I've been curious about whether or not Perez Hilton, the Gossip Ganstar tour-de-force and genius behind PerezHilton.com, gets paid to endorse the musical celebrities he touts so enthusiastically. Half the time, I think, no - he's too catty, too wickedly honest to be getting paid by a promoter, or God forbid, simply publishing press releases (I'm talking to you, OC Weakly). The other half of the time, I don't know - Hilton waxes so enthusiastic, so gushingly, that it makes you wonder.
Now, in this recent Newsweek article, Hilton says he doesn't get paid to post at all: "He insists he gets paid nothing for an endorsement—unless hanging out with celebrities counts as some kind of currency. "I get free clothes," he admits, "but no one's ever offered me money." Well, no one's offered me clothes, Perez, so count your blessings.
"I wish," says A&R Rep Jennifer Hirst of the post-for-pay idea, "because if that were the case he would just take any music we send." Um, yea. An A&R rep just now gets the idea to offer folks money for mentions? Mabye this lady's not the sharpest crayon in the box. It's called "payola" and it's been around a long time, lady.
But in a strange way, I want to believe Hilton when he says he doens't get paid. I want to believe that his "celebretard" crushes on folks like Mika, Lily Allen, and St. Brangelina are as real as his disdain for certain "hard pAArtying starlets." Because in this business, all you have is your name.
What do you think? Is it okay to take money for mentions?