The Simple Life is a popular reality television series broadcast from December 2, 2003 to August 5, 2007. The first three seasons aired on Fox, and the final two on E!. The comedic show depicts two wealthy young socialites (Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie) as they struggle to do manual, low-paying jobs such as cleaning rooms, doing farm work, serving meals in fast-food restaurants and working as camp counselors.
Originally the producers wanted Paris Hilton's sister Nicky Hilton (I) to star in the show with her. When Nicky turned it down, the producers offered Hilton's longtime pal Nicole Richie the chance to star in it with her.
The girls were supposed to work at a school, but due to complaints from parents the episode was never made.
After the third season, the producers Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie had plans to send the girls to Mexico for the fourth season. But plans were changed when Paris Hilton publicly confirmed that she and Nicole Richie were no longer friends. Hilton wanted the producers to replace Richie with Kimberly Stewart. But they had Hilton and Richie under contract to do a fourth season together and refused Hilton's request. The fourth season features Hilton and Richie separately playing "mother" to a different family every episode, with the family then deciding which of them was better in the role.
