YOU DON’T SAY! Paris Hilton, making the scene last week at Fashion Week, was recorded by a cabdriver (not this one) who leaked her alleged anti-gay diatribe to a Web site. (ZUMAPRESS.com)
Watch what you say the next time you’re in a New York City taxi — as a humiliated Paris Hilton learned the hard way yesterday when she learned that her private back-seat conversation had been recorded by an unscrupulous cabdriver who gave it to a gossip Web site.
The hotel heiress was riding between Fashion Week parties in Manhattan on Sept. 7 when she went into a rant about how gay men are “disgusting” and most have AIDS.
The unidentified driver took advantage of the moment by taping the comments, which were posted yesterday by RadarOnline.com.
“Gay guys are the horniest people in the world,” she said. “They’re disgusting. Dude, most of them probably have AIDS.”
Hilton’s reps confirmed she made the comments — but insisted she was merely expressing concern for gay friends and the dangers of unprotected sex.
Hilton apologized through a statement released by gay-rights GLAAD in which she said, “I am so sorry from the bottom of my heart and I feel absolutely horrible.
“I was having this private conversation with a friend of mine who is gay and our conversation was in no way towards the entire gay community. It is the last thing that I would ever want to do and I cannot put into words how much I wish I could take back every word,” she said.
Making the recording was not against New York state law or city regulation — but the dirty move drew plenty of outrage.
Openly gay City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Queens) said people who ride cabs in this city should be allowed to talk freely without the fear of a spy behind the wheel.
“I’d never defend ignorant statements as a gay man who’s an elected official. I think recording and posting private conversations are a violation of what people are expecting,” said Van Bramer.
“At a minimum, I think that anybody who’s ever taken a cab ride expects it to be private. Maybe the cabdriver overhears, sure. But no one expects it can be taped and broadcast.”
City cabbies slammed their fellow hack for making the recording.
“The cabdriver should not have released the recording,” said driver Yves Michel. “It was an invasion of her privacy. I believe the cabdriver should be punished for it.”
Former New York Civil Liberties Union director Norman Siegel said New Yorkers should learn from Hilton — and always assume the tape is rolling.
“I don’t like it [secret tape] — unless it’s a nonpowerful person going against a powerful person and that’s the only way,” he said.
Radar refused to say whether it paid the driver. The hack stood by his actions, telling Radar, “I couldn’t believe what was coming out of Paris’ mouth and the way she was talking about gay men.”
But Paris’ team said the comments were taken out of context. “It was not her intent to make any derogatory comments about all gays,” said her spokeswoman, Dawn Miller.
Additional reporting by Candace Amos