Throwback Thursday: The Simple Life

“You take two girls both filthy rich…” come on, you know you can finish it! One of my FAVORITE reality shows of the early 2000’s was a little show called “The Simple Life” starring celebutants/besties Paris Hilton and Nichole Richie. This show was hilarious! Do not deny watching it, because I know that you all tuned in.

There is just something about the humor that these two shared, that I credit with the development of my own approach to awkward situations. Such as the way I ask off the cuff questions of people I've just met. I want to know the truth! No matter how blunt it may be. Why beat around the bush? I call this move #TheNicole – feel free to apply it in your life!

The basic premise of the show was taking the two rich, spoiled, besties and planting them in rural areas to experience a blue-collar lifestyle. Free from their credit cards, cell phones, and celebrity status. The idea was genius, and arguably birthed the entire celebrity reality show phenomena.

The first season saw the girls living on a farm in Arkansas with the Leding family. While living with the family, the girls were required to take various jobs to survive. One of their attempts at working involved an infamous stint at a Sonic Drive-In. Ultimately, the girls were fired form every job they ever held. Shocking, right? At one point in the season, a Wal-Mart trip is mentioned leading Paris to make the now famous quote “Wal-Mart? Is that where you buy wall stuff?” A quote I still use to this day!

The second season saw the girls on a cross country road trip, living in an air stream trailer pulled behind their pink truck. This was my favorite season! It was pretty wild, and a blast to watch. What can I say, you all know that I love trash TV and this was really the beginning of that era for me. The girls worked as maids in a nudist community on one of their cross country stops, and ranks in my Top 20 reality TV moments. It was beyond outrageous!

The third season was similar to the second, and saw the girls working as interns. This time they traveled on a greyhound bus. One of the most memorable moments of this season, included the girls working at a funeral home, where they may or may not have dropped a casket and spilled human ashes on the ground. Although this was likely fake, it was still hilarious and I’ll pretend it was real.

Following the third season, the girls began an infamous feud. This feud resulted in things such as T-Shirts that said Team Nicole and Team Paris. I was #TeamNicole all the way. Just FYI! In this time period, FOX decided to cancel the show. But, good news would soon come. E! picked up the show and continued it for two seasons.

Season four saw the girls filming separately and serving as “wives and mothers” to a different family each week. It was very Wife Swap. The season was less enjoyable because the antics of the girls working together was lost. The season did still have some charm to it. Ultimately the girls came face to face in the final episode after being set up by an elderly couple. The season ended with a cliff hanger. The jump to E! definitely had a more obvious sign of scripted elements to the show.

The fifth and final season of the show, saw the girls reuniting. The feud was finally over!!! Can I get an amen? The girls headed to camp to work as camp counselors. This season didn’t quite have the charm that the others did, but it was still entertaining. Each episode featured a different crew of campers such as wellness camp campers, and pageant camp campers. 

 

I still watch the show in reruns when I see that it’s on. It’s one of those shows that I just can’t stay away from. It’s like crack, and I’m Kim Richards. It’s that addictive! What can I say?

I also encourage you all to delve deep into the time machine that is YouTube for a few SL related laughs. Let’s be honest, there are quite a few with this show.

So AustHanites, the question is "do you love it?!"