Mario Lavendeira, better known as celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, was a drama student at New York University and worked his way up to be a celebrity in his own right. He is loved and hated by celebrities and fans alike and has turned himself into a cultural phenomenon.
Perez Hilton’s Past
Lavendeira got his BA in drama at NYU before working a string of jobs that included stints at GLAAD, a gay nightclub called Urban Outings and an editor position at a gay men’s magazine, Instinct. He became one of the millions to blog because “it seemed easy” and, like so many other people, he was over-interested in the real lives of celebrities. He slowly came out of oblivion and started getting noticed. Entertainment news show, The Insider, dubbed Lavendeira's first blog, PageSixSixSix.com, the most-hated website in May of 2005 - thus launching his blog into popular culture history.
Outrageous Celebrity Postings
Hilton is the self-proclaimed “queen of all media” and isn’t afraid to post outrageous and scandalous things on his blog - whether they're true or not. He’s famous for “outing” celebrities he thinks are secretly homosexuals and stirring up emotions with paparazzi photos that he writes comments on.
No celebrity is off limits to him. He’s posted blogs about everyone from Mischa Barton to Zac Efron, whom Hilton calls Zacquisha, to Patrick Swayze and British royalty. Some celebrities don’t take it very kindly. Singer Fergie has a song called “Pedestal” in which she condemns someone for making snide comments about her on the internet; she’s confirmed the lines are about Hilton.
Legal Snags in Cyber Space
Hilton has been sued time and time again by many different sources. Publication Page Six sued him when his blog was originally named PageSixSixSix.com. He changed the name to PerezHilton.com as a nod to his Cuban roots and as a fun play on Paris Hilton’s name.
Online paparazzi agency X17Online sued him for using copyrighted images off their own website before they’d gotten a chance to shop them around to magazines. Several other paparazzi agencies followed suit which led Hilton’s domain provider to drop his site fearing they too would be sued for damages.
Hilton cited the fair-use exception of the Copyright Act. According to the LA Times, Hilton isn’t publishing those photos or selling them to magazines. He’s digitally scrawling comments on them and trying to “achieve a satiric and humorous end.”
Cyber Space and Beyond
While Hilton started his career by writing about celebrities he’s become one himself. His recent 30th birthday party boasted celebrities like Paris Hilton, Amanda Bynes, The Hills co-stars Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, and a performance by The Pussycat Dolls.
He recently expanded his ever-growing empire with a clothing line. “Goth-rock” store Hot Topic sells the shoes, bags, t-shirts, and hoodies that complete the line. The clothes are 1980’s inspired with a lot of bright pink and blue hues. There are t-shirts graphics that read “Gossip Gangsta [sic]” and have images of pistols and rainbows.
The Good Side of the Blog
Hilton’s blog isn’t all about celebrity jeers and sneers. Hilton puts up-and-coming music artists on his page and gives the listening public a taste of something they might not otherwise be privy to.
There are rumblings that Hilton has been in talks with Warner Brothers Records to discover new talent for the label. His website draws an average of 2.8 million viewers a month and, according to the New York Times, the deal “would be a recognition of the influence that blogs can wield in generating word of mouth about music.”
More Celebrity Blogs:
"Top Five Celebity Blogs" by Suite101.com writer Adrienne Christina Miles
 |
