Topline
Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton’s family and team said in a series of statements after his hospitalization he is “able to communicate” and that his family was home “minutes” before he harmed himself on a TikTok livestream, but fled to protect his children.
Key Facts
A statement posted to Hilton’s blog Thursday afternoon, signed by his team and family, said Hilton’s children, niece and sister were home “just minutes before” he harmed himself on a TikTok livestream, saying his family “immediately fled to protect the children from witnessing any further trauma” once it became clear Hilton was “experiencing a severe mental health crisis and harming himself.”
Hilton’s family said their “highest priority” is helping his children “begin to heal from what they experienced,” asking members of the media and paparazzi to leave the area surrounding Hilton’s home.
An earlier statement posted to Hilton’s blog said Hilton is “able to communicate, which has given our family hope,” though this has been a “difficult” time as “very little information has been made available to our family.”
In another statement posted to Hilton’s blog Wednesday, his team and family confirmed he is “receiving medical care” and his “family’s focus right now is on his well-being,” thanking fans for their support.
Hilton, a gossip blogger whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, was taken to a hospital late Tuesday, the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to multiple outlets, after his disturbing livestream prompted police calls from multiple fans.
What We Know About Perez Hilton’s Livestream
While on a TikTok livestream Tuesday, Hilton appeared to be covered in blood while he appeared to be self-harming, as fans urged him in the comments to stop. The sheriff’s office told CNN authorities “spoke with family members on scene, and confirmed he was alone inside” before de-escalating the situation, adding that authorities often respond to mental health crises by “creating time, distance, and opportunities for communication.” NBC6, a local outlet that covers south Florida, reported sheriff’s office vehicles and a firetruck were spotted outside a home in Miami-Dade County’s Westchester neighborhood, and that neighbors told the outlet the home was Hilton’s.
surprising fact
A TikTok spokesperson told The Washington Post a moderator error caused a delay in the removal of Hilton’s livestream. TikTok’s moderation system flagged the livestream within minutes, the spokesperson said, and they denied reports that claimed his stream went on for 30 minutes, saying it was about half that time. The spokesperson said TikTok banned Hilton’s account. Forbes has reached out to TikTok for comment.
tangent
Dante Rusciolelli and Rebekah Kochan, co-CEOs of Golden Artists Entertainment, the talent agency that represents Hilton, said in a statement on Instagram they are “aware of the concerning content circulating online involving our client, Perez Hilton,” but added they have “not been able to make direct contact with him, despite our ongoing efforts to reach him.” In an updated statement posted to Golden Artists Entertainment’s Instagram on Wednesday afternoon, the agency said it had no new information on Hilton’s condition and said his agents’ focus “remains on Perez’s health, recovery, and the privacy of both him and his family during this incredibly difficult time.” Chris Booker, who has co-hosted “The Perez Hilton Podcast with Chris Booker” since 2015, said in a statement on Instagram their podcast is “all TBD at the moment as our collective focus is on [Hilton’s] health,” noting he hopes to continue hosting alongside Hilton “when the time is appropriate.”
Hilton Was Hospitalized Earlier This Year
In March, Hilton told his social media followers he was hospitalized for sepsis for three weeks, which he said necessitated an emergency surgery. Hilton said he had the flu and did not take his medications with food as directed, which he said caused him to develop an ulcer that perforated. “The day before I was hospitalized, I was in so much stomach pain. I was like, ‘This is weird, but it’ll go away,’” Hilton said in a social media video, adding he “couldn’t walk” the next day. Hilton said the experience had brought him closer to God. “God presented himself to me and then did something. Something I can only call miraculous,” he said, adding he would “start taking the kids to church every week.” In another video posted days later, Hilton said he had been reading the Bible and felt “deep shame and regret” for his behavior throughout his career as a gossip blogger.
key background
Hilton rose to fame as a popular, and notorious, gossip blogger in the 2000s, which garnered both millions of readers as well as pushback from some celebrities who felt his coverage was mean-spirited. Demi Lovato has accused Hilton of being a “bully,” while Lady Gaga accused him of stalking her in 2013. Mila Kunis in 2018 said Hilton was the “first person that created ugly news, that literally just spread filth,” saying it “allowed people to be mean.” Hilton has since distanced himself from his prior approach to celebrity news, writing in a 2020 memoir he “never needed to be so mean or cruel,” saying one of the “many things I regret is that I hurt so many people by giving them nasty nicknames, and above all that I was unkind to the children of celebrities.” He also said he regrets outing celebrities, saying he “no longer” believes that is acceptable.
further reading
Perez Hilton Claims He Encountered God After Being Hospitalized for Three Weeks (Hollywood Reporter)
Perez Hilton: I never needed to be so cruel (BBC)
