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Kathy Hilton Tells All: RHOBH Stardom, Bonding With Kyle Richards & Her Future as a Housewife

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills's breakout star Kathy Hilton dishes exclusively on her vodka martini pranks, hilariously bad eye sight and her surprising thoughts on returning next season.

By Brett Malec Jun 15, 2021 1:00 PMTags

We need to talk about Kathy Hilton.

Kyle Richards' big sister has quickly become the breakout star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' season 11. Despite not being a full time Housewife and just a "friend of" the cast, Nicky and Paris Hilton's mom has enchanted viewers with her scene-stealing antics (vodka martini pranks!), lovably kooky and quirky personality (eating potato chips and Red Bull in bed at 3 a.m., much to Kyle's annoyance) and overall DGAF attitude.

In just four episodes, Kathy has spawned countless memes, cementing herself as a true RHOBH fan-favorite in record time.

E! News got the pleasure of chatting with Kathy to pick her brain on everything from her hilariously bad eyesight, her family's reaction to her RHOBH stardom and why she doesn't want to be a full-time Housewife. Read on for our exclusive Q&A with queen Kathy Hilton.

E! NEWS: Fans are loving you on the show and people are going crazy for you. Have you seen the positive reactions online and what do you think of it?
KH: I have seen you know, some of the different blogs and on my Instagram and it feels wonderful. There's a lot of very nice people out there.

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Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Through The Years

E! NEWS: What is it like watching yourself on the show?
KH:
You know what, I don't watch it. We went to dinner the other night with my friend. I'm not big on TV. I mean, I have watched it because it is a good idea to kind of get an idea of how you're being portrayed and as they say, edited, but I pretty much know what I did and I said. I can't just sit there and watch TV.

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E! NEWS: Were you worried at all that being on the show with Kyle would affect your relationship or has this made your bond even stronger?

KH: I think that it's made the bond stronger and I was really looking forward to spending that time with her. And then we both get on each other's nerves. You'll see. I think that happens with siblings and especially when you're in close quarters and spending a lot of time, but I'd rather that than have not being able to see her, not having a relationship at all.

We have a lot of fun and a lot of good laughs too. I did watch the little piece last night where she was dancing on the table and I start to laugh and I see myself kicking her just back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, just on her leg crying. I don't think I've ever laughed that hard in my life. I showed my husband that and I said, "Honey, have you ever seen me laugh this hard?" And he said, "Well I have but that is pretty funny." It's interesting to watch myself like that.

E! NEWS: Has he watched any of the episodes?
KH: Yes, we did watch one together and then I had on the second episode...we did watch the show together, the one with the bottom's up.

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E! NEWS: Did he love it? Was he cracking up?
KH:
Yes but he's used to me. That's just the beginning. I love to pull tricks. In fact, I've had practice with that here at my house. I have done that before, the water martinis. But you know what I didn't realize? I didn't realize that I was being punked at the end. Punking the punker!

E! NEWS: Could you really bottom's up a vodka martini?
KH: Oh no. I mean if I see Lisa Rinna make one, I love olives so I'll go make one that looks so good and looks so fancy. I'll take a sip of it and eat the olives and then I'm done with it. I like to have a glass of wine or a glass of champagne.

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E! NEWS: I was cracking up over the Tahoe scene when you were in bed with Kyle and you had the potato chips and the Red Bull. Was that a normal nightly routine for you in bed?
KH: Sometimes I do get hungry. And she has no patience. I will say, Kyle is the greatest girl but she has no patience at all. I'm coming in there to spend time and to bond a little bit and just to be able…I was a little nervous because they said there were bears, and I'm bored and I'm not tired yet so I'm thinking, "Let's kind of hang out." And she just goes, "I want to go to sleep." I came in thinking we'd sit up and chat. She's very strict.

E! NEWS: I have to ask you about your eye sight. Have you thought about getting Lasik surgery?
KH: I got Lasik surgery and it was wonderful for about four years. I'll never forget, the doctor said, "Go home. Rest your eyes for three hours and you'll be fine." I went out that evening to an art opening and literally, that was six hours later, and I'll never forget I was talking to this woman and I could see every hair in her nostril. It was like unbelievable, but it just faded and it didn't last.

And then when I finally put my readers on and I started to go, "Where are my glasses? I can't find my glasses," and I realize they're on me, I thought, "Kathy, You've got to go back to the doctor's. So many things have happened in the last 10 years, wonderful new procedures." So I did go in, but I'd have to wear these blinder [things] in the house for eight weeks and I just was not able to do that. I just did that about a month ago. So I think I'm going to try to try to do that in the fall. 

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E! NEWS: Fingers crossed it works this time.
KH: You know what, I have to tell you. I am an artist. When I say an artist, I design different things and I'll draw things up. I could be in a taxi in New York or London and be driving down the street and think, "Sir can you pull over just so I can look in that window?" And I get up to the window and it's completely something else than I thought that it was. My idea was actually better than what was in the window. So it's been an inspiration for me. I always look at it this way, I look at the glass half full and I have to deal with this for a little bit.

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E! NEWS: Would you want to do another season of RHOBH and maybe this time be a full-time Housewife?
KH: So I've always said "never say never" because if you have asked me a year and a half, two years ago, would I ever be on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills I would have looked at you like you're nuts. And I did do it, it was organic. I was helping my niece look for a prom dress, I happen to have a dress line. There were certain things I had to be in, going for graduation...So the answer to that is no, that I will never do. That I can say, "No I will not."

E! NEWS: Paris and Nicky said they were hesitant about you joining the show. Have they changed your minds after seeing how much everyone loves?
KH: Paris the other day sent me a few memes that I hadn't seen because I don't know where to find all those things. I'm still learning to navigate. I know a lot about the Internet but like I can't send you something that somebody sent me. I'm still learning. That used to get them upset, that I didn't know all of the different things. Now I think they get annoyed when they come over and I'm on my iPad. So Paris, the fact that she sent me some of those memes, is a very good sign. And Nicky, she seems to be coming around. She's a very proud girl so she waits to admit that she's wrong, you know?

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Paris Hilton Through the Years

E! NEWS: Do you have a favorite meme of yourself on the show?

KH: So I think that the comedian with the fan, you know who I'm talking about? Wendy Williams, I am obsessed with her. I have watched that 10 times. I have cried laughing. I have died laughing, so that would be my favorite one. And then I love the bottom's up. I think that's hysterical. I got lots of those sent to me.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on Bravo. Binge past seasons on Peacock any time.

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