Early aughts nostalgia struck a Sonic in California yesterday, as Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie were seen working at a Duarte location this week. For many, of course, this implied that the rumored reboot of "Simple Life" — a show that aired from 2003 to 2007, featuring the pair doing various jobs and living with working class people in remote or rural areas throughout the country. The "duck out of water" appeal, Hilton's "that's hot" persona and Richie's dry humor made the show a hit.
Now, all these years later, the ladies seem to be reuniting for a reboot or reunion of sorts. While the reboot hasn't been officially confirmed, Hilton posted an Instagram reel back in May, in conjunction with Peacock, that's captioned "New Era. Same Besties. Coming soon to Peacock."
According to Bustle, Richie "stayed tight-lipped about the project" in an interview with the outlet, "only confirming that it would celebrate the show's 20 anniversary." However, on Good Morning America, Richie confirmed "it was not a full-on reboot," according to Jake Viswanath at Bustle.
When asked by TODAY, a Sonic representative provided the following statement via email: “While we cannot comment on the names or employment records of our crew members, we can share that a couple of our most iconic former carhops were rehired for a shift at our Duarte, California Drive-In yesterday. We cannot confirm any names, but we can confirm fun was had by both crew members and guests.”
According to Kirsty Hatcher at PEOPLE, Hilton said on Instagram last month, "Hey guys, just got home from shooting with Nicole . . . as some of you may know, we are doing a reunion special to celebrate 20 years of our show, 'The Simple Life.'" She added: "So basically, Nicole and I are planning something iconic."
