Benefits of Prison and other Comments of a Ridiculous Nature

I don't really follow celebrities and entertainment and such. Occasionally I will see a story and read about it, but usually not.

However, I saw a headline that said Paris Hilton was cold and lonely in prison.

Poor dear.

I guess she's not used to sleeping anywhere that isn't one of her daddy's hotels.


Her family said they were going to send her a care package with an eyepad whatsit so she could sleep at night.

Dude, it's prison. It's not supposed to be fun. I'm all for humane treatment and respect of civil rights, but give me a break. She acted wrong and these are the consequences. Period.

The best part of all was her comment that she could do Pilates all day because she was so bored, and that she could eat even fewer calories because the food was so bad.

I can see it now: The Prison Diet. If you only have crappy, nasty food around, you probably won't eat it. The latest, greatest bestseller. I bet the canned green bean producers will be happy. Mmm-mmm good.

Then again, I'm not hearing her comments about the food a couple of weeks in.

Should there be "benefits" from prison? One should hope so. A chance to get off drugs. A chance to re-examine your actions and behaviors. A good lesson in consequences. A chance to earn a GED. And so on. The point of punishment isn't purely punishment, to make you "really sorry." And the point of prison is not to lose weight.

I don't feel sorry for Ms. Hilton in the least. I wouldn't be sending her care packages, other than the basics (which a scented eye cover is not). Not if she were my wayward child. The lesson I hope she learns is that her shit stinks too.

And if she comes out saying that the best part of prison was her weight loss, I just might lose it. I'm guessing she meant it as a joke, but really. It's like being thankful for cancer because the chemo made you lose weight. Which an editor of Vogue, I believe, actually said. She felt good because she could finally wear the clothes that were featured in her magazine. I guess you could say that's one of the "benefits" of anorexia: you get to fit into really small clothes. But when you look at the suffering involved, it sure ain't.


Which kind of brings up a good point: anorexia isn't a disease in which one intentionally tries to fit into really small clothes. That's sort of a side effect. It's not a cause (i.e., seeing the small clothes and trying to fit into them).

At the end of the day, I hope Ms. Hilton does learn her lesson. And I really really hope that losing weight in prison isn't one of them.

11 comments:

Ramona said...

Are you opposed to the idea of anoretics getting care packages while in inpatient care? Because going to jail for drug problems kind of is like going to the hospital for eating problems. If people who have drug problems/addictions shouldn't get care packages, is it right for people who have eating problems/addictions care pcakages?

Ramona said...

Are you opposed to the idea of anoretics getting care packages while in inpatient care? Because going to jail for drug problems kind of is like going to the hospital for eating problems. If people who have drug problems/addictions shouldn't get care packages, is it right for people who have eating problems/addictions care pcakages?

Ramona said...

sorry . . . didn't mean to post 2x. Just so you know, I had anorexia myself. Started at 12, ended at 20. I came very close to being hospitalized when I was 16.

Nancy Lebovitz said...

Being able to sleep isn't some sort of wild privilege. I wouldn't object to eye masks--or to ear plugs, either.

Unknown said...

Actually, I think it might be interesting to put Hilton into an ED program. Or maybe she'd learn more by being put into a nunnery for a few weeks. No, let's make her stay at MY house for a few weeks - I'll feed her up and make her endure endless pep talks about getting enough sleep and nutrition and hugs. I bet she likes hugs!

mary said...

LOL I believe that sending her to Laura's home would be a gift that might actually change her life! That POOR child could learn what true wealth is all about.
If she can ever stop acting and face how serious and irresponsible her crime was maybe then she'll truly think about change. She obviously has a NEED to be in the limelight but perhaps she has something within that might add some good to the world. The media just loves to stomp on the lives of those inflicted with the high need to be exhibitionists. It's the media that needs her to be a wild child and she is ignorant or perhaps needy enough to comply. She needs more than a rest,she needs time to find out who she really is beneath the desperate desire to seek attention and not allow the media to dictate her life. It's her food! It's her addiction. I wonder, is she thinking of how she 'might' have put lives at risk or are her thoughts on her next statement to her fans? I'm betting she has more people who loathe her than admire her.
Ordinary people have become so rare that I truly admire them more than the showmen/women of our time.We give out attention to the wrong ones! They are energy suckers. [psychic vampires]
Take care of you Carrie and you other's who are fighting to keep their ED's at bay. What PH has to learn may take her much longer and our work is to challenge ourselves to do take back our space in the world and honor who we are by taking up all of the space we were given starting within! Allow yourselves to be full in body and spirit. You'll have so much more to give. [like Laura]

Carrie Arnold said...

Well, I guess she's out of prison, so to some sense that's over with.

Becca,

My thoughts are this: she's not going to jail because of a drug problem (and I don't really believe in jail for addicts. I believe in treatment). She was in jail for a parole violation. And maybe I was too strident in saying no care packages, or even (as Nancy said) that sleep isn't a privledge. It all just seems like a ridiculous parody of her show "The Simple Life."

Laura and Mary,

I think part of Ms. Hilton's problem *is* that she isn't loved in the right way. And that love would probably do more than prison. She needs love, not pampering.

Anyway, there I go again. Shooting off at the mouth.

Sarah said...

Can't believe they let her out already. The rich ARE different.

mary said...

It's all ridiculous!

samsi77 said...

it is interesting the wide array of intense responses that this post facilitated. I guess i distinguish going to prison for NOT addressing the clinical and psychological issues whether it be an ED, substance abuse and dependency problem or other issue from someone seeking treatment for a clinical problem. I do believe in tough love too and I am very educated and aware as well as sensitive about CD issues as I have worked in that area for a lot of years in addition to ED treatment. One thing i have learned and seen time and time again is that when one is bailed out of treatment, rehab, the hospital or jail it only lowers there bottom sending them back to doing what they were doing to face more and perhaps more severe consequences. Paris was incarcerated for a crime, no different then a low weight anorexic that was not clear and medically stable driving, getting into an accident and causing harm to others facing similar consequences. Jail is not treatment it is a consequence and once the term served brings about choices as to what to do in regards to treatment. I also see someone such as Paris, Nicole Ritchie and other celebs are being fortunate in some ones, they do not have the financial barriers that others face, they have money to seek treatment, they also have money to hire someone to drive them should they chose to drink or drug and they have money to afford some luxaries to cushion some of the hardships of the recovery process. Money is not everything but it can be a vehicle to a means and eliminates some barriers although others are present. I hate to see high risk behavior glamorized and her getting a beauty mask, leaving after 3 days, receiving media coverage does just that! I hope that she seeks the needed help and gets on the way to recovery for her sake and also for the benefit of young impressionable young people that look up to her!

Anonymous said...

I hope she has to go back to prison and face her charges just like anyone else. At least when Martha Stewart went to prison, she did it without trying to weasel her way out and made the most of the experience.

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I'm a science writer, a jewelry design artist, a bookworm, a complete geek, and mom to a wonderful kitty. I am also recovering from a decade-plus battle with anorexia nervosa. I believe that complete recovery is possible, and that the first step along that path is full nutrition.

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