Kathy Hilton’s Calling

The mother of reality TV was there all along as her daughters rose to fame. Now it’s her time in the spotlight.

Kathy Hilton — dressed in a black Valentino gown, gold belt, and studded stilettos for a photo shoot — was begging for some attention. “Moty!” she cried out from the grand helical staircase in her Bel Air home’s foyer. “Come up here!” Moty, her eight-year-old Pomeranian-poodle mix, gazed at her with trepidation and wagged his tail. Ms. Hilton sighed and shrugged. No bother. The 62-year-old is getting plenty of notice these days from her turn as unexpected darling on this season of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” the Bravo series that chronicles the catfights and camaraderie of groups of wealthy women. Set amid a season of heavy legal dramas and lighter histrionic fare, Ms. Hilton’s oddball asides and eccentric behavior has sent the internet into paroxysms of adulation.