Dolores Hughes, a star of the 2014 reality show Hollywood Hillbillies known as Mema, has died at 76.
Hughes died of heart failure at a hospital in her hometown of Grayson, Georgia on Nov. 9, manager David Weintraub told media outlet TMZ.
The Reelz reality show followed YouTube star Michael Kittrell and Mema as they moved from small town Georgia to Hollywood. They brought along Kittrell’s aunt, Dee Dee Peters, her boyfriend Paul Conlon, and Kittrell’s uncle, John Cox.
Hollywood Hillbillies lasted for 23 episodes before being canceled.
Although Kittrell was the star, Mema became the breakout attraction of the clan. Weintraub explained her appeal to TMZ: “Mema was the greatest, most outspoken ‘tell-it-like-it-is personalities the world had ever seen on TV. I know that she will still be bossing all of us around from heaven.”
Survivors include her husband, Paul Conlon, daughter Dee Dee Peters, son John Cox, and grandson Michael Coppercab Kittrell.
Hughes died of heart failure at a hospital in her hometown of Grayson, Georgia on Nov. 9, manager David Weintraub told media outlet TMZ.
The Reelz reality show followed YouTube star Michael Kittrell and Mema as they moved from small town Georgia to Hollywood. They brought along Kittrell’s aunt, Dee Dee Peters, her boyfriend Paul Conlon, and Kittrell’s uncle, John Cox.
Hollywood Hillbillies lasted for 23 episodes before being canceled.
Although Kittrell was the star, Mema became the breakout attraction of the clan. Weintraub explained her appeal to TMZ: “Mema was the greatest, most outspoken ‘tell-it-like-it-is personalities the world had ever seen on TV. I know that she will still be bossing all of us around from heaven.”
Survivors include her husband, Paul Conlon, daughter Dee Dee Peters, son John Cox, and grandson Michael Coppercab Kittrell.
- 11/13/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
[Youtube "Lu7bldQixnA"] The YouTube star whose "Gingers Do Have Souls" video went viral in 2010, has come out as transgender. Claire Kittrell - formerly Michael Kittrell - shared a video on Tuesday explaining that her five-month hiatus from the video hosting site was because she began her transition and was undergoing hormone replacement therapy. "I'm not going to live another year of my life pretending to be someone else. I'm just not going to do it," she said in the emotional post. "I know a lot of you are going to make fun of me. I know a lot of you are going to think that I'm joking.
- 8/3/2016
- by Naja Rayne, @najarayne
- PEOPLE.com
[[tmz:video id="0_atn217bh"]] Michael Kittrell was known as 'Angry Ginger' on "Hollywood Hillbillies," but is now going by the name Claire and says she's transitioning. Kittrell says she's been undergoing hormone therapy for several months. We spoke to her about going public, and the reality of her announcement she's transgender -- many people will think this is just an Internet stunt. Claire says it would be so "dark" for anyone to make a joke out of something so painful to so many people.
- 8/2/2016
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
'Hollywood Hillbillies' star, David Weintraub, just lassoed quite the Southern belle ... according to fellow star, Mema. Weintraub popped the question over the weekend to Mallory Knighton ... and gave her a 3 carat diamond engagement ring worth $35k. David was out with Ray J Friday, who said he's next to fall. Mema tells TMZ, "Southern women are hard workers, great cooks, wonderful ladies in the living room, and whores in bed." So now we knew...
- 8/29/2015
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Those Hollywood Hillbillies have been in Hollywood long enough ... you'd think they'd know more about Jews. They went shopping for a birthday present for their Jewish manager, David Weintraub, and their level of knowledge is both shocking and predictable. Anyway ... they lingered in the chachka store on Fairfax .... they were in no Rosh. Read more...
- 5/30/2015
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Every artists needs a canvas ... and for Chris Brown and famed street artist Alec Monopoly, their latest came in the form of a 2,000 sq. ft. parking lot ... courtesy of David Weintraub. The "Hollywood Hillbillies" producer/cast member owns a lot in West Hollywood -- and turned it over to Brown and Monopoly to turn it into a graffiti masterpiece. We're told they worked on the 10-foot walls for 3 nights -- tagging a few of their signature designs -- Chris's monsters,...
- 4/30/2015
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
The epic bachelor bash Ray J threw for "Hollywood Hillbillies" star Paul "Tha Pimp" Conolon was so big and beautiful ... it apparently got him banned from Paul's future in-laws' home. We're told Ray J and David Weintraub were in the hot seat with fiancee Dee Dee Peters' family after they threw a dicey stag party for Paul, who's obsessed with big women. So to fulfill his wish, there were plenty of over-sized strippers at the venue,...
- 4/16/2015
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
The women of "Hollywood Hillbillies" are standing firmly behind Mama June ... saying she's a good mother ... but the men on the show say June's a crappy mom.Our photog got the cast as they headed into House of Pies in Los Feliz with their manager David Weintraub ... and there was a clear gender divide over the Boo Boo situation.Mema was quick to defend Mama June ... but Michael (aka "The Angry Ginger") seriously bashed her.
- 11/1/2014
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
This is hilarious. The grandma from "Hollywood Hillbillies" proves that people with fake teeth can mow through a corn cob machine-gun style.The scene: Mema (grandma) is in her backyard chowing down when her grandson rushes in to say they have a meeting with producer David Weintraub ... who eventually introduces them to Ray J.Short of time ... Mema goes to town on the corn. Mind you ... this ancient chick doesn't have real chompers.The show...
- 8/5/2014
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
The actor who played a backwoods rapist in "Deliverance" -- famous for his "purdy mouth" line -- may have finally found his true hillbilly love ... right here in Hollywood.TMZ has learned Herbert "Cowboy" Coward -- who now stars on the TV show, "Hillbilly Blood" -- is going on a blind date with Mema -- the matriarch of Reelz Channel's "Hollywood Hillbillies."Celebrity manager David Weintraub says he ran into "Cowboy" -- who's still working...
- 7/19/2014
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Hollywood Hillbillies' Michael Kittrell could have a massive hit on his hands with his first single, "Gingerbread." The video, which was only released Wednesday morning, has already been reported on by TMZ and garnered a mention, and of course a couple gifs, on Buzzfeed. The best news, though, is the number of views that our favorite YouTube star has generated. After only two days, the video has had over 250k views, and we're guessing it won't be long until it reaches the one million mark.
So what makes this debut such a success? Sure, it has a catchy hook, and Michael is undoubtedly a talented rapper, and the girls in it are good looking and scantily clad, but that doesn't seem to fully explain the phenomenon. In our opinion, what really makes this video stand out is Mema. After all, it's not every up-and-coming rap star that puts his...
So what makes this debut such a success? Sure, it has a catchy hook, and Michael is undoubtedly a talented rapper, and the girls in it are good looking and scantily clad, but that doesn't seem to fully explain the phenomenon. In our opinion, what really makes this video stand out is Mema. After all, it's not every up-and-coming rap star that puts his...
- 6/13/2014
- by Mandy McAdoo
- Reelzchannel.com
Back in March, Hollywood Hillbillies' Michael made the decision that he was going to forget about acting for awhile and instead focus his energies on being a rapper. Since then, we've been anticipating the debut single from our favorite Angry Ginger, and it turns out that both the song and the video are well worth the wait. The video, which was featured on TMZ, serves up all of our favorite things from the show, including shopping-cart grills, moonshine served in a mason jar, and truck-bed hot tubs. It also features plenty of Mema, Aunt Dee Dee and Uncle Johnny in all their hillbilly glory. We don't want to give anything else away, because the only way to truly appreciate this video is to watch.
Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames. The Hillbillies Are Headed Back
All New Episodes Tuesday, August 5
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Hollywood Hillbillies...
Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames. The Hillbillies Are Headed Back
All New Episodes Tuesday, August 5
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Hollywood Hillbillies...
- 6/11/2014
- by Mandy McAdoo
- Reelzchannel.com
Have you ever wanted to see a rap video by the ginger kid from "Hollywood Hillbillies"? Well now you can ... and you have Ray J to thank for it. Ray J has forked over $50,000 of his own money to produce a rap video for Michael from the Reelz TV show ... it's called "Gingerbread."Ray J's manager David Weintraub -- who also manages the "Hillbillies" cast -- brokered the deal.As for the video itself ... it features dancing gingerbread cookies,...
- 6/11/2014
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
They say a good man is hard to find, but we don't believe it. After watching some our own reality shows, we noticed that Reelz offers up plenty of eligible bachelors on air. There are handsome, single men on Hollywood Hillbillies, Beverly Hills Pawn as well as The Capones. So which handsome television star is right for you? Here's a quiz to find out.
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Beverly Hills Pawn | The Capones | Hollywood Hillbillies | Yossi Dina | Jeff Vercillo | Lou Fratto | David Weintraub | Michael Kittrell...
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Beverly Hills Pawn | The Capones | Hollywood Hillbillies | Yossi Dina | Jeff Vercillo | Lou Fratto | David Weintraub | Michael Kittrell...
- 4/25/2014
- by Mandy McAdoo
- Reelzchannel.com
Being a reality star might be too much work for Mema from "Hollywood Hillbillies" -- the 70-year-old had to be rushed to the hospital while she was in NYC to promote her Reelz TV show.We're told Mema was leaving her hotel Thursday when she fell ill. Her grandson and manager David Weintraub found her walking out of the lobby to hail a cab that would take her to the ER.Mema's temp was 104. She...
- 4/12/2014
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
It’s clear that the Hollywood Hillbillies' Uncle John is more fun than a truckload of puppies. He’s just a good ol' southern boy who has tips for everything from fishing to flirting. Since he's a man who has an answer for everything, we decided to have a quick Q&A session with our favorite hillbilly fisherman.
Q&A with Uncle John
Reelz: What’s the best piece of advice Mema ever gave you? John: My mom doesn’t give advice; she gives criticisms.
Reelz: What makes a man?
John: A man don’t mean maybe. What you do is what you by God say you’re gonna do, and don’t mean maybe about anything. You got a problem, fix it. Get up. Go to work.
Reelz: Where’s the best place in Georgia to go fishing?
John: Jackson Lake. It’s hard to have bad time fishing.
Q&A with Uncle John
Reelz: What’s the best piece of advice Mema ever gave you? John: My mom doesn’t give advice; she gives criticisms.
Reelz: What makes a man?
John: A man don’t mean maybe. What you do is what you by God say you’re gonna do, and don’t mean maybe about anything. You got a problem, fix it. Get up. Go to work.
Reelz: Where’s the best place in Georgia to go fishing?
John: Jackson Lake. It’s hard to have bad time fishing.
- 4/11/2014
- by Mandy McAdoo
- Reelzchannel.com
"Never throw down with Mema when peaches are involved." — Mema
Our hit reality series Hollywood Hillbillies follows internet sensation Michael "The Angry Ginger" Kittrell, his Mema and other kin as they attempt to navigate the shark-infested waters of Los Angeles, their down-home Georgia sensibilities constantly at odds with Hollyweird culture. Kittrell may be the most rural Georgian to make the long trek to Tinsel Town in pursuit of fame, but he's certainly not the first; many of the hottest actors and actresses of yesterday and today hail from the Peach State, from the Pretty Woman to the Terminator (1000, that is). We've put together a list of the most famous actors and actresses from Georgia and now it's up to you to rate your favorites.
Rate Your Favorite Actors & Actresses from Georgia >>
More fun than a truckload of puppies
Tuesdays 9p Et/Pt
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 3/4/2014 by BJSprecher
Hollywood Hillbillies...
Our hit reality series Hollywood Hillbillies follows internet sensation Michael "The Angry Ginger" Kittrell, his Mema and other kin as they attempt to navigate the shark-infested waters of Los Angeles, their down-home Georgia sensibilities constantly at odds with Hollyweird culture. Kittrell may be the most rural Georgian to make the long trek to Tinsel Town in pursuit of fame, but he's certainly not the first; many of the hottest actors and actresses of yesterday and today hail from the Peach State, from the Pretty Woman to the Terminator (1000, that is). We've put together a list of the most famous actors and actresses from Georgia and now it's up to you to rate your favorites.
Rate Your Favorite Actors & Actresses from Georgia >>
More fun than a truckload of puppies
Tuesdays 9p Et/Pt
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 3/4/2014 by BJSprecher
Hollywood Hillbillies...
- 3/4/2014
- by BJSprecher Sprecher
- Reelzchannel.com
It's never a bad time to start making plans for the zombie apocalypse. After all, it's not like the undead are going to give us notice before they start climbing out of the ground and trying to eat our brains. So we decided we'd organize our team and figure out which Reelz characters we're calling dibs on for when the undead begin to rise. With the group we've put together, those zombies don’t stand a chance.
Yossi Dina (Beverly Hills Pawn)
Undoubtedly, Yossi’s masterful negotiating skills will come in handy when we run across other teams trying to survive the apocalypse. But more importantly Yossi’s experience as and Army Captain and Intelligence Officer will be priceless. We’re pretty sure both his fighting and survival skills are all but limitless.
Weapon of choice: Charming personality that can disarm anyone.
Mema (Hollywood Hilbillies)
More than anything, we’re...
Yossi Dina (Beverly Hills Pawn)
Undoubtedly, Yossi’s masterful negotiating skills will come in handy when we run across other teams trying to survive the apocalypse. But more importantly Yossi’s experience as and Army Captain and Intelligence Officer will be priceless. We’re pretty sure both his fighting and survival skills are all but limitless.
Weapon of choice: Charming personality that can disarm anyone.
Mema (Hollywood Hilbillies)
More than anything, we’re...
- 2/22/2014
- by REELZ staff
- Reelzchannel.com
After watching some Hollywood Hillbillies we knew we just had to learn more about these people, and we figured the best way to do that was to round them up and fire some questions at them. Here's what we learned about Mema and Aunt Dee Dee.
Q&A with Mema
Reelz: Will you ever get married again?
Mema: I will never get married again… I don’t want to cook for anybody, I don’t want to wash for anybody and I certainly don’t want to have sex with anybody. If anybody pulled anything on me to have sex with, I would bite it off. I don’t want to do that.
Reelz: If you could give one piece of advice to the people of California, what would it be?
Mema: Gain weight. Quit eating healthy. Quit sleeping with your dog. Quit cutting your grass. Quit putting the calories on the menus.
Q&A with Mema
Reelz: Will you ever get married again?
Mema: I will never get married again… I don’t want to cook for anybody, I don’t want to wash for anybody and I certainly don’t want to have sex with anybody. If anybody pulled anything on me to have sex with, I would bite it off. I don’t want to do that.
Reelz: If you could give one piece of advice to the people of California, what would it be?
Mema: Gain weight. Quit eating healthy. Quit sleeping with your dog. Quit cutting your grass. Quit putting the calories on the menus.
- 2/20/2014
- by Mandy McAdoo
- Reelzchannel.com
"I'm Hercules of Hollywood."
Considering how genuinely funny the family is, it's no wonder that Hollywood Hillbillies is gaining an enthusiastic following. Ice T was one of the first to start talking about Mema, Michael, and the rest of the hillbillies, and now AfterBuzz TV is taking a look at our favorite rednecks.
In a recent episode of the show, manager David Weintraub sat down to talk about his experiences with the family. It turns out he was surprised to learn that instead of it being a question of whether or not he wanted to take on Michael as a client, Mema was auditioning David to see if he were worthy of managing her grandson. He also has some great behind-the-scenes stories, including one about Mema taking her teeth out and putting them on his conference table in the middle of a meeting. Gotta love that Mema.
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Considering how genuinely funny the family is, it's no wonder that Hollywood Hillbillies is gaining an enthusiastic following. Ice T was one of the first to start talking about Mema, Michael, and the rest of the hillbillies, and now AfterBuzz TV is taking a look at our favorite rednecks.
In a recent episode of the show, manager David Weintraub sat down to talk about his experiences with the family. It turns out he was surprised to learn that instead of it being a question of whether or not he wanted to take on Michael as a client, Mema was auditioning David to see if he were worthy of managing her grandson. He also has some great behind-the-scenes stories, including one about Mema taking her teeth out and putting them on his conference table in the middle of a meeting. Gotta love that Mema.
Next Showing:
Link...
- 2/20/2014
- by Mandy McAdoo
- Reelzchannel.com
There are many ongoing debates about why the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, is suffering from poor attendance and poor ratings, but as we sat laughing at the antics of Michael and Mema on Hollywood Hillbillies, the answer dawned on us: the Winter Olympics are just too highfalutin for their own good! Everyone’s wearing Star Trek-y costumes with "dimples" and computers in them, using equipment designed by military contractors and car manufacturers — it’s all just a bunch of hogwash! Down home folks can’t afford any of that fancy schmancy gear, and they wouldn’t be caught dead wearing those crazy getups in the first place.
We called around to all of the good ol’ boys and girls that we know and they helped us put together an alternative to the Winter Olympics, a set of athletic contests with country sensibilities. So, whether you’re from the...
We called around to all of the good ol’ boys and girls that we know and they helped us put together an alternative to the Winter Olympics, a set of athletic contests with country sensibilities. So, whether you’re from the...
- 2/17/2014
- by BJSprecher Sprecher
- Reelzchannel.com
The Highfalutin better watch out
Tuesdays 9p Et/Pt
Hollywood Hillbillies' Mema dropped by Ktla to deliver some relationship advice, talk about her crush on David Hyde Pierce, and discuss the lackluster food in La. You never know what Mema is going to say next, but it's a safe bet that it will be hilarious. Check out this Ktla clip, and catch new episodes of Hollywood Hillbillies Tuesdays at 9p Et/Pt.
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Link | Posted 2/1/2014 by Mandy
Hollywood Hillbillies | "Mema" Delores Hughes...
Tuesdays 9p Et/Pt
Hollywood Hillbillies' Mema dropped by Ktla to deliver some relationship advice, talk about her crush on David Hyde Pierce, and discuss the lackluster food in La. You never know what Mema is going to say next, but it's a safe bet that it will be hilarious. Check out this Ktla clip, and catch new episodes of Hollywood Hillbillies Tuesdays at 9p Et/Pt.
Next Showing:
Link | Posted 2/1/2014 by Mandy
Hollywood Hillbillies | "Mema" Delores Hughes...
- 2/1/2014
- by Mandy McAdoo
- Reelzchannel.com
Watch one episode of Hollywood Hillbillies and it's easy to see that that the philosopher of the family is Mema, the matriarch and grandmother of YouTube star Michael "The Angry Ginger" Kittrell. With her grandson moving out to Hollywood to see if he can parlay his online stardom to movie and TV success, Mema tags along with Michael's aunt and uncle to monitor his progress and keep Michael on the straight and narrow. As long as Michael follows Mema's rules, he'll be fine, but he'd better learn what they are first. Straight from Mema, here's five tips Michael ought to think about as he starts his Hollywood adventure.
Get More Mema
Tuesdays 9p Et/Pt
5. Be a Loud and Proud Fan
For as many celebrities in Hollywood, there are even more fans. And there's nothing wrong with being a fan and praising what you enjoy, according to Mema. And who is Mema a fan of?...
Get More Mema
Tuesdays 9p Et/Pt
5. Be a Loud and Proud Fan
For as many celebrities in Hollywood, there are even more fans. And there's nothing wrong with being a fan and praising what you enjoy, according to Mema. And who is Mema a fan of?...
- 1/31/2014
- by Ryan Gowland
- Reelzchannel.com
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