Cutting wit, childish taunts and always juicy gossip

(This is the Online column, written for The Southland Times)

The self-proclaimed Queen of All Media may be about to expand his kingdom.

The man who started life as Mario Lavandeira and now calls himself Perez Hilton runs one of the internet’s must-see sites, the eponymous https://www.perezhilton.com/, which pulls in about 2.8 million visitors every month, according to a New York Times report.

That same news report says Warner Brothers Records has also been taking notice of what Perez has to say.

It appears negotiations are under way that may offer him his own imprint at Warner Brothers Records, which seems to mean he will be able to sign bands and singers to his own little mini label

Young Mr Hilton’s site is a blast: a perfect mix of often cutting wit, sometimes childish taunts and always juicy gossip. Into that he blends a touch of music, highlighting new releases from the well known and not-so-well-known and offering his own entertaining opinion on it all.

His on-site musical choices have both enraged and enlightened — Britney Spears’ label (Jive Records) is planning to sue over his previewing of an unreleased song but more than one struggling singer has received a career boost after a rave review from Perez.

One of the things I like best about Perez is that he has kept his in-your-face style of poking the borax at celebs, even as he has become a celebrity himself. He now appears on television on a regular basis, as both the interviewer and interviewee, but that hasn’t softened his approach to dealing with the rich and famous.

However, don’t lump him in with the paparazzi … Perez does know when to back off. While he had as much fun as any of us during the lead-up to Britney’s meltdown, he eased up on her after she was carted off to hospital the first time and her potential health problems began to show through.

The fact that he refers to Britney’s babies as Small Fry and Tater Tot, and has nicknamed Rumer Willis Potato Head might indicate a slight obsession with potatoes but hey, we all have our weaknesses. Besides, Rumer Willis (daughter of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis) does have a rather odd shaped head.

All hail Queen Perez.