You've all no doubt heard about the McCain ad that accused Barack Obama of Paris Hilton-like empty-headed celebrity. But if you haven't seen Paris' rebuttal commercial, you really, really should.

When I started researching paparazzi and doing interviews for my book, SUZY Q. PAPARAZZI, I met a handful of people who'd had casual interactions with Paris. They weren't close personal friends, but still the consensus was the same: She's smarter than you think she is.

Everyone agrees that she understands media, celebrity and image better than almost anybody and has been able to turn a buck from it like no one's business. And while I can't say my celebutante character in Suzy Q. is based on Paris exactly, she, too, is far more savvy than her image would indicate.

What she doesn't have in common with the real-life Ms. Hilton is her interaction with photographers. My fictional character is wary and gruff. Everyone I talked to agrees Paris is a doll to the paps. She's nice to them, and they love her for it. It's in her best interest, of course, and I'm sure she knows it.

Example: There was a recent string of photographs of Paris shopping. (I know. You're shocked.) On her arm was a handbag. When the paps showed up, she told them to hang on, ran to her car and changed purses. Then she came back and posed for more pictures. The new purse? One of her own line.

I have to say, I love that about her. I love that she knows how she's perceived and how to manipulate it. I love that she's got a sense of humor. I love that she's using them as much as they're using her.

When she's 40, when it's okay for her to admit she has a brain in her head, I think there's a fair chance she's going to be pretty fabulous.


Update: Following the popularity of her YouTube rebuttal, she's releasing "Paris for President" t-shirts, to be sold at Kitson on Paparazzi Row (also known as Robertson Boulevard) in Hollywood. What was that about turning a buck?