Barbara Walters wants to keep her integrity - and therefore decided against a Paris Hilton interview.
The respected journalist, who appears almost daily on "The View," was the first person named to interview Paris when she was released from jail. However, after a bidding war started over the exclusive rights, Barbara and the ABC network backed out.
According to Barbara, she decided against interviewing the heiress because her story isn't important news. She told the New York Post, "I've done prison interviews before, but people like the Menendez Brothers were really important news stories. This wasn't. And even though I'd already written my questions, when all that pay-for-play stuff happened, I suddenly felt this was not up to my standard. It...felt...sort of ...tawdry."
Barbara continued, "The whole thing somehow was beneath me. Besides, it was a no-win. If I did a tough piece and her tears started to flow, it would be, 'Oh, there's Barbara Walters making people cry again.' Too soft, and I'd be criticized."
While NBC was reportedly offering the Hilton family $1 million for the deal, ABC backed out when Barbara said 'no.'
The reporter said that she was not willing to buy into the popularity of the story. She added, "For them it was ratings. For me it was respect. I'm fortunately at a point in my life where I can choose what I want, and this was solely my decision. [ABC] respected my decision and walked away. Some agreed with my decision, some didn't. For me it was just a question of respect."
Paris will now be interviewed by Larry King for his CNN talk show. The starlet has spent 23 days in jail for DUI probation violation.
 |  |  |  |  |  |
