Us Magazine’s Prince/Paris Hilton Humiliation Allegation False, Says Singer Janet Gabriel
Janet Gabriel knows this story was false. Why? Because she was there on stage with Paris when she declined. Not because she can’t sing, but because she didn’t know the song. No shame in that is there?
I wrote about this over the weekend and didn’t want to go too far with the story until I heard back from Janet Gabriel, the woman who stated she was on stage with Paris Hilton at the Club 3121 for the Prince concert in Las Vegas, April 20.
I have heard back from her and she has offered verifiable proof that not only was she there, but the story that made headlines last week about Prince inviting Paris Hilton on stage just to humiliate her were false. According to Ms. Gabriel, members of the audience were invited on stage which included Paris Hilton and Ms. Gabriel. The chosen song was “Play That Funky Music” (Wild Cherry had the hit btw) and the reason Paris didn’t sing was she didn’t know the words. A perfectly reasonable reason to decline. This doesn’t mean that Paris Hilton can sing live, but it doesn’t mean she can’t either.
I contacted Us Magazine for a comment on this story and was referred to a Mark Neschis. After asking for my credentials he stated he would call me back. I waited for about an hour and a half. I then called him back asking if Us wanted to give their side of the story. His response, “I don’t know who are,” “You haven’t give me enough time,” and “Why are you being belligerent?” To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t belligerent, but I was persistent. I tried to offer him more time, but he cut me off with, “You want a statement from Us, the statement is “No comment.”
No word on whether they plan to print a retraction of their story.
I have contacted Paris Hilton’s representation at her company Paris Hilton Entertainment, and Endeavor Agency (her talent agency) in an effort to get in contact with Elliot Mintz, Paris’ spokesperson. I was given her PR assistant email - I am waiting to hear back from them.
The story — though hardly a matter of national security — was picked up and covered by just about every celeb site out there, as well as mainstream media, including MSNBC, Blender and The Boston Globe. By the time I gave up counting the links, it was well over 100.
As I stated in my previous post, most of us found this story too good to pass up. Clearly, so did Us Magazine who originally printed it, both in their May 7th issue and on their website. The story, in their “HOT STUFF!” section is aptly titled: Paris Hilton, DISSED BY PRINCE!
Surely they new that would be a great story to cover - Paris is the celeb we love to trash. She often makes it easy with her flamboyant and unabashed nature. I am no angel in that regard, I have posted many nasty and unpleasant things with great relish on this site about Paris Hilton. But I, like most online sites, get my celeb news from the mainstream media. Their tone and their coverage set the stage for who we love and who we love to hate.
The story in Us just says “A source tells Hot Stuff that Hilton, 26, was in the audience at the Purple One’s April 20 Club 3121 gig at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas when he invited her to join him.” And that’s where the truth ends.
Here’s what soul singer Janet Gabriel, had to say about that night at the club:
“Unfortunately, I did not meet Paris Hilton anywhere apart from on Princes stage. We were mere inches apart, facing each other for a few seconds with Prince[’s] backing singer between us while I sung the first bar of the song with the mic in Shelby’s hand. She [Paris] actually appeared relieved that I got her off the hook of singing a song she didn’t know the words to and she smiled shyly, yet appreciatively at me then I turned towards Prince, then the audience to finish the song. She did not storm off in anger at all and all that stuff about Prince attempting to humiliate her was not true at all. His shows in Vegas are all about audience participation and he was only trying to recognize her presence. I heard he did the same when Gnarls Barkley singer CeLo attended a previous gig in Vegas.
Given, Paris has made a few mistakes in the past, and I do admire her ability to keep going on despite all the negative publicity for which she may be partially responsible, but it really doesn’t give anybody any excuse to keep using every opportunity to pull the poor lady down and keep her her a laughing stock. Hence I appreciate your efforts to get US Magazine to admit their mistake.”
Ms. Gabriel, a software developer, has invested all her money and efforts into a music career as a soul/jazz singer with her backing band the Neophonics. Despite being in the midst of getting ready to leave her native UK to go on tour in Nigeria, she said she couldn’t let the story stand unchallenged. She left comments on Us’ website, Glosslip and here.
As someone at the beginning of their journey into building a name for themselves as an artist, she understands all too well how the media can make or break you. I thank her for setting the record straight. Maybe Paris will too.
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Dawn, this is some first-rate
belligerencereporting. Well done. It is funny that an industry that so often sees its practitioners cross the line from persistence to belligerence- nevermind. You did a great job!Comment by Josh — April 30, 2007 @ 1:46 pm
Was saying this story was false from the get go.
Yes it happened that she was on stage, and Prince has done this SEVERAL times over his run at the Rio in Vegas and a majority of the people do not know the lyrics and decline, even when he puts the mic in their face.
I reported the story early Saturday morning April 21st as my friend called me after leaving the club. He said Paris was on stage and Prince tried to have her sing “Play That Funky Music” and she waved him off a few times and then his back up singer Shelby tried to have her sing and she waved her off as well.
Paris left the stage about 5 minutes later, walking off, not storming off. She stayed for the rest of the show, and US Weekly even has a shot of her early Saturday morning a few hours later on the 21st with Kevin Federline at TAO, not even looking upset.
I have been upset at US Weekly since I saw the article because it was just posted by me on Prince sites, no where else AND that they had to add stuff to it. It was a good enough story without them having to say he was trying to humuliate her on purpose and that she stormed off.
Needless to say, I have been critizing US weekly and saying what you said, that it kind of ends where she was on stage and declined to sing. Verifying that happened and nothing else.
Needless to say, I guess critizing US Weekly and being upset about it being lifted from my post was not smart. My myspace page, with all my thousands of contacts, was deleted on Saturday afternoon with no reason given.
j7
Comment by j7 — April 30, 2007 @ 2:40 pm
Oh and by the way, she was there again last Friday night at Prince’s club and has been to MANY exclusive celeb Prince events.
Comment by j7 — April 30, 2007 @ 2:53 pm
I was at that Prince show!
I can partially verify Janet’s story—I can say 100% that she did sing on stage and did a fantastic job.
As for the Paris Hilton part….call me a loser but I would not recognize her!
I do recall Prince say to a group a people “let’s see who can really sing” or something like that.
BTW..the real story is that Prince does an awesome job on stage
Comment by T — April 30, 2007 @ 9:58 pm
[…] after dealing with Us Magazine recently and unraveling a blatant fabrication that they refused to acknowledge, their mode of operation hast has become abundantly clear to me. […]
Pingback by GlossLip » Angelina Jolie Now Giving Lap Dances To Ex-Lovers — May 2, 2007 @ 10:20 am
I can testify that Janet was the BOMB that night! I was there on April 20th and her account of the whole chain of events is spot on.
Seriously…my wife and I (and everyone else) went nuts when Janet start blowin, “Play That Funky Music White Boy”. Top shelf.
A great night!
Comment by vegas boy — May 4, 2007 @ 3:05 pm
I was lucky enough to be at this show on the 20th also. It was incredible. My seats were right next to Paris and her entourage. (Yes, I had better seats than Paris Hilton
) She danced and partied right next to me. This account of the story is accurate. Prince did not diss Paris and she was never angry during the show. Us Mag is just sensationalizing this story.
I’ll also add that Paris seemed quite shy and didn’t want to go on stage, but was convinced by her girlfriends to go. Paris did have the mic in her hand at one point. Personally, I was relieved that she didn’t sing and Janet rocked the house. I never saw this as a diss by Prince. I’ll also add that Paris cannot dance, she likes to flip her hair in your face when she does dance, and she was, yet again, going fully commando and liked to flip up her skirt so you could see.
I agree that the real story here is that Prince rocked the house. Everyone had a great time (including Paris). It was the highlight of my wife and I’s anniversary vacation to vegas and Mexico.
Comment by jgroshart — May 7, 2007 @ 11:38 pm
NEWS FLASH
The Twin Towers professional staff has positively diagnosed Paris Hilton’s condition.
Miss Hilton has been confirmed to be suffering from an advanced case of HUTAS (Head Up The Ass Syndrome). Hilton exhibits acute symptoms related to a patient with their head clearly up their ass. It is known that if HUTAS isn’t diagnosed and treated in its early stages, the condition suffocates the brain and leads to irreversible systemic damage. Symptoms are characterized by a lack of intelligence, muffled hysteria and blind arrogance which enlarges the head making it more difficult to cure the disease.
Treatment for HUTAS includes applying repeated and sufficient force to each side of the buttocks with one’s foot. Having the patient walking or running while their buttocks is booted builds psychological remedy for the patient and satisfaction for the treatment specialist. Most professionals agree that in Miss Hilton’s case, several hundred treatment sessions will be required to obtain full remission. Due to the expected long and arduous recovery period, it is recommended that the public at large be recruited to administer treatments.
Comment by qwkinuf — June 10, 2007 @ 8:46 pm
[…] can’t sing, but because she didn’t know the song. No shame in that is there?[…] Thanks to dmdo1016 for providing this nice story on Digg (more than 17 […]
Pingback by Us Magazine Should Issue Retraction For False Paris Hilton/Prince Story « Promi News — October 31, 2007 @ 2:43 am