Just how bad have things gotten for NBC’s “I Want to be a Hilton?” Last night the second half of the show was beaten by a repeat of ABC’s low-rated “Rodney.” And it wasn’t even close.
   “Rodney” posted a 2.1 Nielsen overnight rating among viewers 18-49 during the 9:30 p.m. half hour, comfortably ahead of “Hilton’s” 1.5. “Hilton” averaged a 1.5 over the course of its entire hour, 21 percent below the 1.9 overnight rating the show had averaged over its first five episodes.
   Last night’s episode was just 0.1 better than last week’s season low, which was hurt by a short 9 p.m. address by President Bush.
   Viewers just can’t warm up to Paris Hilton’s mom as she attempts to school average Joes and Janes in the proper ways of New York's monied elite. The fish-out-of-water concept would seem to have promise, but the execution has been lacking. Kathy Hilton comes off as oblivious and uncomfortable in her role as matriarch.
   There are other factors working against the show as well. Though it’s summer, the show airs in a competitive timeslot, head-to-head with CBS’s “Big Brother” and reruns of Fox’s “House,” which have attracted decent audiences this summer.
   But NBC has to be concerned that the show isn’t even competitive against repeats of ABC’s mid-level comedies “According to Jim” and the aforementioned “Rodney.”
   With a 3.4 average rating, “Brother” was last night’s highest-rated show among 18-49s, and led CBS to first place for the night in the demo with a 2.9 average rating and a 9 share. Fox finished second at 2.1/6, ABC and NBC tied for third at 1.9/6, the WB was fifth at 0.9/3 and UPN sixth at 0.8/2.
   CBS swept the night, starting with a 2.2 average at 8 p.m. for a repeat of “NCIS.” ABC was second that hour with a 2.1 average for repeats of “My Wife & Kids” (2.1) and “George Lopez” (2.0) and NBC third with a 2.0 for “Average Joe.”
   At 9 p.m. CBS led with its 3.4 average for “Big Brother.” Fox was second with a 2.5 average for a repeat of “House” and ABC third with a 2.1 average for repeats of “Jim” (2.2) and “Rodney” (2.1). NBC was fourth that hour with its 1.5 for “Hilton.”
   CBS finished the night with a 3.0 average during the 10 p.m. hour for “Rock Star: INXS.” NBC moved to second with a 2.3 average for a repeat of “Law & Order: SVU” and ABC was third with a 1.4 for “Empire.”
   CBS was first for the night among households with a 5.2 average rating and a 9 share. NBC was second at 4.1/7, Fox third at 3.9/7, ABC fourth at 3.5/6, the WB fifth at 1.4/2 and UPN sixth at 1.3/2.