John McCain scores celeb own goal

Has John McCain accidentally bitten the hand that feeds him? It seems so. A wave of negative advertising launched this week by the McCain camp against his Democratic presidential rival Barack Obama attempts to use Obama's fame and popularity against him. And in a 30-second TV spot called Celeb, the Republican team has used the unlikely political duo of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton to make its point.

Obama is filmed during his recent visit to Berlin, addressing an adoring crowd of 200,000 Germans. The film then cuts to clips of Spears and Hilton. "He's the biggest celebrity in the world," says the breathy female narrator. "But, is he ready to lead?"

Just one problem - what will Paris Hilton's parents, Rick Hilton, grandson of the hotel chain's founder, Conrad Hilton, and his wife Kathy make of it? TMZ.com has done a little digging and discovered that in March this year the couple gave the maximum allowed $2,300 each to the McCain campaign. There are rumours that the Hiltons are furious - but there's no official comment yet from the Hilton household in Beverly Hills.