Reality TV icon Paris Hilton has left the internet in stitches after a video clip was released of her recent congressional testimony.
The heiress and starlet was speaking to Congress in support of tighter child welfare protections.
But in the middle of her interaction with New York Republican Representative Claudia Tenney, Hilton suddenly switched to an entirely different way of speaking, going from the high-pitched Paris we all know to one that was suddenly all business.
Hilton's testimony relates to her experience as a teen being sent to the Provo Canyon School in Utah, a boarding school for troubled teens with behavioral and emotional problems and substance abuse issues.
Hilton has detailed the horrific abuse she endured at the school in public statements as well as her 2020 documentary This Is Paris.
Hilton was called upon to testify before the House Ways and Means Committee on how the US government can better ensure protections for children.
But before launching into the meat of her testimony, Hilton's mind was on one of the things she's most been known for: fashion, specifically Rep. Tenney's jacket.
She told the New York Republican:
"I love your jacket. The sparkles are amazing.”
A flattered Tenney responded that she'd worn some "bling" for her meeting with Hilton, to which Hilton responded that she wanted to find out who made the jacket afterward in the usual girlish tone she's always been known for.
But then Hilton abruptly switched the tone of her voice into one that was all business in the middle of her sentence, telling Tenney:
"...but we need access to therapy counseling, mentorship and other community-based programs."
The abrupt shift from Hilton's usual coquettish voice to her "Congress voice" struck many on the internet as hilarious and fascinating, and the clip quickly went viral on social media.
Hilton said in her 2020 documentary that she has always been "playing a character" in her public persona until she began advocating for kids. But regardless of the voice she used, Hilton's testimony was deeply important.
She went on to tell Tenney and the rest of the committee:
“I think it’s also important not to label these kids as ‘troubled’ or ‘bad’. I think it makes these children feel like they aren’t believed and that’s something that’s important for them not to feel that way."
“It’s just about showing kindness, love, compassion and support. Giving these kids life skills they can use otherwise we’re just setting them up to fail.”
Here's hoping her work saves more kids from having to go through what she experienced in her teens.
@GavinNewsom/X
