(Photo: Patrick McMullan)

Paris Hilton has been reborn as a philanthropist, she’ll have you know. “I just went down to Majorca and donated a lot to a hospital, and I’m going to Africa and Rwanda,” the recently imprisoned hotel heiress said on the red carpet for an AMFAR benefit—more charity!—at the Puck Building on September 24. “I’m excited for the new chapter of my life, where I’m giving back and getting so much in return for me, like, inside my heart.” The AIDS-research advocacy group is but one target for her newfound do-gooding, she said. “I just think everyone should do their part for animals and people or the environment.” Animals? Is she anti-fur? Pro–pet adoption? “I don’t wear fur, and animal testing, and things like that,” she explained. “I don’t know. I’m trying to help with that.” Earlier that day, Hilton had taped Letterman, where she and Dave did not discuss her philanthropy. “We talked about my perfume, my clothing line, my new movie that I’m shooting right now.” It’s a rock musical in which Hilton sings twelve songs, she said. “It’s really awesome.”

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• Archive: “Intelligencer”
• Articles by Amy Odell
• Table of Contents: October 8, 2007 issue of New York | Subscribe!