What's Really Going on with Paris and Nicole?

Since Paris Hilton's cryptic announcement that she and childhood playmate Nicole Richie were no longer friends, rumors have been fast and furious as to what the real story behind their well-publicized breakup is. The feud between the Simple Life stars kept them from being renewed on FOX (who happily broadcasted the first three seasons of the Simple Life). The celebutantes found a home again on E! network, and got great ratings for the network. The same ratings at FOX, however, would have been hugely disappointing to the network, and shows that Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie might have an ever-decreasing fan base now that they've moved to cable.

The Simple Life 4: 'Til Death Do Us Part only showed the girls onscreen together in exactly two episodes: the very first of the season, and the finale. Reportedly, the girls refused to share air time and would not speak to each other on camera, so all their scenes were shot separately. When E! made the announcement July 12, 2006 that Simple Life would be renewed for a fifth season, executives at the network said they could not film the girls separately again - it just wouldn't work for the show. Honestly, this duo is only good together - and everyone knows it. FOX knows it, E! knows it, and the fans know it. But do Paris and Nicole?

Paris reportedly called Nicole Richie on September 22, 2006, to wish her former partner in crime a happy belated birthday. Rumors say that Nicole was so excited to hear from Paris, she dropped her cell phone. However, Nicole Richie made the statement that she and Paris would not reunite as of September 28, 2006 - so what's going on?

In late July, the news was filled with stories that the two would appear (together and at the same time) on The Late Show with David Letterman. Reportedly, the late night host was going to serve as a peacemaker to patch things up between the former best friends. Something happened, schedules changed, and the much-touted appearance of Paris and Nicole on The Late Show never happened. What gives?

Recent photos have showed both the girls, hugging each other and smiling, and rumors are circulating on the Internet that Paris Hilton herself admitted the entire feud was a fraud. When it comes to Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, there are more than enough unconfirmed rumors and there is very little real information.

The question no longer seems to be whether the girls will make up and become friends and co-stars again, but how long their feud can continue to hold public interest. Media attention is fading and fans are tired of waiting for concrete news on the status of these favorite party girls. The official Paris Hilton web site is conspicuously free of any Nicole-related info, and the cliffhanger ending of The Simple Life 4 (which ended with the girls, at long last, confronting each other in front of cameras. "We have to talk," Paris said, in even tones, to Nicole Richie after Nicole tried to publicly embarrass Paris by holding a phony press conference with a Paris Hilton lookalike. A noncommittal shrug from Richie, "So, talk," Nicole challenged her. The show ended then and there with these fateful words "To be continued….Next Season") did little to temper fans' impatience with Paris and Nicole friendship-related news. Are they trying to milk the spotlight for as long as possible, or is E! pushing them to make up onscreen for an explosive 5th season?

And even if they do, will any fans hang around long enough to see the final outcome?