually have wealthy parents that throw huge coming of age celebrations. Parties include the quinceañera , the sweet 16, and other birthdays including a My Super Sweet 21 ...
. Exiled! took eight former stars of My Super Sweet 16, who have grown up spoiled, self-involved & without any idea about real work, and sent them to live in third world countries to teach them a lesson in how hard life can be for people other than themselves. The promo clips for the show were quickly compared to The Simple Life. The series aired on MTV in Spring 2008.
It has also been said that The Simple Life has inspired other works such as Cow Belles
Cow Belles
Cow Belles is a 2006 romantic teen comedy film inspired by the Fox series The Simple Life which formerly starred Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie. The filmed starred Aly Michalka and AJ Michalka, better known as sister duo Aly & AJ. The movie was filmed in Toronto, Canada...
and Material Girls
Material Girls
Material Girls is a 2006 American satirical teen comedy film starring Hilary and Haylie Duff. It is based on a script written by John Quaintance and is directed by Martha Coolidge It also stars Anjelica Huston, Lukas Haas, and Brent Spiner...
; movies with very similar premises to The Simple Life.
South Korean television channel KBS2 has produced a reality-variety show, titled "Invincible Youth
Invincible Youth
Invincible Youth is a South Korean variety show which aired its first season on KBS2 from October 23, 2009 to December 24, 2010. Season 1 featured seven girls from K-pop idol groups wherein they experience how it is to live and survive in the rural Korea outdoors. It has started its second season...
" which is loosely based on "The Simple Life", consisting of various K-pop
K-pop
K-pop is a musical genre consisting of electropop, hip hop, pop, rock, and R&B music originating in South Korea...
girl group members. The show is centered around "the G7" - Girls Generation's Yuri and Sunny, 4minute
4minute
4Minute is a popular South Korean girl group founded by Cube Entertainment in 2009. The group consists of Nam Jihyun , Heo Gayoon, Jeon Jiyoon, Kim Hyuna and Kwon SoHyun. The girls released their first single on June 15, 2009 and made their debut stage last June 18, 2009 on Mnet M! Countdown...
's Hyuna, KARA
Kara
-Given name:* Cara , an alternative spelling for Kara* Kara Kennedy Allen, professional board member and a television producer* Kara Mahmud Bushati, a noble of the Bushati family* Kara Edwards, an American voice actress...
's Goo Hara, Brown Eyed Girls
Brown Eyed Girls
The Brown Eyed Girls , often abbreviated as B.E.G., is a South Korean girl group managed by Nega Network. The group consists of four members: Jea, Miryo, Narsha, and Ga-in. They've debuted as an R&B/ballad vocal group in 2006 and challenged themselves with different music genres. Rising to...
' Narsha, T-ara
T-ara
T-ara is a South Korean girl group formed by Core Contents Media in 2009. Before their debut, there was a high level of interest in the group as they were called "Super Rookies" and had been training for three years prior to debut....
's Hyomin and Secret's Han Sunhwa.