Perez Hilton, whose real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., is reportedly in a troubling mental state and has lost a decade of memory following a self-inflicted injury livestream incident. Friends close to the 48-year-old celebrity gossip blogger told the Daily Mail that Hilton believes it is the year 2016 and has been asking for singer Katy Perry to visit him in the hospital.
According to a source close to Hilton, he insists he and Perry are "best friends" and that she "would be nowhere without him," claiming he "made her into a star." However, the source stated that Hilton and Perry, 41, who were once publicly close during his promotion of her early career, have "barely spoken in years."
Hilton has been hospitalized in Florida for nearly a month following a TikTok livestream on August 4, during which he appeared naked and bleeding and repeatedly harmed himself with a knife. The footage was live for approximately 15 minutes before being removed. Police responded to the scene shortly after.
He was placed under Florida's Baker Act, allowing for temporary, involuntary detention for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. Hilton has not had access to his mobile phone or the internet during his hospitalization, with all outside communication conducted via the hospital's landline.
A family friend of over 20 years described Hilton as prone to "rambling" and drifting off mid-conversation. While he experiences moments of clarity, he is also described as "all over the place." The friend noted that Hilton sometimes discusses returning to work, while at other times he talks about walking away from it entirely.
Even from his hospital bed, Hilton is reportedly fixated on his eponymous celebrity news site, which gained him internet notoriety in the mid-2000s. He has inquired about the site's status and public perception, but his family has assured him that everything is stable. His site traffic saw a temporary surge after the livestream, but a source indicated that visitors quickly decreased.
Before this crisis, Hilton was reportedly seeking work beyond his blog, with reality TV proposals reportedly failing to materialize. His small team has continued to post celebrity news to the site, but it remains uncertain if readership will return significantly or if Hilton will be able to resume his role.
Hilton sustained dozens of cuts from the incident, which were stitched by doctors, and has limited mobility due to broken bones from falling during the livestream. His three children—Mario, 13, Mia, 11, and Mayte, eight—were present at the home during the incident. It is unclear what they may have witnessed before being taken outside by Hilton's sister, Barbara. They have not visited him since, as his injuries are considered too distressing for them to see. A Miami judge has granted Hilton supervised visitation from the hospital, pending psychiatric clearance and with contact overseen by an approved family member or therapist. His mother, Teresita, has temporary custody of the children.
Sources close to the family have stated that Hilton "feels very isolated" and "very alone" during his recovery. He is reportedly "being really hard on himself" and is described as "despondent," with a long road to recovery ahead. A friend suggested that his children could provide motivation for his recovery, though future co-parenting will likely involve his family.
"He says he wants people to learn from him," the friend said. "He can do that best by recovering mentally and physically. He understands that."