Perez Hilton hospitalized after reports he livestreamed self-harm, sheriff’s officials say - NBC News

Perez Hilton was “receiving medical care” Wednesday, the celebrity blogger and podcaster’s team and family said, after police responded to his Miami-area home following reports that he appeared to engage in self-harm during a livestream. A spokesperson for the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office told NBC News that deputies responded to reports Tuesday night of someone “who was livestreaming acts of self-harm on social media.” The statement, sent via email in response to an inquiry about Hilton, did not name him. In a follow-up statement, the sheriff’s office said the person was “safely recovered” and taken by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to a hospital, where he was receiving medical attention. Deputies also spoke to family members at the scene, who confirmed the person had been alone inside the residence, the sheriff’s office added. In a statement Wednesday on Hilton’s website, his team and family said that they were “incredibly grateful for the overwhelming outpouring of love, support, and prayers.” “We can confirm that Perez is receiving medical care, and our family’s focus right now is on his well-being,” the statement said. “We kindly ask that you respect Perez’s privacy, as well as the privacy of his family, during this difficult time.” In a separate statement Wednesday night, the family said Hilton “is able to communicate, which has given our family hope.” The video, which was streamed on TikTok before the platform pulled it, appeared to show Hilton covered in blood, with visible cuts and holding what appeared to be a knife. In the video, viewers pleaded with him and asked for his phone number so they could alert authorities. Video from Hilton’s neighborhood taken by NBC South Florida showed multiple sheriff’s patrol vehicles and a street shuttered by yellow tape. Ring camera video from Hilton’s neighbor, which was obtained by NBC News, shows police descending onto Hilton’s Miami-area property. Dante Rusciolelli, the CEO of the talent management firm that represents Hilton, Golden Artists Entertainment, said in a statement Wednesday that they “do not have any additional confirmed information to share regarding Perez Hilton’s condition.” “Our focus remains on Perez’s health, recovery, and the privacy of both him and his family during this incredibly difficult time,” he said. “We are grateful for the outpouring of concern and support from fans, friends, and members of the media. We respectfully ask that everyone continue to honor his privacy while he receives the care he needs.” Hilton, 48, made a name in the early 2000s publicizing and sometimes belittling celebrities who made public gaffes or otherwise found themselves in trouble with the law. In 2010, he said he would stop bullying people on his website as part of his effort to discourage bullying among teenagers. “I really want to be part of the solution and not part of the problem,” he told Ellen DeGeneres on her show “Ellen.” Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, is a single father with three children, all under the age of 14 and born via surrogacy. In a June 17 video on Instagram, he announced that his family was moving back to Miami after having lived in Las Vegas for 3 ½ years. “God told me to move to Miami,” he said in the video, in which he also discussed a recent hospital stay. In a follow-up video, Hilton and the children expressed excitement about the move. “Manifesting abundance, manifesting just family, peace, good times,” Hilton said. “Manifesting health, good health — that’s what’s most important.” In addition to his website, Hilton has expanded his online presence with “The Perez Hilton Podcast with Chris Booker,” on which the two parse the latest celebrity news and gossip. In a statement posted Wednesday to Instagram, Booker said he had briefly spoken to Hilton’s family and that the pair’s show is “all TBD at the moment as our collective focus is on his health.” “He is very loved. I can only hope that he feels it,” Booker said. “Heal up friend.” If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 or go to 988lifeline.org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.