Celebrities paint the town green on New Year's Eve

Ah, remember the good old days? Warren Beatty called up Jack Nicholson and they hatched a plan to ring in the New Year with plenty of booze, broads and cigarettes. The only money that exchanged hands probably paid for cocktail onions and swizzle sticks.

Nowadays, celebrities don't get off the couch on Dec. 31 without the lure of a paycheck. Come Monday night, it's reported that Paris and Nicky Hilton will be paid $500,000 just to stand around and pout at LAX club in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Ashlee Simpson and her beau Pete Wentz will make $150,000 to host festivities at the Shore Club in Miami. Then, there's Pam Anderson pocketing over $100,000 to show off her assets at Pure in Vegas. (Last year, Brit pulled in $350,000 for her stint as guest of honor at Pure. See, left)

I'm not sure whom I pity more: the celebs who pimp themselves out like blow-up dolls on the last night of the year. Or the people who pay upwards of $100 to be a guest at these parties and catch a glimpse of Paris' ankle.  Clearly, the lineup I mentioned bears little distinction when compared with great actors. But these days, getting paid to hawk water or speak at a charity event or wear a designer gown is common practice.  The declasse trend gives new meaning to the term, "Auld Lang Syne."

Photo credits: Beatty, Getty Images; Britney, WireImage

Comments

[Mark Alan Parker]

That pretty much sums up what our culture has come to. Paying half-witted, no-talents to stand around is absurd, but as long as there are half-witted, dim-wits willing to pay to see these morons, then, I guess, you get what you pay for. Happy New Year!

[eva flockinbrugesk]

How do you turn a profit? Really if you pay 500K just for two people, how much is it going to cost to get in? and drinks before you turn a profit?
I think it is more paying to keep them out of someone elses club.

Ahh the wacky world we live in.

[floss]

Celebrities have made a lot of money now its time for the rest of us to get paid like they do they go around town and have fun on new year eve and break the law and dont get in trouble http://www.howtomakemoneyoncraigslist.com

[Priscilla]

On your column: 1. Beatty doesn't smoke and barely drinks, so I suppose the alleged booze and cigarettes were consumed by Nicholson alone. 2. I hope you don't assume that the photograph you chose to accompany your comments was taken on the alleged New Year's eve. Because if you think it was, the mention of "broads" could be mistaken to refer to the lady in the photograph and she happens to be Lauren Bacall!

[Steve]

Hey, Paris has to make some coin somehow since her Grandfather was smart enough to leave his fortune to charity and leave little to his family. Good for him. I would be disgusted by those mealy mouths too. Paris Hilton is a tramp.

[Steve]

Hey, Paris has to make some coin somehow since her Grandfather was smart enough to leave his fortune to charity and leave little to his family. Good for him. I would be disgusted by those mealy mouths too. Paris Hilton is a tramp.

[Bob Flanagan]

For $500,000 LAX buys itself a few paragraphs and probably a few photographs in every major metropolitan daily, gossip blog, entertainment magazine in the country. That sounds like smart business. Try and buy that much display advertising.

As for the mention of the Hilton fortune--will someone get a clue? Leaving the fotune to a trust or foundation, preserves the capital and keeps it out of the hands of the tax collector. If Mr. Hilton left the money to his heirs it would be eaten up in death taxes. Leaving it to a foundation permits the Hilton family to continue to control this empire and to preserve the capital without sharing it with the likes of the federal government.

Why do you think one of the biggest contributors to the Democrats and the chairmen of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee are life insurance companies? Who really benefits from the death tax? Rich kids or the industry designed to avoid those taxes? Use your thinking caps.

Follow the money. Besides, Paris probably makes more money partying and marketing her other assets than she has inherited off the hotel fortune.

[JUSTME]

YOU WOULD'VE TO BE CRAZY NOT TO ACCEPT

$500K FOR A FEW HOURS , I WOULD DO IT , IF

I RECEIEVED THAT MUCH MONEY ....SHOOT I'LL

DO IT DAILY FOR THAT MUCH.

IF PARIS KNOWS THESE BUSINESSES WANT TO

CHARGE THAT MUCH , WHY DOESN'T SHE ASK

FOR MORE MONEY , LIKE $1,000,000 OR MORE .

GET ALL YOU CAN .................

LIVING IN HOLLYWOOD , YOU BETTER MAKE $50 MILLION

OR MORE , THE COST OF LIVING THERE IS SKY HIGH ......

GLAD I DONT HAVE THERE HOUSE PAYMENTS .........

MOST OF THOSE MANSIONS , ARE A WASTE OF SPACE .

NOR DO THEY LIVE IN THE HOMES THEY'VE .........