The crowd is mixedpower-lunching alphas, thirsty tourists, pretty women with less pretty men.
There are white tablecloths.
There are clusters of magenta bougainvillea.
On Hilton:Ronald Van der Kemp dress;Chopard earrings; On Richie:Ronald Van der Kemp dress;Graff earrings;House of Harlow necklace,Boucheron bracelet.
There are $46 McCarthy salads, which are really just Cobb salads named after a polo-playing millionaire.
And there are Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie.
Whoever said Hollywood was dead was seriously disturbed.
On Hilton:Jacquemus top and skirt;Wempe necklace and earrings;Saint Laurent shoes; On Richie:Ferragamo jacket and skirt;Chopard earrings;Boucheron necklace;Wempe ring;Jimmy Choo shoes
Hi, Im Nicole, she says with a warm hug.
She slides into the corner booth and, after a few minutes of chitchat, offers to text Paris.
Another round of hellos are exchanged before talk turns to the restaurant.
Jacquemus top and skirt;Wempe necklace and earrings.
So classic, so of a piece with the city its in.
My dream was to somehow migrate west and never look back, and kind of still is.
The women nod silently, knowingly.
Ferragamo jacket and skirt;Chopard earrings;Boucheron necklace.
I love LA, Hilton says with a sigh before opening the menu.
To become famous by yourself, you need certain thingstalent, opportunity, luck.
Mary-Kate and Ashley (both in theirGimme Pizzaeraandtheir$34,000-bag purveyor era).
On Hilton:Ronald Van der Kemp dress;Chopard earrings;Roger Vivier shoes; On Richie:Ronald Van der Kemp dress;Graff earrings;House of Harlow necklace;Roger Vivier shoes;Boucheron ring
When we were first introduced toHiltonand Richie as a unit, it was 2003.
A gonzoGreen Acresfor the Juicy Couture set.
Much has been made of the series and its impact.
On Hilton:Jacquemus top and skirt;Wempe necklace and earrings;Saint Laurent shoes; On Richie:Ferragamo jacket and skirt;Chopard earrings;Boucheron necklace;Wempe ring;Jimmy Choo shoes
Were they making fun of the salt-of-the-earth folks they communed with?
The real punchline, of course, was the viewer.
We believed everything that was fed to us for five seasons, no questions asked.
On Hilton:Ronald Van der Kemp dress;Chopard earrings; On Richie:Ronald Van der Kemp dress;Graff earrings;House of Harlow necklace;Boucheron ring.
Both Paris and I are from LA.
So I really played into that with questions like, Whats Walmart?
I always knew what I was doing because Im not a dumb blonde.
On Hilton:Marc Jacobs top and skirt,Boucheron tiara,Pomellato earrings; On Richie:Marc Jacobs dress;Chopard earrings;Graff ring.
Im just very good at pretending to be one.
Which brings us to the present, and the project were gathered here today to discuss.
We just wanted to do something different than all the other reunions, Hilton says.
The Simple Lifewas so innovative and so new to the world.
Jacquemus top and skirt;Wempe necklace and earrings.
Ferragamo jacket and skirt;Chopard earrings;Boucheron necklace.
Still, Hilton and Richie, both 43, are wives andmothers, and have multiple successful business ventures.
Theyre also very, very famous.
Why even do this?
Adds Hilton: Going back to where it all started was really important.
It was so special.
Watching the result of the below video is a reminder of what made their comedic partnership so special.
Youre so beautiful, he says, the human equivalent of the heart-eye emoji.
Hilton compliments his shirt and asks where hes from.
Richie gamely offers to snap a pic of them together.
He looks genuinely crushed.
Could we step out and do a photo?
Hilton looks mildly uncomfortable but seems like maybe shell throw him a bone.
Sir, no, the manager says more firmly this time, as the fan putters back outside.
Nice to meet you, Hilton calls out after him.
I imagine this happens all the time to the women, but they dont let on whether thats true.
Ever the pros, they click right back in.
Richie asks, grabbing a french fry.
Glamour:We touched on it a bit, but can you explain how the reunion concept came about?
And it was more just like, Oh my God, look how big he is.
Hes an adult now.
And Paris said, Its about to be 20 years.
And I wrote her back and said, Should we do something?
And she said, Should we?
And I said, Okay, lets come back to this.
Lets let it marinate and lets just see.
Lets see if we really are feeling it.
The way reporters and tabloids treated women was shocking.
This time around, is it different?
Paris Hilton:The media in the 00s was so toxic.
But then also exaggerating and creating these storylines just to sell tabloids.
Its amazing now how much times have changed.
I think its just a lot more respectful and it feels a lot safer now.
The 00s were vicious to all the girls.
Were you able to shake off the vile stuff you read about yourselves?
Hilton:There would be a lot of nights Id cry and Id call my mom.
Id be like, This is not even true.
The people who love and know me know the truth.
And you just have to take a stab at ignore it.
So thats why I feel the girls today are so lucky that that doesnt happen anymore.
Its very, very traumatizing to have to live through.
But its also been such a strong motivation for me to own my own voice and my own narrative.
We thought it would be such an adventure.
We didnt know what town we were going to.
All we knew was that we were going to be gone for 30 days.
Its very different from signing up for something today because youre doing it to build your brand.
That model did not exist back then.
So we were solely doing it because we have always chased joy and wanted to have fun.
Its quoted constantly, and frequently written about.
Do you think the reunion special will attract mostly nostalgic viewers or the new generation of fans?
And could you kindly tell me some of your favorite moments as well as sing our song Sanasa.
And we got thousands of videos from all around the world, all ages.
It was such a special moment in time, before social media.
You could never do a show like that today.
And really, were the blueprint for all these other shows.
Did you guys ever disagree aboutThe Simple Life?
Or about anything having to do with the new project?
And no, with the new show, we developed the entire thing together.
Obviously both of you come from prominent families.
Were they on board withThe Simple Life?
Hilton:Our parents did not want us to do it and told us not to.
Richie:Yes, thats true.
Hilton:It was the first of its kind.
They hear that were going to be sent somewhere and we dont know where were going.
You and Nicole are incredible.
Shes like, I was wrong for once.
Now you guys have kids of your own.
Nicole, you have a 15-year-old son and an almost 17-year-old daughter.
How is it raising teenagers in 2024?
Richie:So wild and fun.
I just so clearly remember what its like to be a teenager.
It feels like it happened yesterday for me.
And they know everything I did.
And Ive actually found freedom in that.
I didnt want my kids having some big discovery about me.
Paris, you have a one-year-old daughter and an almost two-year-old son.
Is having children different from what you expected?
Its love on another level, which I didnt know I could feel.
Im just so grateful for them every day.
Theyre just so precious and smart and fun.
Theyre the cutest things on the planet.
My son just learned Sanasa.
Was that his first word?
Hilton:His first word was yas.
Im curious about your thoughts on the Y2K-style resurgence?
You both were key architects of that aesthetic in real time.
Richie:Its very funny and sweet.
Do you still have stuff from that era?
Hilton:I do.My 21st-birthday dress, which is iconic.
I havethe Von Dutch hatthat I was wearing in Arkansas.
The Dior monogram pieces, Louis Vuitton, all of that.
It was so out there and so extra.
It was the most fun time in fashion.
You both have families, businesses, and now this show.
Are there enough hours in a day?
Hilton:I always put my babies first, so I am saying no to things all the time.
So its just trying to stack as much as possible into a day as I can.
And I dont really have weekends off.
I venture to do as much from home as possible.
So I built my recording studio there, which is right next to the baby nursery.
And my podcast studio is there as well.
I take a stab at do as many of the photo shoots from my house as possible.
And just saying no to so many different offers because my family means the most to me.
I want to ask about mental health and overall self-care.
Hilton:Im obsessed with biohacking and wellness.
It gives me so much energy, clarity.
Its like a Benjamin Button IV.
Richie:For me, its very important not to run myself into the ground.
Having dinner with my girlfriends and being able to relax and laugh isI treat it like a job.
It is such an important part of my life.
And I need it to feel like myself.
And then taking time for myself, which is different than taking time with my family.
Thats my time to read, to be in nature.
And I dont think that I could really do anything that I do without being connected to myself.
I want to bring my highest self to anything that I do.
Do you ever rewatchThe Simple Life?
Hilton:Its my favorite show to watch.
Ive never stopped watching it.
Ive seen so many episodes, so many different times.
My son, Phoenix, and I watch it, and he just laughs so hard.
Every time I laugh, he looks at me and hes just laughing.
Hes like, Mama, Mama.
Richie:Ive seen it.
When we decided to do the reunion, yes.
Whats next for you both?
Are there more projects together in the future?
Hilton:Theyre already asking what were shooting next.
Richie:I feel like people are going to want us to do this forever.
Richie:No, literally.
This has been incredible.
Its been so much fun to shoot something and promote something with your friend.
I still get nervous and it makes a world of difference for us to do it together.
I wish we could just do everything together.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
