Paris & Nicole: The Encore (2024) TV Drinking Game
Down a Shot: each time “Sanasa” is sung
Down a Shot: every time somebody looks at Paris and Nicole like they’ve lost their marbles at the mention of the ‘Sanasapera’.
Down a Shot: every time Paris’ mum plays momager (Kris Jenner might have competition)
Down a Shot: every time Paris throws the word ‘iconic’ around
Down a Shot: every time Paris emphasises the life-changing importance of a spray tan
By: Vidal D’costa (Two Beers) –
Don’t call it a comeback, bitch. Besties and pop culture icons Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie reunite to reevaluate and reminisce over ‘The Simple Life, a series that ran from 2003 till 2007, and paved the way for most if not all Gen Z lingo, introduced the world to viral bops before they were even a thing, as well as became a template for countless reality shows that followed suit. Equal parts road trip and equal parts a trip down memory lane for the duo and us noughties kids who grew up on their (mis)adventures, the Peacock series Paris & Nicole: The Encore poses the following questions to viewers: How far have the girls come since their claim to fame, and can the now cult classic series be turned into an equally cult classic opera? And everyone from construction workers to tourists with little to no clue of who their hosts are, to even their former employees from good old Sonic burgers are invited to partake in this celebration of a cultural reset that ushers in its 20th anniversary (feel old yet? Because I certainly do).
A Toast
Paris & Nicole: The Encore is thankfully not just a rushed cash grab like countless reunions before it, but a celebration of a friendship that’s survived 2 decades, and simultaneously of a fandom that’s inclusive and grown even larger with time, too. Furthermore, it’s also a celebration of all things Sill and Bill/ Paris and Nicole! After the satirical performance piece Nikki Fre$h, it is once again a fun platform for the quick-witted Nicole Richie’s good old-fashioned dark humour (I need the phrase ‘I’m a natural C-sharper’ on a t-shirt stat!), as well as her unfiltered zingers and gentle ribbing of bestie Paris, such as calling her out for indulging in chewing tobacco and then denying it.
Even if transforming a single phrase bop into a single phrase opera is a mountain climb and vocal exercises especially turn out to be a not so ‘simple’ task, the girls have already put their mountain climbing shoes on- and thus, this 3-episode long trial and error process showcases their ability in working as a team. While Paris brings a bag full of notebooks and business/social media marketing acumen to the table, bestie Nicole brims with creativity during their brainstorming sessions. Paris ‘ mum also throws in some bizarre ideas ranging from a pantomime-style event to magicians, ferrets, and even the queer community on stilts, which are both hysterical and perplexing. And despite the heteros (mainly their producers ) not vibing with the girls and their innocent ambition, Paris and Nicole are determined as ever to give back to the super fans, both young and old, who have welcomed them or accepted them despite their wild child tendencies in the past or continue to do so. aIn fact, the show also serves as a love letter to the queer community, as later they receive advice and guidance from Grammy winner Thomas Adès who is out and proud, and obviously a big fan (see? The gays get it), and from Richie’s long-time personal stylist who also believes in them (again…thank goodness for the gays!). Other allies include an overly enthusiastic older man who works at yet another Y2K pop culture footnote – the music store from the movie Wayne’s World, which the girls visit to practice their horn-tooting skills… literally.
The concept of putting together an opera from scratch itself feels like a recital for grown-ups or for the inner child in all of us and especially puts the spotlight on a lesser-known facet of Paris and Nicole, who enthusiastically recall growing up as theatre kids since an early age and being treated as misfits in school for the same. In fact, they even rope in their old music teacher Mr. Houser, who encouraged their creativity and offered them validation as a conductor for the opera and to thank him for the music (although they also briefly considered Gustavo Dudamel to take up the baton). The ditzy duo also reminisce over their mutual love for dress up and putting on Christmas skits while perusing through well-preserved recital photos at The Hiltons’ rather messy and chaotic garage-cum-storage area. I definitely resonated with their desire to use creative measures of rebelling and thus letting their hair down in a society that doesn’t place value on art and camp culture.
Fellow theatre kid Alan Cumming joins in on this fun and camp creative experiment and his inclusion is a clever homage to Mark Thompson, the OG snarky narrator from The Simple Life. It also has a brief cameo from Ke$ha, who recalls an awkward and possibly repressed memory from when she and her mum guest-starred on the show in search of a new stepdad. The city of LA where Paris and Nicole grew up also plays a secondary antagonist with a subplot dedicated to its very own personal mental breakdown which almost wrecks the girls’ plans.
This reunion simultaneously acts as a bitter reminder of how harsh mainstream media outlets were towards these two young naive women especially in simpler albeit problematic times. To amplify the same, an old foe becomes the primary antagonist in their Opera, lending a touch of social commentary to it. Even their reunions with families who hosted, or rather tolerated them while filming The Simple Life occur off camera- which is a welcome change in itself, since both Richie and Hilton were subjected to public scrutiny as young women in showbiz or in the limelight, and as a result, subtle moments like these serve as a reminder of respecting another individual’s privacy
The girls have also grown a lot more self-aware through the years and it shows. While they’ve matured, their childlike spark also remains intact. Age has mellowed them, maybe even turned them into introverts as Nicole confesses to podcast host Danny Pellegrino she no longer heeds the siren call of the nightclub any more, and shares her distance from her earlier party animal image upon becoming both a businesswoman and a ‘family woman’. However, animals do feature in their Opera although they aren’t the partying kind. We also get hints of Paris ‘ signature baby talk giving way for her real voice along with hilarious potshots at the spray tan era.
The reunion effectively also makes one moist-eyed over everything- from Nicole and Paris’ megaphone story to just seeing Paris don her iconic fingerless gloves again. Hilton, always one to carry the Y2K fashion with class and glam (apart from more contemporary icon Chappell Roan) brings it back yet again here and I was so sliving for her outfits!
While the focus is on building their passion project (Christened as ‘The Sanasapera’), the handful of throwbacks to the duo’s Simple Life roots are cute and wholesome, too- ranging from the pair rolling into a Walmart like mischievous elves on their ‘scooter suitcases’ which are then stuffed with gifts for the entire population of the small town of Altus in Arkansas, to them visiting their old haunts such as a pub that is short of a billiard table due to their drunk antics back in the day, even offering to buy a vibrat… Ahem, back massager for the mayor who is in recovery from a ‘home ziplining incident’. The throwbacks wouldn’t be complete without a brief sighting of their old preserved pink pickup truck, and an awkward but thankfully minute encounter with a one-time fling from their days at the kissing booth which rounds it out.
Beer Two
I’m disappointed… that this is only 3 episodes long! But the running time also adds to the ‘backbenchers pulling a group project together at the last minute’ aesthetic of this very on-brand outing. And as I recall, the last time they dragged out a good thing involving Paris and Nicole, it didn’t end too well and felt rather distasteful to the girls’ friendship, too (looking at you, Season 5 of The Simple Life).
Verdict
Paris & Nicole: The Encore is perfect light and nostalgic fare that doesn’t compromise on the heart or soul, nor its surplus of full-on fan service. Watch it over the weekend, bitch.
