Perez Hilton is facing sharp criticism for using an anti-gay slur against Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am, after the gossip blogger alleged the rapper's manager "clocked" him in a Toronto club.
Hilton, who has presents himself as an advocate for gay rights, said he was approached by will.i.am at the downtown club Cobra after the Much Music Video Awards.
The rapper asked Hilton to stop being disrespectful to the band, to which Hilton said he called him "gay" and a "faggot."
"I knew it was going to set him off," Hilton later said in a video post.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) issued a press release Monday, slamming Hilton for using the slur.
"These are vulgar anti-gay slurs that feed a climate of hatred and intolerance toward our community," said Rashad Robinson, senior director of media programs at GLAAD.
"For someone in our own community to use it to attack another person by saying that it is, quote, 'The worst possible thing that thug would ever want to hear,' is incredibly dangerous. It legitimizes use of a slur that is often linked to violence against our community. And it sends a message that it is OK to attempt to dehumanize people by exploiting anti-gay attitudes."
Hilton first made the allegations about being attacked on his Twitter feed, saying he was bleeding and in need of police assistance.
"Please come to the SoHo Metropolitan Hotel now. Please. ... I was assaulted by Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas and his security guards. I am bleeding," Hilton alleged in a posting to his Twitter account, twitter.com/PerezHilton, around 3 a.m. ET.
He later alleged he had actually been attacked by will.i.am's manager, not the rapper.
Toronto police confirmed Monday morning that a man has been arrested and charged in the case.
Const. Tony Vella could not confirm the details of the incident, but said that Liborio Molina, a 36-year-old man from California, is facing one count of assault. He will appear in court on Aug. 5.
Vella could not confirm reports that Toronto police were flooded with calls from alarmed followers of Hilton, who eventually tweeted that, "The Toronto police are here now. Thank you. Please stop calling them."
Upon hearing of Hilton's allegations, will.i.am created a Twitter account of his own to deny Hilton's story. He alleged that a fan was the one who hit Hilton.
"I just made a twitter account because it isn't cool for someone to blame you and blast you with lies," he posted to twitter.com/iamtherealwill.
"He will go to any length to get press...wow...!!!!"
The rapper and activist then posted a video online, during which he recounted his version of events.
According to the rapper, Black Eyes Peas lead singer Fergie, who is often a target of Hilton's snarky blog posts, approached Hilton at an MMVA after-party at the club Ultra.
Fergie asked Hilton if he had a problem with her, to which he replied that he did not like the band's latest album.
Hilton then allegedly said something to hurt Fergie's feelings, which upset will.i.am.
A tired-looking Hilton, who appeared to have a small cut under his right eye, said it was not a fan that hit him.
"His manager, Polo, whom I have met before, from behind comes up to me, clocks me in the eye and punches me two or three times," Hilton said.
According to Hilton, a member of the band's entourage bumped into him during Saturday's rehearsal for the award show, at which he was a presenter.
Hilton said that Fergie did approach him the next day at Ultra and confirmed that he got into a verbal confrontation with will.i.am later at Cobra, where the rapper asked that Perez not write about the band.
Hilton told him that he couldn't promise but he would try to avoid writing about the group, and as the argument escalated Hilton said he did direct a derogatory term toward will.i.am.
Hilton then left the club, and it was while he was standing outside that he says he was attacked by Polo.
According to Hilton's Twitter feed, he will continue his work day as usual.
"I am NOT going to let this affect my work. And today will be a day like any other on the website."
