Media Man Australia - The Online Home of Greg Tingle

In town: We love Paris in summer - 28th December 2006
(Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald 'Stay In Touch')

The weird phenomenon that is Paris Hilton glided into Sydney yesterday, ringed by her burly entourage, surrounded for much of the day by sightseers, and hidden by a vast pair of reflective dark sunglasses.

In person, she seemed friendly but a bit guarded, issuing monosyllabic statements from behind the shades. She was asked what she wanted to do in Sydney. "The koalas," came the answer. Was Santa Claus good to her this year. "Always." What will 2007 bring? "Umm. A lot."

After checking into the Sheraton on the Park, the heiress donned a Luis Vuitton bikini and microscopic white shorts for a trip to blonde heartland: Bondi Beach. After frolicking in the surf, Hilton rinsed herself off at an outdoor shower, attended by about 200 onlookers and a knot of TV cameras. Then it was off to the Bondi Icebergs.

Earlier, she had sashayed through Sydney Airport after her delayed flight touched down, igniting a predictable media frenzy. No fewer than three security organisations - airport guards, the federal police and Hilton's own crack team of enforcers - were on hand to impose order. A female Herald photographer was lifted bodily out of Paris's path as the heiress pushed her way through the scrum.

Why exactly is Paris such hot property? No one knows, and plenty couldn't care less, but the Singleton family's move to bring her out to promote their beer brand already looks like a canny one.

The beer took centre stage for a while at the Hilton Hotel, while Jack Singleton and, oddly, the surfer Koby Abberton shortlisted 40 blonde ladies to be the "face" of Bondi Blonde and Paris's sidekick.

Some were tall, others petite and a little more pneumatic, some had alabaster skin whilst others bore tandoori tans - but all sported more-or-less blonde locks.

The audition went for two hours, with hundreds of hopefuls in bikinis and strolling in small groups under the eye of Singo and Abbers, who was looking for more than just a pretty face and quizzed candidates on their skolling abilities. "I like girls who drink beer," he told Herald reporter Emily Dunn.

Among those who made it through yesterday's gruelling judging round was Lauryn Eagle, 19, a former Miss Teen International and the current women's world waterskiing champion, who said she was looking forward to meeting Hilton. Lauryn said her training regimen left little time for beer drinking. "But I will learn to love it," she said. "Being low-carb, it should be OK."

The blonde hopefuls will reconvene at Bondi Icebergs on Monday for a final audition, presided over by Paris.

Profiles

Paris in Sydney - 28th December 2006
(Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)

Professional celebrity Paris Hilton, who arrived in Sydney this morning to promote a new brand of beer, will today be rifling through dozens of News Year's Eve invitations.

Hilton's Sydney contacts have already taken receipt of "more than a dozen" invites to exclusive bashes, plus numerous requests from hoteliers, nightclub owners, restaurateurs and fashion designers, all begging her to be seen at their venues or don their clobber.

The advertising guru and low-carb beer king Jack Singleton - son of the other ad guru, John - brought Paris to Sydney to promote Bondi Blonde, a new beer.

Surrounded by minders, the international party girl - dressed in a striped singlet top and huge white sunglasses - bustled through the assembled media at Sydney airport early today.

"Hey Australia," she said. "I'm really excited to be here in Sydney for New Year's."

Hilton will pick a new "face" for the Singleton beer's ad campaign at a function at the Bondi Icebergs next Monday.

As part of the preliminary selection process, blonde ladies who fancy their chances as a beer model and possible Paris sidekick auditioned auditions at the Hilton Hotel today.

Singleton and professional surfer Koby Abberton were on hand to help whittle down the hopefuls to a field of 40 finalists.

The hotel heiress is scheduled to pick the winning bikini babe at Bondi Icebergs Club at 1pm on New Year's Day.

But Hilton was busy proving her own credentials as a bikini babe today, donning a skimpy two-piece for a dip at Bondi Beach.

Onlookers equipped with camera phones crowded around as she rinsed off under the beachside showers, still wearing her oversized sunnies and a pair of tiny white shorts.

The actress, now famous for a variety of roles on the big and small screens, last week was named the most popular Google news search for 2006.

And what will 2007 bring for the headline-grabbing heiress?

"Umm. A lot," she predicts.

Hilton is due to fly out of Sydney on January 2.

AAP

Profiles

Paris Hilton is riffling through her ever growing pile of invitations to make up her mind which Sydney parties she will attend on New Year's Eve.

The notorious heiress arrives here in the early hours tomorrow to celebrate the end of '06 and her approach has sent the city's socialites and publicity agents into Boxing Day meltdown.

Hilton's Sydney contacts have already taken receipt of "more than a dozen" invites to exclusive New Year's Eve bashes, plus numerous requests from hoteliers, nightclub owners, restaurateurs and fashion designers, all begging her to be seen at their venues or don their clobber.

The ominous gatekeeper controlling all access to Paris is Richard Squire, her US-based manager, and little can be decided until he touches down in town tomorrow.

Hilton (who, incidentally, isn't staying at her family's prestigious pad but at another central Sydney hotel) is said to have wanted to spend part of her summer here, and an offer to promote a local beer sealed the deal.

The advertising guru and low-carb beer king Jack Singleton - son of the other ad guru, John - is bringing out Paris to promote Bondi Blonde, a new product he hopes the young and beautiful of the eastern suburbs will guzzle by the bucketload. Hilton will pick a new "face" for the beer's ad campaign at a function at the Bondi Icebergs next Monday. As part of the preliminary selection process, all blonde (and it must be blonde) ladies who fancy their chances as a beer model and possible Paris sidekick are being encouraged to go to the Hilton Hotel before 10.30am tomorrow. There they will be assessed for both blondeness and the ability to speak in an articulate fashion by surfer Koby Abberton and Singo the Younger. Forty finalists will be invited to attend the function with Paris on Monday. Singo said rumours that he planned to bring out similar brands labelled Burwood Brunette and Ryde Redhead were greatly overstated.