While Kathy Hilton doesn’t consider herself to be a TV aficionado, she can’t help but be impressed by newbies Leah Remini and Tracy Tutor after the pair joined The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
“First, with the new girls — I have to tell you, I admire them,” Kathy, 67, exclusively told Us on Friday, November 6, while hosting her Annual Holiday PJ Party at her Bel-Air Mansion, presented by Hunky Dory Cocktails, alongside daughter Nicky Hilton.
“They came in strong,” Kathy continued of Leah, 56, and Tracy, 51. “They’re not intimidated by these girls that have been there for years, and I think the girls are kind of, like, they really like them.”
Variety first confirmed back in August that Leah — best known for her role on King of Queens and her staunch advocacy in opposition to the Church of Scientology after leaving the organization in 2013 — would be joining the season 16 cast, making the actress one of the biggest names to join the hit reality franchise.
The Million Dollar Listing alum, for her part, also confirmed she would be joining the season 16 cast back in August.
“Well … the secret’s officially out. 💎,” Tracy wrote via Instagram at the time and alongside what appeared to be her official cast photo, confirming she’ll be featured in the upcoming series. “I’m joining the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and I could not be more excited for this next chapter.”
Tracy continued, “Beverly Hills is home. I’ve raised my girls here, built my career here, and now apparently I’ve decided to let you all even further into my life. 😂.”
Kathy — the half-sister of RHOBH OG’s Kim Richards and Kyle Richards — told Us on Friday that she “loves” the newbies and thinks “everybody” on the cast feels the same, though she does admit she’s “not around all the time.”
“I think they’re a little shocked,” Kathy admitted of the show’s OG cast and how they reacted to Leah and Tracy coming on the show strong. “You have to know it’s like coming into a charity group — if you just come into the charity group and you’re starting to raise your hand at meetings and trying to fix something that’s not broken, people are not going to like you.
She continued, “Let’s just put it this way — every single person’s feathers are ruffled [and] tied.”
Kathy added that in 16 seasons of the hit show, she has watched two, maybe three, RHOBH episodes in total — but that’s all going to change this year.
“I’m not gonna miss one of these,” she quipped.
Before she prepares to binge-watch season 16, Kathy and her daughter Nicky, 43, celebrated the unofficial start of Hollywood’s holiday season by bringing together a star-studded lists of guests for an evening of festive fun, holiday cheer and the debut of Kathy’s Hunky Dory cocktails — ready-to-drink, Vodka-based and gluten-free drinks blended with natural flavors.
“We wanted to do something that was great quality yet was affordable,” Kathy gushes of her latest product. “My favorite is the espresso martini. Well, I love them all. Everyone loves them all. People are freaking out.”
