The NYT's Virginia Heffernan compares and contrasts Rich Girls and The Simple Life and finds the Paris Hilton show fakey. Omg! Well sure: the Simple Life is the ultimate triumph of the preditor. (That's the combined uber-role of producer and editor in reality TV: they make it all happen retroactively. Shocker.)

Well sure: it's clear Jaime and Ally of Rich Girls are a little more real than the blonde she-beasts of Arkansas (as evidenced in particular by Jaime's constant, freakish whining about her forthcoming mental collapse). But you're out on a pretty thin limb if you really think Jaime and Ally "confound expectations and vigorously interact with the world." Maybe "confound the household staff and vigorously interact with their parents' credit cards"?
In the End, 'Rich Girls' Has It All Over 'The Simple Life' [NYT]
Jaime at camp [Gawker]
Simple Life: Two Hour Marathon Tonight [Fox]

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