Stewart defends 'polite' Hilton

Veteran rocker Rod Stewart has defended socialite Paris Hilton as an "extremely polite" girl who gets a "bad rap" in the press.

The Maggie May singer's daughter Kimberly Stewart grew up friends with Hilton in Los Angeles.

And Stewart, 61, believes Hilton will soon stop courting the media.

Speaking to US chat show host Ellen DeGeneres, he says: "I always found Paris to be extremely polite, at least she is when she's around me. She's a very nice girl, I think sometimes she gets a bad rap.

"She enjoys her publicity. (But) she'll grow out of it I think too. When she finds the right guy in her life she'll get everything in perspective and leave the press alone, and the press will leave her alone hopefully."