Production history The Simple Life

1 production history

1.1 beginnings
1.2 fox cancellation
1.3 picked e! , production complications
1.4 final cancellation e! , attempted continuation

production history
beginnings

paris , nicole begin shooting simple life.

the idea simple life generated in fox s comedy department. brad johnson, senior vice president of comedy development, said simple life born out of challenge fox television entertainment group chairman, sandy grushow, , news corp. president , chief operating officer, peter chernin, find way comedies outside of traditional sitcom format.

areas seemed simplest , cleanest go high-concept 1960s sitcoms , let s them real, johnson said. simple life inspired green acres, sitcom new york society couple moved farm. johnson said thought of moving entire family south. cameras observe former socialites, deprived of access bank accounts , beemers, attempt job, buy groceries, , fit in average americans.

at same time comedy department developing idea, paris hilton meeting studio s casting department. sharon klein, senior vp of casting @ studio, said fascinated hilton , wanted show her. m used meeting actors putting on facade, klein said. real. funny. @ first meeting did not come off stupid. in own reality , not embarrassed talk it. there sweetness her.

the 2 departments talked , realized had show: send paris hilton , sister nicky, had never worked day in lives, live , work on farm. @ time, studio working closely mike darnell, head of reality programming @ fox, liked idea. wanted see stilettos in cow shit, klein said. paris convinced come on board, nicky, being shy limelight @ time, opted out. paris told media in talks show herself, ultimately, fox decided city-living cast had duo.

paris allegedly asked several close friends on board, including kimberly stewart , late band aid heiress, casey johnson. after johnson declined, hilton ended making agreement nicole richie. fox hired established reality producer, bunim/murray, produce show. bunim/murray found leding family in altus, arkansas, whom paris , nicole live. production began may 2, 2003.

fox cancellation

bunim/murray had plans send cast on trip mexico in fourth season, plans put on hold, , rearranged. in interview usa today, paris confirmed longstanding rumor paris , nicole no longer friends, , nicole not part of fourth season. plans @ point shoot on hawaiian island of maui.

instead, said paris, new co-star paris friend kimberly stewart, daughter of rocker rod stewart, , paris had wanted on show begin with. kimberly said producers attempt mollify nicole giving new reality show of own, newlyweds: nick , jessica-styled effort focused on then-upcoming wedding adam goldstein, known professionally dj am.

fox quick debunk paris , kimberly had said. fox network head peter ligouri told television critics association press tour in los angeles paris , nicole both contracted 2 seasons. kimberly not going involved @ all, , paris , nicole are, in words tv professionals, ready work when time comes.

fox unexpectedly canceled plans further seasons of simple life in october 2005, both because had filled mid season show quota, , because paris , nicole had falling out friends.

picked e! , production complications

after dropped fox, other networks, such nbc, wb, vh1, , mtv reported interested in obtaining rights air new seasons of show. on november 28, 2005, e! announced had picked simple life , had ordered production go ahead on fourth season, along rights re-air first 3 seasons. shooting new season began february 27, 2006.

despite fact stars of show had sorted out differences , agreed shoot season together, fifth , final season had many complications during production. set begin production in november 2006 , air in march 2007 put on temporary hold, nicole had enter health care facility ongoing weight issues.

production resumed of march 2, 2007; more complications arose. both paris , nicole faced major charges dui, , @ risk of serving jail time. paris sentenced 23 days in jail, though after production of season had finished. nicole accepted plea agreement , sentenced 4 days in jail, again after production had wrapped.

during shooting days, nicole complained of illness. after examined on-set doctor taken nearby hospital received intravenous fluids 15 minutes before being released. incident set production behind schedule. despite problems, shooting of season finished in time , season premiered earlier otherwise expected.

final cancellation e! , attempted continuation

nicole confirmed on kiis-fm in los angeles , paris signed contract sixth , seventh season of show. despite initial hopes continuation, e! announced had canceled show on july 30, 2007. e! networks final statement: simple life has been wonderful addition e! schedule 2 years , grateful paris , nicole hard work , graciousness.

paris herself made statement @ premiere of rush hour 3 saying s been great 5 years , had fun, m happy end @ that. suggesting has opted out of continuation of series.

kelly , kimberly begin shooting spin-off simple life not picked up.

series producer 20th century fox held out hope network pick go-round. reported new incarnation may not feature paris , nicole. other networks said interested, including mtv strong possibility. new incarnation occurred, in newly developed spin-off that, following negotiations, set air on e!, featuring kelly osbourne , kimberly stewart in paris , nicole s shoes. show not picked up, however, after kelly opted out of project after few days shooting, branding demeaning , juvenile . distribution rights simple life still held 20th century fox, may submit series syndication in usa in future. in australia syndicated, various seasons airing on arena tv (on foxtel , austar).