Paul Hogan (butler)
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Paul Hogan is a former Australian Consul turned celebrity butler. He is most famous to television audiences for portraying “the Butler” on the TV series Joe Millionaire. He has since made some appearances on other shows, but has not taken up a major role following Joe Millionaire. After arriving in the U.S. and before his work in television, he completed an Associates degree in Culinary Arts at the New England Culinary Institute.
Paul is a butler/ estate manager by profession with a lifetime of diverse international experience. He is also the father of two college students and has resided in the USA for the past 14 years. Recently, Paul’s career took a somewhat dramatic and totally unexpected turn when he became the butler and host of the highest rated ever hit reality TV show “Joe Millionaire”.
Paul was recruited through the International Guild of Butlers, to run the chateau in France where "Joe Millionaire" was staged and filmed. He was employed in a truly "hands on" position and responsible for the domestic and household management of the chateau. He was to have had only minor and incidental "on screen" appearances.
But as production commenced, the producers began to note Paul's remarkably relaxed manner in front of the cameras, his empathetic approach to people, dry wit and sense of self and very quickly realized they had found a "natural." So the humble butler soon found himself not only butling but also the presenter of the program. As the press releases attest, Fox acknowledged, "Paul was the glue that held the show together" and in no small way was responsible for its success. Through Joe Millionaire, Paul has developed quite the following among the American, Canadian and Australian TV viewing audiences. Subsequently, Joe Millionaire has been shown throughout the world.
His celebrity career is continuing, in that he has just gone to air in Canada (January 2006) with his new show “Groomed”. In “Groomed” Paul takes regular blokes and turns them into gentlemen for life changing events such as a marriage proposals, weddings or reconnection with families. It’s a “frog to prince” story and Paul is both host and mentor (www.groomed.tv).
[edit] Personal life
Paul was born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. On leaving school he entered the Australian Diplomatic Service and embarked on a 26 year career, mainly overseas. Early on in this career he was also drafted into the Australian Army for 2 years of compulsory service.
As a diplomat Paul was posted to Canada, Yugoslavia, Jamaica and the Caribbean, Los Angeles and Argentina. His expertise was the administration and operation of Embassies, and as Consul, caring for the affairs and welfare of fellow citizens who sought assistance from the Embassy.
On retirement, Paul moved to the USA and opened a successful bed and breakfast which he ran for a number of years and subsequently sold. In his search for another adventure, he came across the job description for butler/ estate manager and realized that the years he’d spent working as a Diplomat equipped him well for this profession. For the previous 20 years, Paul’s primary responsibilities included human resource, financial, project and property management, communications, security, protocol, transport, shipping, health and welfare, education, Prime Ministerial and VIP visits, Trade promotion, as well as functions as diverse as Marriage Celebrant, Electoral Officer, Registrar of Shipping and Zoo Inspector. As Consul, he had visited some of the finest prisons, hospitals and mortuaries in the world and his solo trip to the docks in Kingston, Jamaica, at 0300am on Sunday, June 12, 1983, he still recalls with some clarity! Needless to say, he possesses finely honed negotiation, people, communication and problem solving skills.
As a prerequisite to reinventing himself as a butler, Paul enrolled as a full time student at the New England Culinary Institute and in the 6 months he was there became a competent cook and developed his knowledge of food, its history and food safety. This was followed by a 3 month private study tour to the wine regions of France, Eastern Australia and California. As a butler/ estate manager, Paul has worked in Aspen, Houston, New York and New Jersey, and internationally in the United Kingdom, France, Italy and the Bahamas.
When not involved in television production, Paul continues to work as a relief/ temporary butler, trainer and consultant and will consider any reasonable and challenging assignment in any location.
