Kathy Hilton is out as WeHo Pride Grand Marshal. The City of West Hollywood, WeHo Pride organizers, and Hilton put out a joint statement Wednesday saying the parade won’t designate a Grand Marshal Icon honoree at all. Four days of community blowback preceded the decision.
“After thoughtful discussions, the City of West Hollywood, the WeHo Pride production team, and Kathy Hilton have determined that the 2026 WeHo Pride Parade will not designate a Grand Marshal Icon honoree,” the statement said.
The criticism started the moment the City made the announcement. Residents and LGBTQ+ community members pointed to Hilton’s social history with President Donald Trump. She and her husband Rick Hilton hosted a party for Trump in 2004 to celebrate the premiere of “The Apprentice.” Eight years later she turned up at his Mar-a-Lago estate for a Super Bowl party. RHOBH costar Lisa Rinna called her out publicly for skipping filming of the show’s Season 12 finale to attend. Hilton never said publicly whether she voted for Trump.
The 2022 reunion brought something else. Costar Erika Jayne told Andy Cohen on camera that Hilton had used a homophobic slur while complaining about a DJ in Aspen. Hilton said it never happened. Bravo looked into it. Cohen said it came down to one person’s word against another’s.
The City put out a first statement Monday. It acknowledged the blowback and said the City was “listening.” Wednesday’s joint release went further.
“The City of West Hollywood has always believed that Pride belongs to the community,” the statement said. “Since its earliest days, Pride has served as both a celebration and a platform for activism, visibility, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of equality, dignity, and justice for LGBTQ+ people.”
Hilton’s own statement said her reason for wanting to be involved was simple. “To celebrate, support, and share in the joy of a community that means a great deal to so many people.” She listed her charitable work — the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation since its inception, Project Angel Food.
She also made a claim about 2005. “I will always cherish the experience I had acting as Grand Marshal of the LA Pride parade with my daughter in 2005,” she said. Paris Hilton was the named Grand Marshal that year. Kathy rode alongside her on the float.
The City and WeHo Pride organizers closed the joint statement by thanking Hilton “for her grace and her continued support of the LGBTQ+ community.”
The parade is Sunday. Noon on Santa Monica Boulevard. Trailblazer Icons Quinton Peron, Napoleon Jinnies, and the Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders remain part of the lineup.
Full statement here:
Joint Statement from the City of West Hollywood/WeHo Pride and Kathy Hilton
The City of West Hollywood has always believed that Pride belongs to the community. Since its earliest days, Pride has served as both a celebration and a platform for activism, visibility, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of equality, dignity, and justice for LGBTQ+ people.
The announcement of Kathy Hilton as Grand Marshal Icon for the 2026 WeHo Pride Parade has generated a range of perspectives across our community. In recent days, community members have shared thoughtful feedback regarding the role and significance of Pride honorees.
The City of West Hollywood is grateful for the respectful and sincere dialogue that has taken place. These conversations reflect the passion people have for WeHo Pride and underscore the importance of ensuring that WeHo Pride continues to honor the history, values, and diverse voices of the LGBTQ+ community.
After thoughtful discussions, the City of West Hollywood, the WeHo Pride production team, and Kathy Hilton have determined that the 2026 WeHo Pride Parade will not designate a Grand Marshal Icon honoree.
Kathy Hilton shares the following statement:
“I am honored to have been considered for this recognition and appreciative of the support I have received from members of the community throughout the years. My reason for wanting to be involved in this year’s WeHo Pride weekend was simple: to celebrate, support, and share in the joy of a community that means a great deal to so many people. Pride is, and always will be, about celebrating and uplifting LGBTQ+ voices, experiences, and achievements.
I respect the thoughtful conversations that have taken place and remain deeply committed to supporting LGBTQ+ causes and visibility, including through my participation in GLAAD initiatives and events, and longstanding support of organizations such as the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation since its inception, Dr. Mathilde Krim, God’s Love We Deliver, and Project Angel Food. My support for the community and WeHo Pride is unwavering. This monumentally important event has always had a special place in my heart, and I will always cherish the experience I had acting as Grand Marshal of the LA Pride parade with my daughter in 2005. Thank you to everyone who works so hard to make it happen, and I wish the community nothing but love, joy, and a fantastic WeHo Pride weekend.”
The City of West Hollywood and WeHo Pride Parade organizers thank Kathy Hilton for her grace and her continued support of the LGBTQ+ community.
Thank you WeHo! Can we also get rid of Nicole Scherzinger of Pussycat Dolls headliner of WeHo Pride? She pretended not to know the connotation of a MAGA style hat that she was fond of and i think most of her lip service support for gays is because we are the only ones who buy tickets to her shows. I’m so tired of celebrities and corporations who support gays only when its easy and turn their back – looking at all the big weho pride sponsors from years past who have suddenly disappeared. Can we get seay from Pride as… Read more »
this is the most ridiculous pile of poop i have heard recently! I will say that I am not one to comment on things often, but this foolishness really makes me angry. So what if Kathy Hilton is grand marshal of the parade?I guess the “popular kids” of this arena got their feathers ruffled about her family having a party for a reality show premiere and decided we needed to “Burn the Witch”! I think Trump is a vile disgusting person, but this all happened long before he was even in office. She was invited to a Super Bowl party… Read more »
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The hate directed toward this woman makes all gay people look petty and ridiculous, which I know for a fact is not true.
“The City of West Hollywood has always believed that Pride belongs to the community.” Shame the city refused to listen to the community at the last council meeting.
“The city of West Hollywood & the WeHo Pride Parade organizers thank Kathy for her grace & continued support of the LGBT+ community.” But don’t rain on our parade! Kathy & her daughter served as Grand Marshals of the 2005 Los Angeles Pride Parade. What has changed so much since then? Kathy is the same person, same personal political persuasions, same charitable causes, same kind heart. In addition to the 3 charities named here, Kathy has always been a big supporter of GLADD & “God’s Love We Deliver”, delivering free meals to those with life threatening illnesses, including those living… Read more »
Shame on the intolerance. Shame on the process. And shame on the toxic outrage politics that have increasingly come to define Pride. Kathy Hilton was celebrated as Grand Marshal one week and cast aside the next. Either those making the decision failed to do even the most basic vetting before announcing her, or they folded under pressure from activists demanding ideological conformity. Neither explanation reflects well on the organizers or the city bureaucracy that caved. What makes this particularly disappointing is the hypocrisy. Pride movements speak endlessly about tolerance, diversity, inclusion, and welcoming allies, yet those principles seem to vanish… Read more »
You would think the city and Pride organizers would have done a quick informal vetting process to uncover any discrepancies before selecting Kathy Hilton as grand marshal. Now the city and organizers had community members take them to task for a questionable parade selection that bought much ridicule to an otherwise happy weekend.
Well, there you go. You could be a long time supporter of the gay community giving to the Elton John AIDS foundation, Elizabeth Taylor AIDS foundation and to Project Angel Food but God forbid you have lunch with a republican… That’s it ..you’re out. The gay Gestapo wins. What happened to love is love and we’re all inclusive? Give me a break.
What happened to love is love and inclusive?? That went by the wayside when the other letters tried to kick out the founding LGB crowd and said we were part of the problem. We needed to get on board or get out. No thanks. That notion is not for me. This is my family. This all saddens me because I was outed under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and lost my career as a Military Officer in a very cruel way. I helped advise the Servicemen’s Legal Defense Network after that happened to protect our remaining troops serving in silence. I’ve… Read more »
I thought Pride was about inclusion? This seems to be cancelling and excluding someone for past transgressions. Inclusion for some, not for all.