Kathy Hilton Was Born to Entertain

Kathy Hilton was born to entertain. A former child actor who married into America’s premier hospitality dynasty by the time she was 20, Hilton went on to conquer the worlds of business and philanthropy, all while raising a family that includes her daughters, Paris and Nicky. More recently, the 62-year-old native New Yorker brought her unmistakable brand of Bel-Air panache one zip-code over, as a supporting cast member on the latest season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, where she offers up such sage advice as, “Life is a poker game, and everybody has to show their cards.” One person who may have agreed with that is Hilton’s friend, Andy Warhol, who used to join her in room 42R when she lived at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria hotel. Here, she answers some questions from his writings.

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ANDY WARHOL: What did you eat for breakfast?

HILTON: Pancakes, eggs, and bacon.

WARHOL: What was your first job?

HILTON: A pizza restaurant called Perry’s Pizza. I lasted about a month. 

WARHOL: Who was the nicest person you worked for?

HILTON: Mr. Frank Wangeman. A German gentleman who was the general manager of the Waldorf Astoria. He was old school and respectful to women. Even back in the day.

WARHOL: What’s your favorite movie?

HILTON: It’s a tie between Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? because it scares me, and The Wizard of Oz.

WARHOL: Who are your favorite actors?

HILTON: Brad Pitt and Reese Witherspoon. I love Gwyneth Paltrow, but she’s not acting now, so hopefully she’ll come back.

WARHOL: Do you play an instrument?

HILTON: Of course I do. I play the air guitar.

WARHOL: Do you dream?

HILTON: In color. I’m in Roma and I took a nap for about two hours and I really needed it after the three day Max Mara event. I have never dreamt like this. There was so much involved. I remember all my dreams.

WARHOL: Shower or bath?

HILTON: I like to take baths, but I do like a quick rinse in the shower after.

WARHOL: Are you a good cook? And if so, what’s your specialty?

HILTON: My pasta primavera and my fabulous barbecue chicken. I like clean, simple foods. But then again, I think that my holiday dinner is fabulous. The lasagna that Paris made famous, she learned from me. 

WARHOL: Is there anything you regret not doing?

HILTON: Probably not having another child.

WARHOL: How many tubes of lipstick do you use a day?

HILTON: I’m a lip gloss girl, but once my lips are soft, I will wipe it off with my hanky. 

WARHOL: When do you get nervous?

HILTON: During our Christmas card picture and anytime I take a picture in public, I shake a little bit.

WARHOL: What do you like in a person?

HILTON: The number one thing to me is loyalty. If you’re not loyal, you’re out.

WARHOL: What do you think about love?

HILTON: It’s the strongest emotion in the world. Stronger than fear, which is the second strongest in my book.

WARHOL: Why can’t it just be magic all the time?

HILTON: It is. You just have to feel it.

WARHOL: How many hotels have you been kicked out of?

HILTON: I’ve never been kicked out of a hotel because I’m kind, respectful, quiet, and I’ve worked in the hotel business.

WARHOL: What’s the craziest thing a fan has ever sent you?

HILTON: I received a little ring that I do wear. It’s just a gold band with little hearts on it. Or wedding proposals for Paris and Nicky.

WARHOL: Do you have a dream role?

HILTON: I just got my dream role tonight. I’ve been offered to come to the St. Regis and work right under Giuseppe DiMartino here in Rome. I’ve worked in the hotel industry before, and I love details, so my job will be to go around behind the desk, checking suites, checking the kitchen, checking the different restaurants, checking the lobby, meeting with all the staff, and all the different department heads. I will be in my glory.

WARHOL: What do you do in your spare time?

HILTON: I like to cook for my friends and do my own flowers. I like to do all my little tables and go to 10 different cheese shops. I love to entertain.

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Hair: Julius Michael using Hidden Crown, Chi & Oribe at Julius Michael Scarsdale Hair Salon.

Makeup: Priscilla Distasio using Era Beauty, Miami Gorgeous, & Rincon Cosmetics. 

Fashion Assistant: Lucy Gaston