US blogger Perez Hilton is in a "serious but stable" condition after being admitted to hospital, according to his family. Emergency services were called to his Miami home on Tuesday after viewers raised concerns during a TikTok livestream. The Miami sheriff's office confirmed they responded to a man "livestreaming acts of self-harm" on Tuesday. They did not confirm his name but said he was alone in the house at the time.
A statement on the 48-year-old's website said he "experienced significant blood loss" and that his treatment and recovery would be a "long process". The statement said Hilton was being held in hospital under Florida's Baker Act, which provides services for people in mental health crisis. The father of three, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, is expected to have surgery in the coming days.
A TikTok spokesperson said its automated moderation systems flagged the livestream within minutes to the company's US moderation team. A moderator error delayed removal, but TikTok alerted law enforcement, closed several subsequent streams within 90 seconds, and banned the account.
The pseudonym Perez Hilton is a reference to Paris Hilton, who was at the height of her fame when the celebrity gossip blog launched in 2005. The website attracted 8 million hits a day at a time when the internet was still in its infancy. It was criticized for vicious commentary on stars including Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga. In later years, Hilton admitted regrets about being "mean or cruel". He has also appeared on reality shows including Celebrity Rap Superstar and Celebrity Big Brother.