Kathy Hilton may be known for making funny blunders on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, but her latest gaffe isn't exactly a laughing matter.
In fact, many fans have taken to social media to express their disappointment with the reality TV star after her appearance on the Aug. 10 episode of Watch What Happens Live. During a round of "Will Kathy Know Them?"—a game that asked her to identify celebrities using only their photo—Lizzo's face popped up on the big screen. Though Kathy initially implied that she recognized the singer, she ultimately blurted out, "Precious?"
It was unclear if Kathy was specifically referring to the fictional character of the same name from the 2009 film Precious or the actress who portrayed her, Gabourey Sidibe. Other viewers have suggested that Kathy also could've been thinking of model Precious Lee. Regardless, the response didn't sit well with many.
As TV Personality Kalen Allen tweeted, "That Kathy Hilton clip is messed up and y'all know it is. Lizzo minds her own business but all people do is make her a joke and this time it wasn't even intentional. This time she caught a stray and I wish someone would've stepped up and said something."
Kalen also pointed out that while some may consider the moment "not that deep," it's different for people like Lizzo, who constantly face scrutiny "for just existing."
"When Precious came out, a lot of people used the character's name as a derogatory label to fuel their fatphobia and to bully," he continued in another tweet. "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."
A different Twitter user wrote, "Precious isn't even a real person and this was not funny," while another stated, "Now, I know Kathy Hilton doesn't know much, but how the hell did she manage to confuse Lizzo with Gabourey Sidibe? That certainly plays into the 'we all look alike to them' trope."
Others came to Kathy's defense, arguing that she didn't know who Ryan Reynolds or Justin Timberlake were either while playing the game. That, and the fact that Kathy once mistook RHOBH co-star Garcelle Beauvais for her own sister, Kyle Richards. "if you watch the show," one tweet read, "you know kathy can barely see and sometimes cannot even recognize her own staff."
Acknowledging this point, another person tweeted, "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."
Meanwhile, a source tells E! News Kathy "feels terrible" about the blunder.
"She gets a little nervous when she is on live TV," the source added. "Kathy is a very sensitive person and would never intentionally hurt anyone's feelings."
Another source told E!, "Kathy would never want to offend anyone at all. She doesn't know who anyone is."
Gabby and Lizzo have yet to publicly address Kathy's comment, but the latter shared a series of steamy bikini pics to Twitter on Aug. 11 with the caption, "Meanwhile...." and a smiling emoji with sunglasses.
(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)