Perez Hilton is hospitalised after appearing to harm himself on live stream
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Sheriff’s deputies went to Perez Hilton’s house after receiving multiple calls about a disturbing live stream.
PHOTOS: REUTERS, AFP
By Jonathan Wolfe, James McManagan and David Ovalle
- Perez Hilton was hospitalised after livestreaming acts of self-harm on TikTok, prompting a police response and medical intervention under Florida's Baker Act.
- Authorities prioritised de-escalation by monitoring Hilton remotely and involving mental health professionals to support his family.
- Hilton, known for his celebrity gossip website, had prior mental health struggles and was banned from TikTok in 2020; his account was removed again after the incident.
AI generated
NEW YORK – Perez Hilton, a celebrity blogger, was hospitalised after he appeared to harm himself on camera during a TikTok live stream on Aug 4, the authorities said.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said on the morning of Aug 5 that Hilton had been transported from his home in Miami to a hospital, where he was receiving medical attention after “live-streaming acts of self-harm on social media”.
Video clips and screenshots from the live stream circulated widely online, appearing to show Hilton, 48, cutting himself with a knife and covered in blood.
Representatives for Hilton did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the morning of Aug 5.
On the evening of Aug 4, sheriff’s deputies went to Hilton’s house after receiving multiple calls about a disturbing live stream, the sheriff’s office said in a statement on the morning of Aug 5.
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When officers arrived at his house, they spoke with family members there and confirmed that Hilton was alone inside.
The sheriff’s office said deputies had monitored the situation rather than engaging directly, seeking to “prioritise de-escalation by creating time, distance, and opportunities for communication”, an approach that it said minimises harm.
The office later said that mental health professionals were providing support to Hilton’s family.
He was hospitalised under Florida’s Baker Act, which allows the authorities to commit someone involuntarily for up to 72 hours if that person poses a threat of harm to themselves or others, a sheriff’s office spokesperson confirmed.
Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, rose to fame in the mid-2000s with his popular celebrity gossip website, PerezHilton.com.
He was banned from TikTok in 2020 for violating its community guidelines. At the time, Hilton told The New York Times that he had been “very depressed” and the social media platform “gave me something to really look forward to every day”.
In March, Hilton said on social media that he had been hospitalised for three weeks with an ulcer and sepsis. Hilton said that during the experience “God presented himself to me”.
In April, Hilton announced his return to TikTok on social media, thanking both the platform and Jesus.
TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment the morning of Aug 5.
Hilton’s account appeared to have been taken down on Aug 5. NYTIMES
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.