Perez Hilton, the blogger who helped define celebrity gossip culture in the mid-2000s, was hospitalised on Tuesday after a concerning TikTok livestream prompted viewers to alert authorities, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to Hilton’s Miami-area home and safely made contact with him before Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported him to hospital for medical evaluation, according to Hollywood Life. Officials said licensed mental health professionals also responded to support his family.
Who Is Perez Hilton, And How Did He Build His Career?
Born Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr in Miami in 1978, Hilton launched his gossip website in 2004 and quickly became one of the internet’s first major celebrity media brands, generating revenue through advertising, television appearances, books, podcasts and digital publishing, according to IBTimes UK.
His blog became known for its biting captions on tabloid photographs and unfiltered commentary on Hollywood’s biggest stars, a style that earned him the nickname “the original celebrity social media influencer” from entertainment outlet BroadwayWorld.
Why Has Perez Hilton Reporting Style Long Drawn Criticism?
Hilton’s confrontational approach repeatedly put him at odds with the celebrities he covered, drawing public criticism over the years from figures including Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Khloé Kardashian and Jennifer Aniston, according to Yahoo Entertainment. His blog also faced sustained controversy over its past practice of publicly speculating about celebrities’ sexual orientation before they had come out themselves, according to Wikipedia. Hilton has since said he views his more recent work differently from his earlier output, telling the New York Times in 2012 that he no longer identified with the provocative reporting that defined his early career, according to Variety.
In recent years, Hilton has taken a more openly reflective tone about his past conduct. Following a lengthy hospital stay for sepsis and related infections last year, he posted a video apologising for what he described as selfish behaviour, saying, “I made a lot of mistakes in my past. We all have. Nobody’s perfect. But my mistakes are very public. The internet is forever. Receipts are forever. I carry with me deep shame and regret,” according to Entertainment Weekly.
What Has Been Said About Perez Hilton’s Current Condition?
Hilton’s representatives at Golden Artists Entertainment issued a statement following this week’s incident expressing concern for his well-being. “We are aware of the concerning content circulating online involving our client, Perez Hilton. At this time, we have not been able to make direct contact with him, despite our ongoing efforts to reach him. Our primary concern is Perez’s health and well-being, as well as the well-being of his family,” co-chief executives Dante Rusciolelli and Rebekah Kochan said in the statement, carried by Variety, adding, “We appreciate everyone’s concern and ask that his privacy be respected during this time.”
Hilton currently lives in Miami with his three children, having relocated from Las Vegas earlier this year, according to Hollywood Life. Further updates on his condition had not been released as of publication.
