Perez Hilton, one of Hollywood’s most recognizable gossip bloggers who spent years profiting from the humiliation, heartbreak, and controversies surrounding A-listers, found himself at the center of media attention on Tuesday, August 4, when a disturbing livestream led to his hospitalization.
“We kindly ask that you respect Perez's privacy, as well as the privacy of his family, during this difficult time,” his representative requested.
Highlights
- Perez Hilton's hospitalization has reignited scrutiny of his history of targeting female celebrities during some of their most vulnerable moments.
- From Britney Spears and Jennifer Aniston to Jennifer Lawrence, numerous stars have publicly confronted him over allegations of bullying, body shaming, and invasions of privacy.
- Netizens have argued that Hilton is undeserving of sympathy and privacy during his difficult time.
The appeal, however, failed to resonate with those familiar with his brand of work, with one bluntly expressing, “He's never respected any celebrity's privacy. Privacy is the last thing he deserves.”
As the clash between accountability and compassion unfolds, here’s a list of 15 female stars who were once targeted by Hilton, and the flashpoints that came to define his complicated legacy in entertainment journalism.
#3 Miley Cyrus
A photograph posted by Hilton of the Hannah Montana star sparked debate over whether it could be classified as child p**nography, given that Cyrus was 17 at the time.
The controversy dates back to June 13, 2010, when the blogger shared a link to an image of Cyrus stepping out of a car during a video shoot.
Hilton pixelated the area between Cyrus' legs, which led viewers to believe she was not wearing underwear.
Instead of apologizing, Hilton tried to argue that he never intended to imply the singer was dressed inappropriately.
"Do you think Miley is that stupid to be out in public without p**ties?" he said.
"Sure, I like to be controversial, but I don't want to go to jail," he added.
Hilton claimed he shared the image to criticize what he described as Cyrus' "very unladylike fashion."
Cyrus addressed the controversy during a June 15, 2010, phone interview with Ryan Seacrest, dismissing Hilton as "some idiot being an idiot."
For his part, Hilton addressed the controversy again during his June 17 appearance on The Joy Behar Show. He attempted to shift the blame by arguing that Cyrus knew paparazzi were present at the location and still chose to be photographed that way.
When Behar argued that posting the image was still an invasion of privacy, Hilton replied: "It's my business."
"To this day, I still don't understand how Perez was never canceled for good," a social media user wrote.
The controversy dates back to June 13, 2010, when the blogger shared a link to an image of Cyrus stepping out of a car during a video shoot.
Hilton pixelated the area between Cyrus' legs, which led viewers to believe she was not wearing underwear.
Instead of apologizing, Hilton tried to argue that he never intended to imply the singer was dressed inappropriately.
"Do you think Miley is that stupid to be out in public without p**ties?" he said.
"Sure, I like to be controversial, but I don't want to go to jail," he added.
Hilton claimed he shared the image to criticize what he described as Cyrus' "very unladylike fashion."
Cyrus addressed the controversy during a June 15, 2010, phone interview with Ryan Seacrest, dismissing Hilton as "some idiot being an idiot."
For his part, Hilton addressed the controversy again during his June 17 appearance on The Joy Behar Show. He attempted to shift the blame by arguing that Cyrus knew paparazzi were present at the location and still chose to be photographed that way.
When Behar argued that posting the image was still an invasion of privacy, Hilton replied: "It's my business."
"To this day, I still don't understand how Perez was never canceled for good," a social media user wrote.
Report
17points
#11 Lily Allen
Hilton called Lily Allen a "washed-up" singer who was "more of a tragic train wreck than a musician" in 2008.
"She knows it too. That must hurt," he added.
Allen was quick to reject the characterization, calling his criticism unfair.
The feud escalated in 2009 when Allen labeled Hilton a "woman hater." He responded by calling her a "lazy a**" and accusing her of being a poor role model for young girls.
Hilton also criticized Allen after she bared it all for i-D magazine, prompting the singer to return his negativity.
"It may come as a surprise, but I'm completely comfortable with getting them out. T*ts are t*ts," she said, adding, "I wish mine were as big as Perez Hilton's though."
After Hilton later criticized her for selling her album on Amazon, calling the move "desperate," Allen fired back by describing him as a "bitter, lonely old queen."
Hilton's decision to go months without mocking Allen led some to believe the two had reached a truce. However, he proved them wrong by suggesting she was drunk during a June 2009 outing in London.
Allen denied the claim, explaining that she could not have been drinking because she was due to shoot a music video at 6 a.m. the following day.
Their most heated exchange came in September that year, when Hilton published a post titled "Lily Allen + Motherhood = Disaster."
He drew a coughing baby on a photograph of Allen and wrote: "Can you stick to intoxication instead of moving on to procreation?"
He also imagined Allen becoming so intoxicated that she would mistake her child's playpen for a pigpen.
Allen responded furiously.
"What an evil b**tard. I hate this man. Someone better watch themselves. And yes, that is a threat."
"She knows it too. That must hurt," he added.
Allen was quick to reject the characterization, calling his criticism unfair.
The feud escalated in 2009 when Allen labeled Hilton a "woman hater." He responded by calling her a "lazy a**" and accusing her of being a poor role model for young girls.
Hilton also criticized Allen after she bared it all for i-D magazine, prompting the singer to return his negativity.
"It may come as a surprise, but I'm completely comfortable with getting them out. T*ts are t*ts," she said, adding, "I wish mine were as big as Perez Hilton's though."
After Hilton later criticized her for selling her album on Amazon, calling the move "desperate," Allen fired back by describing him as a "bitter, lonely old queen."
Hilton's decision to go months without mocking Allen led some to believe the two had reached a truce. However, he proved them wrong by suggesting she was drunk during a June 2009 outing in London.
Allen denied the claim, explaining that she could not have been drinking because she was due to shoot a music video at 6 a.m. the following day.
Their most heated exchange came in September that year, when Hilton published a post titled "Lily Allen + Motherhood = Disaster."
He drew a coughing baby on a photograph of Allen and wrote: "Can you stick to intoxication instead of moving on to procreation?"
He also imagined Allen becoming so intoxicated that she would mistake her child's playpen for a pigpen.
Allen responded furiously.
"What an evil b**tard. I hate this man. Someone better watch themselves. And yes, that is a threat."
Report
8points
#13 Khloé Kardashian
Khloé Kardashian's confrontation with Hilton became public in October 2010 after he invited her to record an "It Gets Better" video in support of young people facing bullying.
She initially hesitated because of Hilton's own reputation as a bully but ultimately agreed to participate.
However, Kardashian used the opportunity to be candid about her experience with him.
"Perez Hilton asked me himself to do this video, and he's doing such an amazing thing by getting all these celebs to speak up to people—but for me, he's been my personal bully," she said.
She explained that Hilton's promise to adopt a kinder, less bullying approach convinced her to say yes. At the same time, she acknowledged that while he could be "charming and funny" in person, his website had repeatedly described her using insults such as "tr*nny" and "fugly."
Hilton responded with a blog post titled Khloe Kardashian Got It So Wrong! Celebs Don't Want to Acknowledge This.
In the post, he argued that celebrities and gossip bloggers were part of a larger publicity ecosystem in which stars benefited from media attention while objecting when coverage turned unfavorable.
She initially hesitated because of Hilton's own reputation as a bully but ultimately agreed to participate.
However, Kardashian used the opportunity to be candid about her experience with him.
"Perez Hilton asked me himself to do this video, and he's doing such an amazing thing by getting all these celebs to speak up to people—but for me, he's been my personal bully," she said.
She explained that Hilton's promise to adopt a kinder, less bullying approach convinced her to say yes. At the same time, she acknowledged that while he could be "charming and funny" in person, his website had repeatedly described her using insults such as "tr*nny" and "fugly."
Hilton responded with a blog post titled Khloe Kardashian Got It So Wrong! Celebs Don't Want to Acknowledge This.
In the post, he argued that celebrities and gossip bloggers were part of a larger publicity ecosystem in which stars benefited from media attention while objecting when coverage turned unfavorable.
Report
5points
#15 Tara Reid
Gossip websites frequently portrayed Tara Reid as a reckless party girl and a symbol of Hollywood's decline in the 2000s.
Hilton amplified that image by giving her nicknames such as "Terror" and "Trashy." One post about an apparel line she was developing even carried the headline "Hookers Rejoice."
Reid called Hilton a "bully" in 2013. This came after he alleged that her then-boyfriend Erez Eisen had been drinking during a Las Vegas outing, despite Eisen being teetotal.
The American Pie actress pushed back against the claims in a series of posts on Twitter, writing, "My boyfriend doesn't even drink so stop saying things that are so untrue and mean… Why do u keep on saying bad things about me?!"
In a 2021 interview, Reid reflected on Hilton's role in shaping public perception of her.
"I think he's the one that ruined my career, to be honest with you," she said.
Hilton amplified that image by giving her nicknames such as "Terror" and "Trashy." One post about an apparel line she was developing even carried the headline "Hookers Rejoice."
Reid called Hilton a "bully" in 2013. This came after he alleged that her then-boyfriend Erez Eisen had been drinking during a Las Vegas outing, despite Eisen being teetotal.
The American Pie actress pushed back against the claims in a series of posts on Twitter, writing, "My boyfriend doesn't even drink so stop saying things that are so untrue and mean… Why do u keep on saying bad things about me?!"
In a 2021 interview, Reid reflected on Hilton's role in shaping public perception of her.
"I think he's the one that ruined my career, to be honest with you," she said.
Report
4points