In brief
Perez Hilton, the celebrity‑blogger known for his early‑2000s gossip digests, is in hospital in Miami following a livestreamed self‑harm episode that led to an emergency response. Authorities said the individual was alone, had his account suspended and was taken to a local hospital, where medical staff are caring for him. Police deployed crisis‑response teams and mental‑health professionals to support the family, while for the first time the sheriff’s office confirmed the incident. Hilton’s managers have requested privacy during his recovery, and the case has reignited conversations about mental‑health, the perils of live‑stream content and the responsibilities of social‑media platforms.
U.S. blogger Perez Hilton, whose real‑name is Mario Lavandeira, is reportedly recovering in a hospital in Miami after officials responded to reports that he was livestreaming self‑harm on TikTok. The Miami‑Dade Sheriff's Office said emergency services were dispatched to Hilton’s home on Tuesday after viewers alerted authorities to the live‑stream.
Deputies arrived on the scene, found Hilton alone, and placed the platform’s account under suspension. Emergency medical teams subsequently transported him to a local hospital where he is receiving care.
The sheriff’s office highlighted that crisis response units and licensed mental‑health professionals were on scene to offer support and resources to the family. According to the officers, de‑escalation and safe disengagement were prioritized to avoid a “suicide‑by‑cop” scenario.
The case has drawn attention to the mental‑health crisis that can be triggered by unsupervised livestreaming. For those struggling, the BBC Action Line offers confidential support; click here for help.
In a joint statement shared with Variety, Hilton’s managers, Dante Rusciolelli and Rebekah Kochan, said they were “aware of concerning content circulating online involving our client, Perez Hilton” and that they could not yet reach him. They emphasized that the primary concern is, “Perez’s health and well‑being and the well‑being of his family.”
Hilton’s rise to fame came from his early‑2000s celebrity gossip website, which often courted controversy. He later apologized for his earlier harsh remarks and adopted a kinder public persona, focusing on fatherhood and new media ventures. Throughout recent years he has represented entertainment news on blogs, social media, and a weekly podcast.
- How I overcame self‑harm (published 29 August 2024)
- Perez Hilton: "I never needed to be so cruel" (published 6 October 2020)
