Perez Hilton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Perez Hilton
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Hilton in 2011
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| Born |
Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr.
March 23, 1978 Miami, Florida, U.S.
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| Alma mater | New York University |
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| Years active | 2001–present |
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| Children | 3 |
Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr. (born March 23, 1978), who is better known as Perez Hilton, is an American blogger, writer, and media personality. He is famous for his celebrity gossip blog, PerezHilton.com.
On his blog, he posts about celebrity news and adds his own funny drawings and captions to photos. His work has been talked about a lot because of his unique style. Many people consider him one of the first major social media influencers.
Besides blogging, Hilton has written four books and hosts a podcast. He also runs two YouTube channels and has appeared in movies and TV shows.
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Early Life and Education
Perez Hilton was born in Miami, Florida, to Cuban parents. He grew up in the neighborhoods of Little Havana and Westchester, Florida. He went to Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, an all-boys Catholic school in Miami.
After graduating in 1996, Hilton wanted to be an actor. He earned a scholarship to New York University and moved to New York City to study there.
Career as a Blogger
After graduating from New York University in 2000, Hilton tried to start an acting career. He also worked for different media companies and magazines. He said he started his blog "because it seemed easy."
Hilton's blog became known for its fun and sometimes critical take on celebrity news. He often wrote about parties and events he attended. He would post pictures of himself with the stars he wrote about.
While he was friends with some celebrities like Lady Gaga, he was also known for his strong opinions on others. His blog became a place where he shared his thoughts on Hollywood.
Hilton also used his blog to support causes he believed in. He spoke out against hurtful comments made by public figures. He also helped new musicians become famous by sharing their songs. The singer Mika became popular in North America partly because Hilton often featured his music.
Success of the Blog
In a 2010 interview, Hilton said he started his blog just for fun. He explained, "I wanted to talk about celebrities because they're far more entertaining."
His website quickly became very popular. In 2005, a TV show called his site "Hollywood's Most-Hated Website," which made even more people visit it. At one point in 2007, his website received over 8.8 million page views in a single day.
In 2008, Terra.com named Hilton the "Hispanic of the Year" for Hispanic Heritage Month. Over time, the website's traffic has gone up and down, but it remains a well-known name in celebrity news.
Work in Media
Hilton has been involved in many projects outside of his blog, including television, theater, and radio.
Television Appearances
Hilton has appeared on many television shows. In 2001, he had a small part in an episode of the TV series The Sopranos. He has also been a contestant on reality shows like MTV's Celebrity Rap Superstar and the British series Celebrity Big Brother.
In 2017, he competed on and won Worst Cooks in America. He has also guest-starred as himself on shows like Victorious and Glee. He often appears on entertainment news programs to share the latest celebrity gossip.
Live Theater
Hilton has also performed on stage. In 2012, he starred as himself in an off-Broadway show called NEWSical The Musical. He said he was very excited to make his theater debut in New York.
In 2015, he starred in another off-Broadway show, Full House! The Musical. The show was a funny take on the popular 1990s TV sitcom Full House.
Other Projects
Hilton has hosted a radio show called Radio Perez and has appeared on The Howard Stern Show. He also has a popular podcast with radio host Chris Booker where they discuss the week's biggest news stories.
In December 2020, Hilton's TikTok account, which had 1.6 million followers, was permanently banned. He later appeared on the show Red Table Talk: The Estefans to discuss his experience.
Personal Life
In 2013, Hilton moved to Manhattan. He has three children who were born through a surrogate. His son was born in 2013, and his two daughters were born in 2015 and 2017.
Books and Music
Hilton has written four books. His first children's book, The Boy with Pink Hair, was published in 2011. He said the story is about "every kid that's ever had a dream, felt excluded, wanted to belong." He also wrote a memoir in 2020 called TMI: My Life in Scandal.
He has also been featured on songs by other artists. He appeared in the music video for the song "Rocket to Uranus" by the Vengaboys and on a song by Todrick Hall. He has also made appearances in music videos for artists like Rihanna, Simple Plan, and Demi Lovato.
See also
In Spanish: Perez Hilton para niños
- LGBT culture in New York City
- List of LGBT people from New York City
- New Yorkers in journalism
- NYC Pride March
