Paris Hilton’s Trip To Rwanda Postponed

Some very disappointing news to report. For the second time, AP confirms Paris Hilton’s trip to Rwanda has been postponed and the excuse is quite lame:

Rwanda will have to wait for Paris Hilton’s help. “Due to the restructuring of the Playing for Good Foundation, the philanthropic trip to Rwanda that the foundation had previously planned with Paris has been postponed,” the children’s charity said Thursday in a statement.

A staffer for Andy Gelb, a spokesman for the organization, said he was unavailable for comment.

The 26-year-old socialite – who has promised to use her celebrity status for good causes – was supposed to pack her bags for the African country next month. On her itinerary: visits to schools and health-care clinics.

AP

From: david
Time: October 25, 2007, 4:44 pm

Maybe there was something to the story in Newsweek about the reality show? Maybe that’s how the foundation was going to pay for it and now they can’t? Maybe they all agreed and then there was negative pub?

You can already hear the backlash. “She never really wanted to go.” “It was just a publicity stunt” “The Africans didn’t want her there.” She should just find a way to go.

Can’t she just get Stavros or her family to pay for it? If she really wants to go, why does she need Playing for Good? My law firm does pro bono for some of these non-profits. I’ve been over there for a relief trip. (Not to Rwanda, but to another African country.) It’s rewarding and eye-opening.

Hopefully, she’ll find a way to make it work. It changes the life of anyone who goes.

From: terrell
Time: October 25, 2007, 4:46 pm

Most likely it wont happen until next year if it even happens.

From: david
Time: October 25, 2007, 4:49 pm

I also remember seeing an interview in the Extra Paris section of this site (maybe yahoo intvu?) where she said that she was planning an Africa trip. I think that was 2005. It seems like she could’ve made it happen within 2 years if she wanted to go. There are a lot of orgs that organize these trips.
Hopefully, she really does want to go and this is just a small setback.
I think that it helps to put things into perspective.

From: admin
Time: October 25, 2007, 7:15 pm

This is kinda ridiculous, and it’s going to look bad for Paris in the long run, unless if they give a new date soon. It reminds me of her tour (too good to be true), except for this one, they actually said it’s going to be postponed.

I don’t know if she said that in 2005, david. I think she said she wants to visit Africa one day. But I do know she was supposed to go to Africa in January 2006 (if I remember), but that didn’t happen and now, again.

I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

From: Dawn
Time: October 27, 2007, 12:52 am

If Scott Lazerson is not with the charity he founded any longer, they must be having serious internal problems indeed.
That’s something beyond Paris’s control.
But, of course, she’ll get blamed for not going. MSNBS said tonight Paris might have thought the trip was too dangerous.
Seems like it’s the PFG foundation that has problems,though. They just don’t want to talk about it.

From: david
Time: October 27, 2007, 7:21 am

Actually, Lazerson is the one quoted about the tv show. Maybe he didn’t have clearance to discuss it or maybe he didn’t fully inform Paris about it? That would make sense.

Although, as admin wrote, she’s discussed going for almost 2 years, so maybe she really doesn’t want to go. No shame there.

From: Dawn
Time: October 27, 2007, 7:48 am

Possibly.
BUT if Scott Lazerson left, they have internal problems.
This foundation is only a year old and they don’t seem to have their act together.
Never even heard of Playing For Good until Paris put them on the map.