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Social media held its collective breath Tuesday during a livestream in which aughts gossip blogger Perez Hilton was reportedly seen harming himself on camera before the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office intervened at his Westchester neighborhood home.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office (MDSO) confirmed its Crisis Response Unit and licensed mental-health professionals “safely recovered” Hilton at the scene.
Early Wednesday morning, the agency released a statement to several media outlets explaining that, “in many incidents involving a person experiencing a mental health crisis or actively harming themselves, deputies prioritize de-escalation by creating time, distance, and opportunities for communication. Unless there is an immediate threat to others, slowing the situation and utilizing crisis intervention techniques can reduce the likelihood of a suicide-by-cop encounter and minimize the risk of injury to the individual, deputies, and the public.”
Hilton’s condition is still unknown. On Wednesday afternoon, Golden Artists Entertainment, which represents Hilton, released a new statement saying as much. “At this time, we do not have any additional confirmed information to share regarding Perez Hilton’s condition.”
“Our focus remains on Perez’s health, recovery, and the privacy of both him and his family during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement continues. “We are grateful for the outpouring of concern and support from fans, friends, and members of the media. We respectfully ask that everyone continue to honor his privacy while he receives the care he needs.”
Hilton’s family and team weighed in shortly thereafter. “We can confirm that Perez is receiving medical care, and our family’s focus right now is on his well-being,” the family said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “We kindly ask that you respect Perez’s privacy, as well as the privacy of his family, during this difficult time. If and when we are able to share any updates, we will do so with everyone as soon as we can.”
On Tuesday, shortly after the incident was first reported, the media personality’s agents, Rebekah Kochan and Dante Rusciolelli (CEO of Golden Artists), released a statement saying they’d not yet made “direct contact with him, despite our ongoing efforts to reach him.” They added that they would “not speculate or comment further” without confirmed information.
Hilton, born Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., was born in Miami to Cuban immigrants who moved here before he was born in 1978. He attended Belen Jesuit Preparatory School before graduating in 1996 and attending New York University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s in drama.
It wasn’t until after college that he adopted the Perez Hilton moniker, an obvious (for millennials anyway) allusion to Paris Hilton, and started the blog PageSixSixSix.com. From there, he used his drama chops to harangue every major blonde from the 2000s, including Spears, Christina Aguilera, Hilary Duff, Jennifer Aniston, and Lance Bass.
In recent months, he’s made headlines in his own right for making a pivot to Christianity after a health crisis. It is unclear whether the latest incident is related to his recent health scare.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 or go to 988lifeline.org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.
