Kathy Hilton Shares Emotional Apology to Mariska Hargitay After People’s Choice Awards Flub

Kathy Hilton is speaking out about her lip gloss incident. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star was caught on camera shining her lips as Law & Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay accepted the People’s Choice Award for Best TV Drama Star of 2022. It appeared Hilton wasn’t interested in Hargitay’s acknowledgment as she stood behind the NBC star, glossing her lips. Hilton  was on stage as a presenter alongside her reality TV co-stars and didn’t even notice she was still being filmed. Now, she says it was a simple mishap and one that she’s sorry for. 

While speaking with Extra’s Terri Seymour to promote her new holiday sleepwear collection, the Kathy Hilton Pajama Collection from Sant and Abel, Hilton offered an explanation. “I actually thought I was going to sneeze, and you don’t want to hear me sneeze. It’s the loudest sneeze,” she claimed. “I was looking for a tissue. I didn’t have a tissue or a hanky, so I got nervous and just put some lipstick on, and it was during her speech, so I thought the camera isn’t going to be focused on me.”

Hilton then expressed her remorse and apologies to the award-winning actress., “I adore and I respect Mariska very much. I already reached out to her, DMed her, I want to get her address. I feel terrible,” she said, adding, “Looking at the camera, I apologize, Mariska, I am really sorry… I look forward to talking to you.”

Hilton has been in the hot seat before for not reading a room and appearing dismissive. Regarding the People’s Choice Awards fiasco, she says it was not on purpose. “I would never do anything to be rude intentionally, and I’m really sorry,  it was my first time being back on the stage with some of the girls too,” she added.