In order to understand why Cooking With Paris is actually hilarious, the first thing people need to realize is that Paris Hilton is in on the joke (and no, she isn't actually cooking food that most people want to eat). The reality show follows Paris as she showcases her lack of expertise in the kitchen. Fans also see her picking up the ingredients she needs, being confused about what a whisk is, and sharing the culinary chaos with many celebrity guests. Cooking With Paris dropped on Netflix and it did get some criticism, but many of her fans love it.
Reviews suggest that Paris is reverting back to her The Simple Life persona on Cooking With Paris. While that might be a fair assessment, Paris's demeanor on The Simple Life certainly entertained many viewers. Many fans of the heiress still remember her antics on the reality show. The Simple Life was one of the shows that helped the reality genre to go mainstream. Paris looks back at the show fondly, saying that it's hilarious and that she still rewatches it.
Cooking With Paris brings back that persona in full force in 2021, in a clever way. Paris manages to revisit her "dumb blonde" act and keep it topical. After her documentary, This Is Paris, it became clear to fans that she isn't just a beauty who has never had to lift a finger thanks to being born into a rich family. To top it all off, Paris revealed a lot about her entrepreneurial side. She is definitely aware of viewers' perceptions of her. This means that former presidential candidate Paris plays it up, and not just because it's what's expected of her. She also does it because she finds the whole "playing dumb" thing funny. Cooking With Paris takes all of that and wraps it in the context of an ongoing, sexist, and distasteful joke about women staying in the kitchen where they belong.
Paris plays to the way all powerful women are perceived, while also reminding fans of the show that jump-started her career. It's no coincidence that the Cooking With Paris guest list is filled with other powerful women, including her mom, Kathy Hilton. Additionally, it's just funny to see a pink-clad Paris dripping in diamonds at the grocery store. Iconic Instagram influencer Paris from Cooking With Paris also comes armed with quotable cooking tips like, "cook it until it's tan," and "cute food tastes better."
All in all, Cooking With Paris is an experience people should allow themselves to enjoy guilt-free now and again. While it's not everyone's cup of tea, it's quirky enough to be interesting. It also shows the evolution of pop culture icon Paris.