This time last year Twitter was doing fine, sort of. The social media giant always had problems, but management had done an adequate job rooting out abusive accounts, including one belonging to a certain former president. But now it’s nearly a year into Elon Musk’s tenure, and everything is creatively broken, starting with its new, dumb name. To add another leftfield surprise to the pile, they’re teaming up with someone whose cultural impact peaked about, oh, nearly 20 years ago.
The queen of pop culture, music, business, and TV is #Sliving on X. @ParisHilton welcome to the @X family, we’re excited to launch an official partnership with you and your next-gen media company 11:11. Together we’re going to create a launchpad for new initiatives in video and… pic.twitter.com/7ctohyn3Nb
— Linda Yaccarino (@lindayaX) October 2, 2023
On Monday, Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of what was once called Twitter, had a thrilling announcement: They were teaming up with Paris Hilton — Paris Hilton — for an “official partnership” with her and her “next-gen media company 11:11.” For the service, Hilton will create what Yaccarino called “a launchpad for new initiatives in video and live video, live commerce, Spaces, and so much more.”
To rub salt on the wound, Yaccarino referred to Hilton as the “queen of pop culture, music, business, and TV.” Yaccarino also claimed Hilton was “sliving,” whatever that means. (More on what that means later.)
Variety went into a little more detail about what Hilton would be bringing to Twitter/X:
Under the deal between X and Hilton and her 11:11 Media company, she and X will work together to create four original video content programs per year that include live-shopping features. Hilton will also serve as a launch partner for new X consumer products, services and feature releases, according to the companies.
Alas, the news wasn’t all that well-received on Twitter/X. Many wondered what year it was if Paris Hilton was considered a big get.
https://t.co/MgCQ2o9Z9Q pic.twitter.com/jLY1XryGEj
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) October 2, 2023
Wow, do you think you might land Pauly D next? https://t.co/OfDw2VvtVL
— Schooley (@Rschooley) October 2, 2023
This would have been considered out of touch 15 years ago https://t.co/By4mgvshRh
— Ed Zitron (@edzitron) October 3, 2023
Paris Hilton is the queen of pop culture, music, business, and TV all of a sudden?
Are you tweeting this from the year 2002?!?! https://t.co/wfrETlBDhC pic.twitter.com/Q7IdzcnGny
— hellresidentNY (@hellresidentNY) October 2, 2023
Wow what a get. Someone everyone likes and thinks about https://t.co/Xr8fbZWeDG
— Mr. Chau (@Srirachachau) October 2, 2023
At the very cutting edge of pop culture. Too bad the name Entertainment 720 was already taken. https://t.co/KQCrVmAsMM pic.twitter.com/oGRpjBvZlC
— Heather Hughson (@HNHughson) October 3, 2023
Paris Hilton is cutting edge 2003. Excellent partner to capture media and culture, Elmo.
— Christopher Moore, not even kidding (@TheAuthorGuy) October 2, 2023
Some took umbrage with the idea that Paris Hilton was “queen” of anything.
i confess i am not the most tapped in person when it comes to pop culture these days but i’m pretty sure Paris Hilton is none of these things? pic.twitter.com/ZkyyQFcooz
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 2, 2023
Before you look at the tweet below, ask yourself what person might be plausibly identified as “the queen of pop culture, music, business, and TV” https://t.co/INPJXG5zzh
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) October 2, 2023
the queen of what now https://t.co/08eoBm8ZO6
— Benjamin Dreyer (@BCDreyer) October 2, 2023
the queen of pop culture, music, business, and TV https://t.co/micpoXAxke pic.twitter.com/YixYwqxDKR
— pudding person (@JUNlPER) October 2, 2023
Others pointed out that Hilton doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to the next digital trend.
And we all know Paris Hilton knows a successful digital venture when she sees it https://t.co/WmOI0rRKDH pic.twitter.com/GSyTi2rsnN
— Cooper Lund (@cooperlund) October 2, 2023
let me just quickly google to see what paris’s most recent high-profile business foray involved… https://t.co/9S0eaRbxRq
— Philip Bump (@pbump) October 3, 2023
Others did not enjoy the new term “sliving,” which turns out to be a portmanteau of slaying plus living.
It’s worse than I thought https://t.co/54BXjJl68E pic.twitter.com/jDK3yczI9U
— Rob Dobi (@Robdobi) October 3, 2023
Still others wondered if a Paris Hilton partnership was or wasn’t the final nail in the coffin that was the social media service whose mascot used to be a bird.
Was teaming with Paris Hilton part of the “destroy Twitter” plan?
— Schooley (@Rschooley) October 3, 2023
if u were wondering just HOW dead twitter is now https://t.co/AWnBT7tcqp
— russ bengtson (@russbengtson) October 2, 2023
Oh this site is ‘dead’, is it? https://t.co/79LOf61ZJ9
— Emoji Caresser (@LizRummy) October 2, 2023
(Via Variety)