Las Vegas Weekly

November 10, 2008 · 10:01 AM

Paris and Benji reveal love secrets and plan for first anniversary

By Robin Leach

Benji has Paris' ear during the premiere of Repo! The Genetic Opera earlier this month at Planet Hollywood, but his chronic clinging has torpedoed the romance.

Photo: Erik Kabik/Retna/www.erikkabik.com

For the first time, Paris Hilton and lover Benji Madden of Good Charlotte have gone on the record about their relationship -- and their mutual promises to be with each other forever! They talked with me candidly at the premiere of her new movie Repo! The Genetic Opera when it debuted at Planet Hollywood here.

“I’m really happy -- he’s my best friend. He’s an incredible man and a really good person who makes me very happy. He wants to be with me forever, and it’s the same with me. Yes, we’ve talked about marriage, but we’ll surprise you with that when it happens,” she told me exclusively.

Other reporters picked off my exclusive video interview with Paris, but you can watch and listen to our entire conversation right here.

I’d always thought they’d met Valentine’s Day this year, but Paris corrected me: “We were a little sneaky about that. We will actually have been together since January. It was only when you saw us for the first time together that we went public about our romance, and you were the first to report it. So although Feb. 14 will be a special day, it’s not our actual anniversary.

“In fact, we actually celebrate it every month. We give each other presents, we write each other love letters, I’ll cook him a special dinner. We keep it exciting.”

I’ve known Paris since she was a teenager and have seen her through several dating scenarios. I asked her if this was “the real thing, finally.”

“It couldn’t get any better. You’ll just have to see if this Valentine’s Day upcoming has some special significance! Everything is just perfect and wonderful with Benji. He just got back from a trip in Africa, so I’m happy to have him home with me. I just finished filming the British version of My Best British Friend, so it’s good to be back together again.”

Paris told me she’d brought three of the British finalists with her to Vegas for her premiere, and they will wrap filming of the British version in Los Angeles this week. “You Brits are a lot more reserved and shyer and not as insane as the American contestants,” she laughed with me.

Paris admitted that she has picked somebody as her new BFF on her own reality show here. “That episode hasn’t aired yet, so I can’t dare tell you who won,” Paris said. “But six of them have wound up becoming good new friends. I talk to them every day. I had them all over to the house to watch the elections at my party.

“They are fun, cool personalities and totally real. I love them. We’re all loving Vegas. I love your city. There’s so much to do here. I love to gamble and go out. I have so many friends here, and it’s so close to L.A. I even love the pet store you have here!”

She says she’s been offered a second season of Paris Hilton’s My New BFF, in addition to offers to duplicate it in other countries including Australia, where she and sister Nicky will ring in New Year’s this coming Dec. 31.

“We’re going to see if we can make the schedules work to do it all,” a delighted Paris said.

Following the Planet Hollywood movie premiere, Paris and Benji raced over to the Hard Rock Hotel to check up on his investment in Carey Hart’s new Wasted Space rock club.

Then they shot back to the Prive nightclub in Planet Hollywood for the movie after-party. Paris and Benji enjoyed a 1:30 a.m. snack of vegetarian spring rolls, pork pot stickers and mini cheeseburger sliders. She selected Patron tequila and Benji picked Snow Queen vodka. Paris then had energy to go dancing -- both on her VIP couch and on the club’s dance floor.

She looked movie-superstar glamorous for her premiere, a vamped-up vixen in a sexy, mosaic silver dress and a pair of Benji’s rock and roll punk gloves.

He told me: “I prefer being in the background when it’s her moment to shine at events like this. We’re doing really well together. There’s something very special about it. I don’t want to talk about it, what it all means, but we are unbelievably comfortable and happy together.”

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