All that Perez Hilton shit nauseated my Monday. Forget about his turning assault into a plea for attention -- that's to be expected from someone who comes off like a Garbage Pail Kid translation of Madonna (as if there weren't one already). It's the "faggot" thing that bothers me. For all his complaining about being socked in the face, he shot himself in the foot before that even could happen. This fool, who's given a national platform for no particular reason beyond serendipity, goes and hurls that word at another person as if it's something to be ashamed of. This, coming from someone who turned Carrie Prejean's worth-ignoring ignorance into would-be crusade for gay rights. This, coming after that crusade resulted in a showcase for his inarticulation and inability to win an argument with even a complete idiot who equated not welcoming girls to the Boy Scouts with not allowing gays to marry. That shit drove me crazy because he seemed oblivious to the obvious points (like something as basic as, hey, our values can change as a society as we learn more, particularly about the nature of homosexuality). I didn't write about it, nor have I written much about him in general (despite the very pronounced feeling of bile flooding into my mouth that he regularly produces), because if you say something disparaging about someone who has the same job as you and who's infinitely more successful (numbers-wise, I mean), you end up looking jealous, or at least of dubious motivation.
But I don't care about that at this point, because I couldn't be less jealous of him especially given the current circumstances. I just kind of want to throw up my hands (or in my hands) and call out this character, this persona, this online half-person for what it is: bad for the Internet, bad for gay people, bad for the world. I can't help but feel like everything would be better off without him. I know that's a harsh and extreme point of view and believe me that I paused before typing that to actually consider him and his contribution to society. I'd go as far as to say I racked my brain and I've still come up with absolutely nothing positive or pro-social that he has brought to the world, at least on a public level (and keep in mind that I'm not following his every move, so I could have missed an act of philanthropy or two). But not even the "entertainment" he provides is to be commended, as it ultimately lowers the very low standards of the Internet. Forget the rich and famous, if you are a human being, Perez Hilton makes you look bad, no MS Paint necessary.
And yesterday, that got me down. It's just like, what's it going to take to break this damaging enchantment people have with him? Does he have to hurt someone? Kill them? Actually ejaculate on them? Like, what? But as the day unfolded, it seemed like the overwhelming majority of people who gave a fuck to say anything about this nonsense were calling him on his bullshit. Certainly this was so at Gawker and ONTD (but that's to be expected) but also on Twitter (where Perez's look-at-me's made their debut this time). Kelly Clarkson, that little pop cherub, spoke out against his shit. And then GLADD issued a demand for an apology that summed up his error as succinctly as accurately as possible. It reads, in part: "These are vulgar antigay slurs that feed a climate of hatred and intolerance toward our community. For someone in our own community to use it to attack another person by saying that it is 'The worst possible thing that thug would ever want to hear,' is incredibly dangerous. It legitimizes use of a slur that is often linked to violence against our community. And it sends a message that it is OK to attempt to dehumanize people by exploiting antigay attitudes."
All this backlash gives me hope. We're doing the right thing. We're making ourselves look good. Way to go, everyone. Take back the Paint!
I went on his site twice, YEARS AGO, and have refused to go back (even when I was tempted by a link with some juicy gossip). The only way to make him go away is to stop giving him hits - period. It cant be a coincidence that it finally stopped raining in Jersey and the birds are out chirping.
Rich, you're the blog equivalent of a Stevie B song - you always make me feel warm & fuzzy inside.
Posted by: PeePants | June 23, 2009 at 12:21 PM
I haven't gone to his site in about 3 years. It's awful. And like someone else said above, he makes fun of celebrities kids being "fat" or "ugly". Way to go, asshole.
Posted by: Birdie | June 23, 2009 at 12:25 PM
The internet made Perez, and now it will destroy him.
Ashes to ashes and all that shit. Thanks for this, Rich.
Posted by: Madison | June 23, 2009 at 12:55 PM
Weren't you two at NYU at the same time? Did you ever run into him back then?
Posted by: poo | June 23, 2009 at 12:57 PM
A hate monger is a hate monger is a hate monger. It doesn't matter what your own soapbox may be, what background you come from, what lifestyle you lead - if you go around being hateful in your life, you either a) hate your life and who you are and are so uncomfortable with that fact or b) you have nothing more interesting to offer except than just being a barnacle to actual people with lives/jobs.
To be fair, though, we fucking ate his shit up with a spoon. It's always been the same. It's what I liken to the J.Lo effect - out of nowhere, exploding to uncharted heights of worship by many and then we come to resent the creature we made and want nothing more than to destroy it and watch the misery ensue. We're all sick fucks in essence.
But yeah, it would be nice to have one less sick fuck bitching about celebrities and drawing spermy pictures on their face.
Posted by: Justin | June 23, 2009 at 01:07 PM
Unfortunately the Internet is the perfect forum of narcissism and he's the ultimate narcissist. And he's the worst kind: mean-spirited.
I know there are benevolent narcissists because I'm related to some, but his kind is the equivalent of an extreme weather pattern that must be avoided. Evacuate his site, people. It can only cause destruction to our fellow citizens.
Posted by: Miss Lisa | June 23, 2009 at 01:10 PM
He's almost entirely irrelevant to me but this disturbs me for several reasons, not the least of which because he has seen fit to appoint himself spokesman for the gay community when some very real battles are going on for marriage equality and then behaves in a consistently appalling and ignorant manner. In case you are unclear Mario, calling someone a faggot as an insult just makes it clear you think that a faggot is, you know, a bad thing to be. Lenny Bruce you are not.
Also, the bit about asking his Twitter followers to call 911, which--who the fuck does that? (seriously that really confounds me.) I wonder how many calls they received. I wonder if anyone with a genuine emergency was unable to get thru.
I confess I followed his blog years ago in the Page 666 era but he lost me early in the cum stains drawn on random person's face era. Making mental note to delete any bookmarks when I get home.
(and just in case you are unclear, xoxo we love you Rich. Thanks for bringing some wit and class once again to a situation lacking both.)
Posted by: Vanessa | June 23, 2009 at 01:12 PM
Rich, love your site and your stuff on Jezebel and couldn't agree with you more here. But, let's be honest: is it that you couldn't take it anymore, or is it that it suddenly became alright to rag on Perez (finally) and you felt safe enough to join the ride. Not accusing, just asking.
I don't live in the US anymore, and from a distance it seems the willingness to speak out/against the grain is scarily fading away. Either you're with the mainstream, or within acceptable criticism of it. People are becoming more scared, it seems, to go out on a limb and start the conversation.
This may be Perez's first overtly callous remark about gays, but he's been over-the-top insulting about women and, actually, humanity for a long, long time.
Posted by: Commenting | June 23, 2009 at 01:48 PM
Wow, you summed it up perfectly!
Posted by: cindy | June 23, 2009 at 01:50 PM
PerezHiltonGoAway
Posted by: perezhiltongoaway | June 23, 2009 at 02:01 PM
::slow clap::
Posted by: lindsay | June 23, 2009 at 02:02 PM
Amen
Posted by: lane | June 23, 2009 at 02:07 PM
Well put, Rich. I've always been more of a Michael K fan myself and haven't read Perez in more than a year. His "fans" seem to be the lowest common denominator type - exactly the kind of fawning audience he needs.
Posted by: digaroonie | June 23, 2009 at 02:15 PM
I haven't visited his site in more than 3 years, and have stopped visiting sites that link to his.
I cringe every time his name is mentioned on one of the various entertainment programs on TV, and boycott those programs as a result. I'm only one person so I doubt my lack of viewing has much impact, but principles are principles.
Given the sleazy and sophomoric nature of his website, I've no idea how he's managed to insinuate himself into as many areas as he has, other than that the people running these things respond to nothing but perceived popularity, and feel no qualms pandering to the lowest common denominator.
Love you and your blog, your insight, integrity, and the quality of your writing; yours is the one voice on popular culture that I regularly read.
Oh, and of course, love and hugs to Winston and Rudy too!
Posted by: k | June 23, 2009 at 02:24 PM
Well put, Rich. You're the best! Really, you are.
Posted by: brie | June 23, 2009 at 02:27 PM
I agree with everything you say but I'm getting this odd racist vibe from Hilton's attack as well. Referring to will i am as a "thug" and not being able to tell him and his manager apart before directly accusing him. Honestly between the self loathing gay bashing and the thinly veiled racism I hope this is the nailed PH's internet coffin.
Posted by: Heather | June 23, 2009 at 02:35 PM
I saw this posted at ONTD. Love it!! I couldn't agree more and you said it all so well. I'm definitely going to check your blog out now :)
Posted by: Katie | June 23, 2009 at 02:47 PM
he is the equivalent to gays as Dick Cheney is to our republican friends,appalling,embarrassing and wishing he'd just shut the fuck up and disappear.
Posted by: serge | June 23, 2009 at 03:28 PM
I couldn't have said it better myself.
Posted by: homoshame | June 23, 2009 at 03:32 PM
Yeah I was glad he got punched. I know it's country of me, but talk all that shit about people all the time and you might get punched in the face and rightly so.
How about his constant remarks about Chris Brown, giving him promotion for beating up his girlfriend?
Perez is an idiot and the worst example of the internet making someone famous
Posted by: JP Californian | June 23, 2009 at 03:35 PM
I've been hoping he would die for a while now.
Posted by: bigdogglennrob | June 23, 2009 at 03:37 PM
I agree that what he does/did is incredibly harmful to the gay community, thank you for putting it into words. The whole situation is just sad.
Posted by: Carly | June 23, 2009 at 03:37 PM
Ag! I've never felt so guilty about perusing his site as I do now...because you are RIGHT!
Posted by: Leesil | June 23, 2009 at 03:40 PM
It's about time! Many of us who grew up gay remember vividly the years of abuse hurled at and on us by intemperate bullies. I don't know anyone who wishes that they couldn't turn back the clock, just for one day, and right some wrongs. Perez is a bully who apparently has Hollywood wanna-be's and big-wig's in the palm of his mean-spirited hand. The gay community, and our friends, need to rid the media airwaves of this jackal. Considering a large portion of the blogging and on-air talent in media are gay and gay friendly why don't we stop reporting on him and his vicious diatribes. Better yet, hit perezhilton.com where it hurts and start boycotting any advertisers that choose to do business with him. Just a thought.
Posted by: frankiex | June 23, 2009 at 03:45 PM
Since you're searching for some positive things Perez has done:
He says whatever he wants (with noteworthy exceptions like Paris Hilton) without worrying about future access, something mainstream celebrity press does not do. The phony PR is why people end up hating stars, which is why his site does so well—people feed on the negativity because it is cutting through the bullshit. If the media would examine stars more objectively and without making money by being in collusion with them, there would be no need for Perez.
He champions great music.
He spotlights exceptional charities.
He's one of the only famous people who's gay who is not afraid to admit he is gay.
Not only does he admit to being gay—and guess what, insecure gay people, just because one person who is loud and annoying is gay that has nothing to do with who you are as a gay person—he posts many, many pro-gay items. His take on Carrie Prejean was dead right and he acquitted himself really well on TV going head to head with anti-gay forces. (Not that the gay community thanked him for that.)
Just a few positive things. The negatives are pretty obvious (outrageous and mean-spirited attacks on some stars for no apparent reason, an inability to distinguish children from adults when going after people and of course it was inexcusable for him to use faggot as a put-down in his war of words with will.i.am).
Just my two cents. The anti-Perez bandwagon is boring to me. I prefer to focus on the real issues, which include celebrities whose egos are so great they can't handle ridicule and violence.
Posted by: Matthew Rettenmund | June 23, 2009 at 03:50 PM