Kathy Hilton Applies Lipstick on Stage During Mariska Hargitay's People's Choice Awards Speech — Watch

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Mark Von Holden/E! Entertainment/NBC via Getty Images

Kathy Hilton might have just out Kathy Hilton-ed herself.

The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast was on hand at the 2022 People's Choice Awards to present Mariska Hargitay with her award for drama TV star of 2022, but while the winner was speaking, all eyes turned to Kathy Hilton, who took that moment to reapply her lipstick.

While Hargitay, 58, was showing her gratitude for the Law & Order: SVU fans who voted for this award, Hilton, dressed in a caped purple mini dress by Valentino, opened her Valentino handbag behind Hargitay and touched up her makeup.

RELATED: Lizzo's Mom Presents People's Champion Award to Her at People's Choice Awards: 'So Proud of Her'

Though she was quick about it, everyone saw it, including Access Hollywood, who posted the moment on TikTok. The zoomed-in shot shows Hilton — right over Hargitay's shoulder — opening her handbag to search for her lipstick.

For more on the 2022 People's Choice Awards, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

A few commenters on Access Hollywood's TikTok speculated that Hilton, 63, didn't realize she was so clearly in the shot that was airing live on TV.

And that's exactly what happened. Hilton clarified the viral moment in the following statement to PEOPLE:

"I absolutely admire and love Mariska. I know her personally, and I had no idea that I would be in view. And I actually thought I was going to sneeze, I went into my handbag, I didn't have a tissue, so I put on lipstick," she said. "I'm really sorry, because I didn't mean to be disrespectful. But I really didn't think anybody would see me. I apologize."

Despite what was happening behind her, Hargitay gave a poignant speech.

"I love this award so much because of the two words in it," she said on stage while holding her award. "The word of course, the first word is people. And that's people from all origins and all ethnicities and all creeds, and all genders and all identity that make this whole glorious mix of all of us."

She continued, "The second word, and that's even more important, is choice. So I just want to celebrate our ability in all of us the willingness in all of us to choose kindness, and compassion and courage and to choose to listen and to learn and to build a bridge between our differences and our divides."

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Mariska Hargitay accepts The Female TV Star of 2022 award for ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ on stage during the 2022 People's Choice Awards held at the Barker Hangar on December 6, 2022 in Santa Monica, California.
Mariska Hargitay accepts The Female TV Star of 2022 award for ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ on stage during the 2022 People's Choice Awards held at the Barker Hangar on December 6, 2022 in Santa Monica, California.

Mark Von Holden/E! Entertainment/NBC via Getty

RELATED: Khloé Kardashian and Kris Jenner Wear Coordinating Suits to Accept Their 2022 People's Choice Award

The Real Housewives franchise was up for a few awards at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, Calif., on Tuesday night. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills earned a nod for reality show of 2022 (as did The Real Housewives of Atlanta), but both lost out to The Kardashians.

Kris Jenner and Khloé Kardashian took the stage together — though Kardashian was delayed because she was fixing her hair — to accept their award. Kardashian also nabbed the reality TV star of 2022 award for the fifth year in a row.

Jenner stepped on stage first, noting that her daughter had been with her but then disappeared. Kardashian showed up a second later out of breath, telling the crowd, "I'm so sorry I'm out of breath. I was trying to fix my hair, oh my god, a girl's gotta fix her hair."

Her sartorial struggles didn't stop there, though. After the show, Kardashian said on her Instagram Stories that she actually had quite the wardrobe malfunction earlier in the night.

RELATED: Khloé Kardashian Details Funny Wardrobe Snafu at People's Choice Awards: 'My Outfit Broke!'

Kris Jenner and Khloé Kardashian accept the The Reality Show of 2022 award for ‘The Kardashians’ on stage during the 2022 People's Choice Awards
Kris Jenner and Khloé Kardashian accept the The Reality Show of 2022 award for ‘The Kardashians’ on stage during the 2022 People's Choice Awards

Chris Polk/E! Entertainment/NBC via Getty Images

"You guys, we just won People's Choice and I'm so grateful, but, okay, my outfit broke!" the reality star said from the back of her car.

"My outfit — the whole zipper popped open," she added. "I am sewn into my outfit. I had to pee. So we had to cut the stitching out and sew me back in."

"My hair — here, right here — is a disaster," she continued, while moving the camera to show a clump of her hair. "But that's okay. Champagne problems!"