I'm on the phone with Perez Hilton. “Can I call you back in twelve minutes?” he asks. Before I can answer he says, “No, six minutes.” Pause. “Ten minutes. I’m finishing up a call,” he apologizes. And herein lies the entity that is Perez Hilton. He’s flamboyant yet reliable, offensive yet honest. He is a paradox, shunning those who obtain fame for absolutely no reason yet becoming an idol himself, simply by talking about others.
And that’s why so many people love him, or better yet, love to hate him. With his new show, “What Perez Sez” on VH1 and a bundle of other exciting projects, the self-proclaimed “Queen of All Media” shows no intention of slowing. Except to talk to us, of course. Read on to see what Perez had to say about his 4AM wake-up time, partying with Elton John and the best orgasm he’s ever had in Vegas.
You started the website as an ode to Paris Hilton and now you’re as famous as she is. 
Perez: I don’t treat myself like a celebrity. I don’t consider myself one but I’m flattered. And it wasn’t an ode to Paris Hilton. I started the website before I worked at any celebrity magazines. I originally was using my name when I began in September of 2004 and it was originally called PageSixSixSix.com. I got sued by the New York Post and Page Six because they didn’t find the name very funny. But before that, I was using my real name and then I started getting very harassing e-mails from angry Clay Aiken fans.
You must have said something really bad to piss off the Claymates.
Perez: I was writing about his preferences in the boudoir. And I was like, “Wow. If I’m talking about things that can really get a rise out of people, maybe it’s a good idea not to use my real name.” I didn’t use any name for a while and then I kind of came up with the name Perez Hilton.
The name that celebrities love to hate.
Perez: I love the name because it’s kind of what I’m all about. It’s satirizing, it’s celebrating and it’s me. I’m the Perez – the Cuban boy from Miami and the Hilton is the pop culture and the mainstream that I’m talking about and managed to now infiltrate.
What’s a typical day for you?
Perez: There is no typical day in my life and that’s the exciting thing. And it’s also exhausting. On the most typical day, I’ll wake up at around 4:30AM, the latest 5AM. If I wake up past 6AM, I’m wrecked. I have to be on East Coast time and I have to be working right away, all day long. I’m just working, working, working. I read everything from newspapers to the gossip columns. I’m answering e-mails. I’m talking to people, trying to get as much content up on the site as possible. Usually I do a TV thing here, and interview there.
So when do you go out?
Perez: I’ll go to an event maybe. Maybe I go to four events a week, as opposed to six. I tried to cut back and not go out every single night. An ideal night is staying home and working more, answering more e-mails and being more productive.
When did you realize you made it?
Perez: I still have a lot more things that I want to do and many new projects that I’m excited about. But, I think the first time I got on TV, it blew my mind. I was like, “Wow, my little blog got me on television. This is crazy.” That’s when I knew my website had potential to be bigger
When did you get the call?
Perez: Within six months, I got an e-mail from the show The Insider. They were doing this segment on Hollywood’s Most Hated Websites and they wanted me to be part of it. They asked how I’d feel about being number 1, the most hated. Well, I don’t necessarily agree with it, but hey! I’ll put it on a t-shirt. I’ll make it my banner, my slogan. Whatever!
There are so many blogs now that try to do what you do. Do you think people will just get tired of celebrity gossip?
Perez: I don’t think it’s going to decrease any time soon because there’s an interest and I don’t see people’s appetites diminishing. But I don’t care. I’m not really worried. I don’t take into consideration what other people are doing. I’m just focused on what I’m doing and having fun and entertaining my readers and working hard. And nobody is doing quite what I’m doing and the way that I do it.
You’ve had some celebrity confrontations…
Perez: Sienna Miller. Tara Reid. Jesse Metcalf. It happens regularly.
Do you become friends with any of them?
Perez: No!
Maybe because you post scandalous pictures of them. Which, for some reason, you didn’t do with the Nick Lachey and Vanessa Manillo sex pictures.
Perez: I didn’t post them because I got a letter warning me not to post them. Then I posted a link and they were threatening to sue me JUST for posting a link to another website that has the photos. I don’t think it’s right.
But don’t you think posting pictures of people having sex is too much?
Perez: It all depends on the circumstance. If you see two celebrities having sex in semi-public, then yeah, take the picture.
Are there times when you will refuse to post certain stories or pictures?
Perez: I didn’t print any pictures of Lindsay Lohan in rehab because I didn’t want to taint that experience for her. I didn’t want to deter her from trying to get healthy.
You post a lot of stories about Lindsay. What’s your relationship with her? 
Perez: I wouldn’t say we have a relationship but we’ve met a handful of times. She is a very complex person. I feel sorry for her because she’s this lost little girl. She’s like Britney – they have a lot in common. They’re just little girls and never really grew up.
Most of young Hollywood has trouble growing up.
Perez: Lindsay comes from this really messed up family with both parents being really crazy. And she’s trying to find love in all the wrong places and doing all the wrong things. And she’s just kind of crazy. She can be a bit like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. She can be really nice and then be really bitchy.
Like most actresses…
Perez: And also doing drugs makes you really moody.
Has your friendship with certain celebrities changed your outlook on gossip?
Perez: It can make things difficult being friends with celebrities, that’s for sure. The ones I’m friends with aren’t really a train wreck.
