L.A. Confidential

You know times are tough when even Paris Hilton is worried about who's paying for dinner.

In this oddly engrossing clip from her reality show, My New BFF, Paris and aforementioned new BFF Brittany discuss who should pay when one person "like has a lot of money" and the other person "like doesn't."

As Jezebel.com points out, it's a bizarrely fascinating conundrum, mostly because Brittany is so straight up with her concern about mooching.

The convo goes down at a slumber party for Paris' crew, including Paris' sister Nicky and aunt Kyle, as well as Nick Swardson and some other Internet fameballs. Paris never actually answers, but looks brilliantly uncomfortable as she pretends not to understand the question. Nick comes to the rescue with a suggestion that poor folk should pay for "like fast food."

Then Nicky announces Paris used to date "a famous musician who all of you know" that would never pick up the check, throwing in a measly $80 for just his portion of dinner. They now refer to him as "Eighty Dollars."

Damn, I wish I had dates where $80 covered just one person's portion. In my world, the nickname "Eighty Dollars" denotes grandeur and extravagance.

But truly, haven't we all worried about who should pay, and what's fair, and if one party makes significantly more than the other, then does splitting the bill constitute a regressive tax on the lower earning party? Or is that just my awkwardness about discussing money shaking its circumspect head?

I've dated guys who made significantly less and guys who made significantly more than I do. Either way, I ALWAYS hold my breath upon arrival of the dinner bill. Because if you let the guy pay, you risk appearing to be a girl who trades dinner for dessert. But if you grab the check, you risk emasculating him (or in my case, bankrupting myself).

(I once had a guy reach for the bill, register the pained expression on my face as I deliberated whether to let him pay or not, and then ask me quizzically, "Okay, just tell me the right answer so I don't have to see that look again.")

I know the simplest solution is to split the thing in half. But I have this antiquated notion that divvying up costs on a date drains it of all romance. Better to take turns paying, I believe. Or just sit there awkwardly and let your BFF answer for you.

Is it OK to let a guy pay for dinner? What about a friend who makes more than you?

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