From: estherchaya	Date: February 23rd, 2005 02:17 pm (UTC)		(Link)

um, because she's an idiot?

I'm not really sure. I'm guessing the Hilton fortune is quite large. Frankly, why did Donald Trump ever stick out (before the days of The Apprentice, which I've never seen)? Mostly because he was rich. That's all.

I just think it's hysterical that I never make these name connections.

I knew Theresa Heinz Kerry's name, but frankly I just figured it was Hines not Heinz.

From: gittygiggles	Date: February 23rd, 2005 02:20 pm (UTC)		(Link)

donald trump stuck out before the apprentice??? really? i'd never really heard of him before that.

it certainly makes me feel pretty depressed that humans are THAT obsessed with money!

	From: estherchaya	Date: February 23rd, 2005 02:23 pm (UTC)		(Link)

yeah, he was always in the news. Maybe you're too young to remember.

He was definitely well-known before the Apprentice. The show probably never would have happened otherwise (at least not in the same format it's in)

From: gittygiggles	Date: February 23rd, 2005 02:28 pm (UTC)		(Link)

it's not that i'm young, its just that i never hear about the news ;)

	From: allah_sulu	Date: February 23rd, 2005 02:45 pm (UTC)		(Link)

There are a lot of rich people.

Trump and Hilton stand out not just because they're rich, but because they're particularly obnoxious as well.

From: bodnej	Date: February 23rd, 2005 03:14 pm (UTC)		(Link)

It's not just the rich, in Trump's case. It's the fact that as a real estate developer, he built high-profile buildings and casinos in NY and NJ. He's not even that successful of a developer (his casinos just went Chapter 11 and I remember him having to borrow money from his dad to cover some debts in the early 90's, and the way he and his dad rigged the loan was a bit shady), but when it comes to self-promotion, Trump is #1.

Paris Hilton became famous because she and her sister partied quite a bit when they were underage(again, the NY tabloids followed them around, and Howard Stern would have them on his show from time to time), and then she had that sex tape released by an ex-boyfriend.

The family money comes from the hotel chain, but IIRC, her dad has made his own, independent fortune, too.

And Theresa Heinz (she dropped the Kerry now that the campaign is over) married into the Heinz fortune. Her first husband, the late Republican Senator John Heinz, was the rich one.

	From: estherchaya	Date: February 23rd, 2005 03:17 pm (UTC)		(Link)

And Theresa Heinz (she dropped the Kerry now that the campaign is over) married into the Heinz fortune. Her first husband, the late Republican Senator John Heinz, was the rich one.

Didn't realize she dropped the Kerry. I did know that she married into the Heinz fortune and that her first husband was Republican Senator John Heinz. It took me a long time to make the connection to the Heinz industry, though.

	From: allah_sulu	Date: February 23rd, 2005 04:06 pm (UTC)		(Link)

She originally went by Theresa Heinz. She only added the "Kerry" to her name during Kerry's campaign; and now that it's over, she's dropped it again.

Hillary Rodham only made the "Clinton" a permanent part of her name when she was part of her husband's campaign, and then when she was using that connection for her own campaign.

So the juggling of names isn't that unusual. However, in Hillary's case, she was going back and forth between her maiden name and her married name -- nothing weird there. In Theresa's case, she's keeping the name of her first husband rather than the name of her current husband -- that doesn't look very good for John.

Oh, and it's not just women -- Gary Hart shortened his name from "Hartpence" when he got into politics.

From: bodnej	Date: February 23rd, 2005 06:45 pm (UTC)		(Link)

Maybe the Heinz family bought her naming rights? It could be part of a marketing push for the Portuguese and Mozambican markets...

From: bodnej	Date: February 23rd, 2005 06:44 pm (UTC)		(Link)

BTW, I remembered how The Donald's dad lent him money. Fred Trump went to one of The Donald's casinos, bought umpteen million dollars worth of chips, and left.

They're a clever people, no doubt.

	From: ichur72	Date: February 23rd, 2005 03:01 pm (UTC)		(Link)

Because (I think) it's not enough for them to be rich -- they think they should be famous as well, even though it's not clear what exactly they've *done* that warrants fame.

From: gittygiggles	Date: February 23rd, 2005 03:06 pm (UTC)		(Link)

but the american public eats it up like it's candy! that's what i dont get!

	From: ichur72	Date: February 23rd, 2005 03:22 pm (UTC)		(Link)

Part of me thinks it's because there are people who like to watch train wrecks. Another part of me just doesn't get it.

From: gittygiggles	Date: February 23rd, 2005 03:25 pm (UTC)		(Link)

i think most o fme just doesn't get it.

From: gittygiggles	Date: February 23rd, 2005 03:25 pm (UTC)		(Link)

i think that's a very good theory.

From: bodnej	Date: February 23rd, 2005 06:48 pm (UTC)		(Link)

There was a very funny SNL sketch where Paris Hilton came on during the "news" segment, and one of the cast members asked her questions like "Is it hard to get into the Paris Hilton?" and "Is there double occupancy at the Paris Hilton?"

http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2003/12/07/transcript_paris_hilton_on_saturday_night.php

	From: estherchaya	Date: February 24th, 2005 12:46 am (UTC)		(Link)

Um, I'm 29 and it never occurred to me until just now that there COULD be jokes inherent in "Magic" Johnson's name... and I still don't know what they are!

	From: estherchaya	Date: February 24th, 2005 03:11 am (UTC)		(Link)

Oh. *blush*

	From: ichur72	Date: February 24th, 2005 04:10 am (UTC)		(Link)

If it's any comfort, I was in the same boat. I was scratching my head over the "Magic" part; it never occurred to me to focus on the "Johnson" part.