Kathy Hilton Mistook Lizzo For Precious — A Fictional Character — On Live TV, And People Aren't Happy About It
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It looks like Kathy Hilton is stirring up drama, both on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and in real life.
While appearing on Watch What Happens Live last night, Kathy played a game of Will Kathy Know Them? to see which popular celebrities she's familiar with.
During the game, host Andy Cohen showed an image of award-winning artist Lizzo.
"I feel like I do," Kathy said before taking a guess. "Precious?"
Kathy was referring to the fictional character from the 2009 film Precious, starring award-winning actor Gabourey Sidibe.
After this remark, host Andy Cohen, RHOBH costar and fellow guest Crystal Kung Minkoff, and the WWHL bartenders can all be seen and heard laughing at Kathy's obvious mistake.
Personally, I didn't find it funny at all. Especially because there's a narrative that's been around since slavery that "all Black people look alike." The stereotype has followed other minority groups as well under the white gaze.
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In my opinion, the women don't look similar at all. Lizzo and Precious — who, again, isn't a real person — or should I say Gabourey, the actress who played Precious, only share two physical traits: They're both plus-size and Black.
Still seemingly unaware of the mistake she made, Kathy later admitted, "I don't know her."
In an attempt to save her costar from embarrassment, Crystal playfully added, "Lizzo's precious though. Lizzo's precious."
"That's what I call her," Kathy said. "Her nickname's Precious to me."
Listen, it's okay if Kathy doesn't know who Lizzo is. I'm sure she wasn't intentionally trying to offend anyone, but it seems the only reason she chose Precious was because she's another plus-size Black woman.
Well, the clip didn't take long to go viral on the internet, and a lot of people on Twitter weren't too happy about it:
Kathy Hilton confusing Lizzo with Precious on #WWHL…
She does mistake people a lot, but saying Precious is something very insidious. It’s not just linking Lizzo to a fat black person solely on her weight, but erasing Gabourey’s identity. It’s very weird. Kathy is really insufferable and says a lot of off white people stuff. https://t.co/Vu8iW3fK7v
That Precious comment was so problematic on so many levels, MY GOD. No saving Kathy from that. #WWHL
When Precious came out, a lot of people used the character’s name as a derogatory label to fuel their fatphobia and to bully. So no, I don’t think that it’s funny that Lizzo, home minding her own business, had to watch herself be called Precious in front of millions on live tv.
Precious isn't even a real person and Lizzo looks nothing like her.. I don't know what the fuck is funny. I expect the heehaw from the 3 glue sticks but the two black men laughing is pissing me off. I'm tired of the misogynoir & anti-blackness on this fucking network. https://t.co/mx8AXEVT2e
Just like precious, Lizzo's name has been used as an anti-Black racial epithet towards other Black people too. You can go on youtube any day and search Lizzo's name and click the "search by date added" option and see hordes of men using Lizzo's name as harmful towards Black women
@BaileyUnspoken @gbennylola i hate this take. she didnt have to know who Lizzo was. calling a bigger black woman Precious has been racist since the damn movie came out. foh
@dnvrsn Gabourey is beautiful. Lizzo is beautiful. But to think every and any big black woman is a struggling character in a MOVIE is beyond insulting
We don’t need to defend white women. I promise. Kathy was wrong. Period. Whether it was Precious Lee or “Precious,” the fictitious character, guess what? Neither are Lizzo and and “I don’t know” would have sufficed. Black people get confused often. And yes, it’s often racist.
To watch the full clip, check out the video below, and let us know how you feel in the comments:
OH MY GOD.
