When we last checked in on Paris Hilton, she was proudly announcing that she voted for Donald Trump because, in her words, “I’ve known him since I’m a little girl.” That right there was pretty much Peak America, by the way. In any case, we’ve known exactly what Paris Hilton is for many, many years: an absolute idiot. She’s dumb like a fox in that she was the pioneer famewhore who was famous for nothing, but Paris’s heyday has long since passed and dumb is forever. But to hear Paris tell it, she’s secretly been brilliant this whole time and she was merely playing dumb many years ago and that image just stuck. Yeah. That excuse is older than “I just seem like a bitch because of the editing.”

Paris Hilton is a name that signifies glitz, money, blonde jokes and, now, a $2 billion empire. That’s right, Hilton reveals to Access Hollywood that she doesn’t want to be known as a ditz anymore. With 17 product lines and 70 overseas stores, she’s built a business empire and is ready for people to recognize it.

“I am a very hardworking businesswoman and entrepreneur, and that’s what I want to be known as now,” shares the hotel heiress. The 35-year-old credits the producers of her breakout reality show The Simple Life with her frivolous persona, explaining, “They said ‘Nicole you play the trouble maker, Paris you play the ditzy airhead.’ We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into or what a huge success it would be and that I’d have to continue playing this character for five years. You kind of just get trapped in that character when you have to continue doing it on a TV show,” she says. Despite Hilton’s honest musings around the dumb blond persona, she admits she’s benefited because she “was in on the joke.”

“I don’t mind because I feel like I really parlayed it into a huge business and it was a lot of fun,” she says. “I think if I was my serious self on the show it wouldn’t have been such a huge success.”

The show may be gone and she may be past her hard-partying socialite days, but Hilton is still still holds court in the style arena, with fashionistas like Kate Middleton spotted wearing the same dresses she’s donned.

Hilton rewards herself for her hard work with a sparkling rock on her figure, which she dubs her “good luck diamond.”

She says, “I feel like I’ve worked really hard so I like to treat myself.”

[From People]

I do feel like Paris is taking a page out of Donald Trump’s book of just throwing out a number and claiming that’s what she’s worth. In this case, are we just supposed to take her word for it that her “empire” is worth $2 billion? Because I don’t believe it. I’m sure there are places in the world where Paris’s perfume or whatever still sells, but $2 billion? Nah. As for Paris only playing dumb for her branding… I’ve seen her in interviews. She really is that mind-numbingly stupid. No joke.

Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.