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The Simple Life

(Rated TV-PG, Reality TV, Starring Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Where to watch: E!, DVD, Online)
  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 99; suggested age 14.
  • Is it any good?

    2.0
  • Common Sense says

    This show made Paris and Nicole household names.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–18

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    While the girls are occasionally gracious to their hosts, they're more often rude and snobby ("This car is so ghetto" "I could never imagine living here -- I'd die"). They break rules, swear, smoke, give the finger to children, complain constantly, and more.
  • Violence:

    Chicken plucking and killing ticks is as bad as it gets.
  • Sex:

    The girls wear very revealing clothes (Paris's low-rider jeans were so low that her backside was pixilated). In an early season, the girls made out with local boys and joked about having a threesome with their host family's teen son.
  • Language:

    Words like "bitch", "hell", "ass," and "sucks" are common -- and although words like "f--k" and "s--t" are bleeped, it's clear what they're saying.
  • Consumerism:

    The show glamorizes the socialites' extravagant lifestyle. From private jets to shopping sprees at Dior (where Paris once dropped $1500 on a dog carrier without blinking an eye), the girls obviously subscribe to the "more is more" philosophy.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Nicole smokes, and there's drinking as well.
 

What Parents Need to Know

About The Simple Life

Parents need to know that stars Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie can be self-absorbed, snobby, and rude. Their behavior and attitudes are atrocious. Yet the portrayal of their actions in the fish-out-of-water scenarios they're placed in is so over the top that these socialites seem like caricatures.

Read our full review by bethp

Did this review help you decide?

Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about the behavior of these young ladies. Is it appropriate to treat people the way they do? Do they play up their behavior for the cameras? They cheat, lie, and steal, yet the show has been successful. Are Paris and Nicole role models? Do teens think that these women are truly this vapid, or is all clever editing (and possibly even some scripting)?

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Our Members Say

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See all 12 member reviews

Most Recent Reviews

  1. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Louisiana
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 1.0

  2. Kid Reviewer Age 12
    Lives in New York
    I rate this title iffy for age 2 and give it 4.0

  3. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Virginia
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 3.0

    A guilty pleasure.

    I have not seen every season of this show. But I have seen quite a few episodes. I like it it's entertaining and fun to watch. No one under 13 should be aloud to watch this show. There is some material that is pretty innapropriate. So parents should definitely view this before they let there kids watch it. But it's not ALL bad there are some good parts. But don't judge it give it a chance.

  4. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title iffy for age 17 and give it 2.0

  5. Adult Reviewer
    Anonymous
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 4.0

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