“IT'S CALLED GOSSIP AND OF COURSE IT'S AN OBSESSION OF MINE”

Paris Hilton says she acts dumb on TV to get laughs, but in real life she’s “a strong person” who’s been through a lot. The 27-year-old heirhead told British morning show “GMTV” she kept up her dumb-blonde image for her Fox reality show “The Simple Life,” co-starring Nicole Richie.“For five seasons I was stuck doing this character,” she said. “It was kind of hard always having to play that character when it’s not who I am.” She admits she did it for the sake of entertainment. “I just say jokes but they think I’m serious, which I think is funny, and I think I kind of play up the image because . . . whatever . . . it’s just entertainment.”