Perez Hilton offered $20 million dollars for his site

Perez Hilton Celebrates His Birthday at Tao
When I read that headline I heard it in my head like Mike Myers saying it as Doctor Evil in Austin Powers. “Twenty Meeleeon Doll-hars.” It’s just such a ridiculous amount for a ridiculous site. He doesn’t credit his other writers, he only writes brief dismissive comments (if that’s still him writing), and the sarcasm and meanness is just dripping from his articles. I’ve also been miffed at the way he get leads and ideas from other sources without crediting. He gets the news fast, though and does run scoops. I don’t read the site regularly though and will only go there if Perez has an exclusive. Maybe I’m just jealous, right? I did get a decent lead on a story today when I went over to his site.

Anyway Perez has been offered a whopping $20 million for his website, but that’s mostly for the traffic, which would be diverted to another new website run jointly by a Canadian gossip blogger named Zach Taylor and the guy from TheDirty.com, Nik Richie. Richie made minor headlines when he married Bachelor winner Shayne Lamas in Vegas after knowing her just a few days. I know of Zach Taylor because I had to set up a filter on my gmail to archive all the unsolicited spam I get for his site.

Gawker thinks this could possibly be a publicity stunt, but adds that it has the trappings of a legitimate offer. The same company that’s posing the deal also paid $20 million for HotOrNot.com.

Gawker has learned that Avid Life Media, the owner of sites including HotorNot.com and Ashley Madison, has partnered with two prominent gossip bloggers to put in a $20 million bid to acquire PerezHilton.com.

Avid Life’s spokesperson, Steph Davidson, confirmed to us this morning that the company has teamed with Zack Taylor—gossip blogger and proprietor of ZackTaylor.ca—and Nik Richie, who runs the gossip site TheDirty.com, to make a bid for PerezHilton.com. Davidson also confirmed that a Letter of Intent was submitted to Perez and his attorneys earlier this week, and that Avid Life is now just waiting for a response.

We have obtained a copy of that Letter of Intent. It says that Avid Life subsidiary Eight Days Inc., along with Zack Taylor and Dirty World LLC, are offering Perez $20 million—$18 million up front, and $2 million in escrow for a year—for PerezHilton.com.

The letter states that “The Purchaser presently intends to continue, in the normal course, the employment of all employees of the Business from and after the Closing Date.” But it also says that following the purchase, Zack Taylor and Nik Richie “will operate the business.” It’s our understanding that the intention is to use the PerezHilton.com address as a sort of massive traffic-forwarding address to a new gossip site run by Taylor and Richie. What role (if any) Perez Hilton himself would have in this is unclear; Avid Life’s Davidson said that she couldn’t say, because they don’t know yet.

Major caveats: This offer could be more of a PR stunt than anything else. Gaining some media coverage for this could be a great way to, say, get a lot of free advertising for a new site that Taylor, Richie, and Avid Life wanted to launch. It’s unclear if Perez is interested in selling his site. And without knowing what Perez’s role post-sale would be, it’s hard to say whether the offer is a viable one or not. A year ago, 24/7 Wall Street estimated PerezHilton.com’s value at $32 million, and that number would presumably be higher now. Then again, such outside estimates of closely held internet companies are notoriously tricky; $20 million could well be more realistic. And while gossip bloggers themselves may be prone to PR stunts, Avid Life is a very real player: It paid $20 million for HotorNot.com two years ago.

[From Gawker]

I think Perez should take the money and run. He’ll probably have a hard time giving up control of his namesake website, but $20 million dollars should be enough to convince him. Maybe I’m approaching this blogging business all wrong. All I need to do is become an obnoxious famewhore with the communication skills of a grade school bully. I’ll tell Kaiser to write in half assed shorthand too, scribble on the pictures, and sign all her posts as me. I would hate to do that, but if it will increase the value of the site to at least seven figures it’s worth it.

Perez recently told MTV News that he’d gladly replace Simon Cowell on American Idol for free. That’s one way to ensure that ratings go south. Or maybe people will watch it just to see who Perez picks fights with every week.

Book Signing with Mario Lopez, Emilio Estefan and Perez Hilton

Perez Hilton's Carn-Evil 32nd Birthday Party-Arrivals

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

57 Responses to “Perez Hilton offered $20 million dollars for his site”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. k says:

    The total disregard for proper grammar and spelling on that site is unforgiveable, given the amount of readers he influences

  2. lucy2 says:

    He should take the money and run because sooner or later, he’ll be old news. People with no talent and with shady practices never stay at the top for long.

    I don’t read his site, I used to check it occasionally but it’s gross and way too mean spirited. Plus I don’t like how he tries to out celebrities who don’t wish to make their private lives public. A bully is the perfect word to describe him.

  3. Green Is Good says:

    This has to a joke. The guy ain’t no MK. He’s a prick.

    How did Perez get so successful? It boggles the mind.

  4. Snarf says:

    Zach Taylor is a hack just like Perez. The only reason this offer has been made (and made public) is to increase traffic to his site.

  5. katie says:

    i used to read his site regularly. i know celeb gossip isnt generally nice, but he is extreme in his nastiness. and him using a gay slur against will.i.am turned me off even more.

  6. Hannah says:

    Take it and gooooooo!!!

  7. ViktoryGin says:

    I can proudly say that I’ve never been to his site. Such a nasty person without an ounce of integrity.

  8. Melanie says:

    Perez Hilton is a giant STD of the internet. I find his site so disgusting. Also I think all of his posts look almost tacky as his insides.

  9. Jimmy Dean says:

    Sell.

    seriously, they will still want Perez to blog.

    Sell!

  10. Bonfire Beach says:

    I hate him. I used to read his site regularly too but I quit. He’s gotten way too big for his britches and he’s very mean. I’ll never visit his site again.

  11. Marjalane says:

    No way! No frickin’ way! This is going to make my stomach hurt all day- IF it’s even true. Perez is such a nasty ass. Even Chelsea won’t have him on her show anymore, and she’s pretty brutal.

    This sounds more like one of his desperate plea’s for attention, although I was so disgusted that American Idol had him on last night! Maybe he’s more “relevant” than I want to give him credit for.

    I hate American sometimes.

  12. zen says:

    I never got into his site. The few articles i have checked out later were retracted or had updates that they weren’t true (shocking but true).
    I think he would miss the attention and ass kissing he gets from the wanna-be’s that need his site for exposure but Im sure he could get over that for 20 mil.

  13. maya says:

    Why not give it up. Perez has become brand, he go on and do other things.

  14. Feebee says:

    if it’s true, the buyer is a total wackjob, also Perez, no, let’s go with Mario, would be an idiot not to accept it. People are cottoning on to the fact he’s a mean, demeaning famewhore who… ahhhhh forget it, he’s not worth more of my time. Give me Michael K any day.

  15. Riley says:

    I used to read Perez but then found this blog and it is so much more fun and informative primarily because the writing is better and the choice of blogs are more interesting. I am sure Perez still appeals to the 15 year olds but I am in my mid 30s and cannot relate to half the stuff he writes. Plus you can only look at so many penis microphones pointing to Jessica Simpson’t mouth before you think, “lame.” I have to admit though that I might like him more if he had not sold out and become a celebrity himself. Way to go, bb.

  16. guesty says:

    that offer is insane. never read his blog…never will. but he should definitely take the money.

  17. JJ says:

    I definitely used to read his site, but I stopped cold turkey and it was the best thing I did. Saves me so much anger!

  18. denise says:

    I dont know what the big deal is with this perez character. I cant stand him, I dont think he is funny or even creative. He is absolutely overrated and annoying. Michael K at Dlisted is the best out there, in my opinion. HE is hilarious.

  19. Arvedia says:

    Please, CB, don’t take him for a role model!!! I stopped reading his site almost two years ago because I felt tainted by all this nastiness. I still ready Dlisted, which is often funny, and most of all I love your blog, it’s the best celebrity blog there is!

  20. Donna Wingfield says:

    I agree with the others and their reasons for going cold turkey on Perez. The most interesting thing I read on there was his entirely sincere announcement of the death of Fidel Castro a couple of years ago, which of course turned out to be completely inaccurate despite his protestations to the contrary.

  21. Jackie says:

    WOW! I too quit cold turkey after having read his site for years!

    I have always been a D-Listed fanatic, but Perez became more interested in fame and was so MEAN, I really didnt feel comfortable reading him anymore.

    I especially hated when I would read something on another site, and he would twist it and make it worse.

    The last straw was how awful he spoke about Kristen Stewart – I am not a Twi-Hard, but even I was offended for speaking about another person on that level, it was so ugly.

    I cant wait for him to go away.

  22. Eden says:

    @!..
    imo the way articles are covered on this site is the way a healthy mind works, having an opinion but leaving room for other opinions both internally and externally and an ability to see both sides of a subject.
    I used to read Perez when he first started and eventually got annoyed and felt like I wasted time and brain cells on his mean spirited stupidity. His site has become ridiculous
    D-listed at least is funny and has a lot of personality behind it.
    But Celebitchy is unique for me because it has substance and is the only site where the comments are as interesting as the story itself..I love this community and the writers here at Celebitchy seem to be sane and very funny and smart as hell without being vicious just for the sake of being vicious and inflammatory.
    I don’t feel like I filled my mind with sludge after reading this site..

  23. malame says:

    replace simon cowell… what does he know about music and he’s annoying

  24. me says:

    I have to agree with the comments posted here. Especially the ones who point out that Perez is no Michael K. Without Dlisted and this site, I’d probably never check celeb news!

  25. Kayla says:

    I was a Perez reader for an extended time, mostly because I’m in college and that’s what everyone was reading, not to mention he adds new stuff so frequently. But it just became so repugnant, reading his bitchy trash that had no personality, and then when I found Dlisted (as many here mentioned) I just stopped reading. Now I check Celebitchy and Dlisted and find I enjoy the gossip experience between the two of you much more than I enjoyed Perez, who is gross.

  26. Jodi says:

    I used to like Perez but the majority of his stories are not fact checked. Gossip Cop has busted him SO many times and apparently Perez has blocked GC from his Twitter. He’s a hack and I hope that offer isn’t true. He’s not worth $1,000 let alone $20 million

  27. Lindsay says:

    My career counselor told me there was no money in perfecting my talent of drawing a writing crude things poorly using MS Paint would never pay off. I always knew she was lying!

  28. amanda says:

    I, too, used to go to his site. Daily, muliple times a day! But, I don’t anymore. I don’t know why and it wasn’t a conscious decision to quit his site. I guess my interest just drifted to other sites (like this!) that cover stories I am more interested in, and have more content. Also, I find him to be behind the news quite a bit so he stopped being my go-to site for celeb gossip.

  29. Roma says:

    I used to read a few other gossip blogs, including Perez and Evil Beet. Perez is too juvenile and I stopped years ago and EB I stopped due to the stupidity of the commentators. Now I only read CB and Gawker with any consistency – but that could be that sometimes I’m more entertained by the comments than the actual article.

    My question: Does Perez really still get that strong of traffic? Most people I know check him only occasionally, if at all.

  30. La Profesora says:

    This is amazing!

    I am so shocked that so many here are sharing similar feelings.

    I too am wondering, how is he still getting that many hits, if by the looks here, so many have turned away from him.

    I hate how he is a WORSE famewhore, then the people he calls out. When he started that record deal/music promoter, I was like “WHO ARE YOU?” At least Michael K, Lainey, and all the greats here at Celebitchy, do there job, and do it well – without shameless self promotions and kissing people’s asses, to just rip them on their site.

    I remember people trying to be nice to him, for the sake of good coverage on his site – and that was so sad. Like him posing with Lindsey and with Tori – really? They are as fake as he is, and it really didn’t sit well with me, I cant imagine how anyone can feed into his BS anymore.

    And I am sorry, I stopped caring for Lady Gaga, when he would shove their “friendship” down our throats. I just feel like if she is willing to be friends with that guy, then something is off with her, personally.

  31. Kristin says:

    God what the hell is the world coming too? This guy is such a goddamn moron. Yeah, cause drawing penises all over peoples faces is HILARIOUS. I read gossip sites and I don’t really have a problem with celebrities getting made fun of, but honestly if they really deserve it. People like Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton are so retarded they’re fair game. But Perez goes after people who have never said a bad word about anyone, or who actually seem to be pretty decent people. I remember how disgusted I was with him when he went after Alexa Rae Joel and attacked her, calling her ugly and just saying really horrible shit about her. What the hell did she ever do to deserve that? I And there is a line that can be crossed where you become unnecessarily cruel, and he crosses that line on a daily basis. I refuse to read his garbage. And the fact that he’s friends with trash like Heidi and Spencer just makes him even more repulsive.

    Like alot of people have already said, I like Dlisted, and this site, but “The Superficial” and “Celebslam” are also pretty damn funny and they’re generally not cruel.

  32. angel says:

    I used to read his site so often that if I typed a “P” in the browser it automatically went there…I am pleased to say that has not been the case for many months, coming to a year.

    I don’t miss it or him, he is like sludge, sticky, messy, vile and stinky.

    Don’t and won’t miss him…Go away already!

  33. JuneBug says:

    *All* these gossip blogs are mean-spirited. At least he’s getting paid off. Good for him.

  34. original kate says:

    he’s like the rush limbaugh of gossip sites.

  35. MARKY MARK says:

    I know everyone was against Ms. California and the things she said, but it was Perez’s handling of her (including calling her the “C” word) that really made me look at how vile he is. Right or wrong most men in America should’ve been searching for him to punch him in the face for saying that to a woman.
    As far as traffic on his site, most of his readers are under 25 and won’t grow up for quite some time–Let just hope they do eventually grow up. If he’s getting twenty million for the crap he promotes, it doesn’t look like any of them are growing up too soon

  36. buckley says:

    sickening….at least I’m proud to say I have not gone there in months nor will I ever…disgusting creature.

  37. his site used to be cool (years ago) now all he does is ;ick Lady Gaga’s ass and hate on Lindsay Lohan (pushing an already vulnerable girl further down).
    He is a creature, I’m glad he got punched i laughed so hard lol

  38. EMV says:

    He is such a gross, uneducated, sycophant. I hope he has enough sense to take it and run.

  39. lin234 says:

    I used to read his site until I found this one. I got annoyed at all his pictures of him with celebrities. Mindless celebrity gossip is my vice and when I come on a site, I’d like to hear about celebrities not him.

    I’m starting to get over Lainey too because she’s so biased based on her sharing stories of celebrities she’s met. In fact, some of her posts consist solely of her going on and on about how she’s been wronged by so and so. It’s not just one post. Over that.

    This site is the best.

  40. Jeri says:

    Quit going to his site a long time ago. As noted by others, he is way too nasty. He especially seems to have it in for young women, don’t know if he’s jealous or what.

    Lainey is really starting to seem too prejudiced to me, not racially but she states her opinions and OMG, don’t you dare disagree. She deceides who is good-looking, who is nice, who is “in” and who is “over.” You hafta be willing to listen to a dictator to read it any more.

  41. Just my opinion says:

    So, he’s going to manke millions from grade-school doodling on stupid celebs. Brilliant. Take the money and run, Perez.

  42. melinda says:

    I stopped reading his site long ago after I noticed he was ripping off Michael K’s sayings. How unoriginal. If it takes $20mil to get rid of him, so be it. I read Dlisted, this site and People. I love me some Michael K!!!!

  43. margo says:

    AMEN to Riley,Kristen…etc…

    OVER PEREZ! He is childish and unnecessarily cruel to celebs–especially Miley,K.Stewart, Rumor Willis, and it isn’t funny to insult children in ANY case!
    His blatant jealousy and shameless self-promotion is a complete turn-off! Not to mention the way he rips off my fave bloggers….Just go away Perez-we are just not that into you.

  44. flutters says:

    Another Celebitchy and D Listed reader here and it’s because of the writers actually being witty. Also Celebitchy doesn’t just rehash stories that are everywhere and rely on just the stuff that’s online for everybody to see. Plus Celebitchy’s one of the few places with a memory for previous stories on a celeb where they connect stories together. I’m not even trying to kiss up but I know it sounds like it.

    Lainey’s useless – I used to be entertained by the way she turns everybody into cartoon characters but the whole worshipping/reviling dynamic she’s got going on over there got old and she’s gotten a lot of stuff flat out wrong. I’ve never been a Perez reader happy to say. I’ve read Zack Taylor once or twice and OMGuseless. But Perez should sell – his site has jumped the shark and people like Zack Taylor will help finally run it into the ground.

  45. kim says:

    he should take the money.

    haven’t been to his sight in years

  46. Anon says:

    total publicity stunt…just like his marriage….Nik slams perez all the time and has said that perez alreeady sold his site a while back…he’s just trying to get fame off someone else’s name. Shocker.

  47. Anon says:

    no one goes to nik richie’s site anymore…he pulled a couple of stunts to get traffic…but his recent lawsuit losses, along with a sham marriage that ruined the credibiility he had with his readers…not that he was actually credible, but he had an act going, that his readers fell for, and marrying someon after 4 hours, exposed him as a total fraud.

  48. Fluffy Kitten Tail says:

    I heard the offer was bogus because it involved Nik Ritchie from The Dirty.Com, and everyone knows he is a liar and poverty stricken. Maybe someone is stupid enough to make a loan to him, but yesterday it was reported that Nik Ritchie was involved so I kind of gave the story the side eye.

  49. sassy says:

    Hmmm. This is very interesting to me. I used to go on Perez all the time. I liked his snarky attitude. Like the bitchy fat kid in the corner making fun of all the cool people. But when he started to get real popular, he started to become like the people he made fun of. That turned me off, big time. He was in all the magazines and on tv shows, like Heidi and Spencer’s wedding. He even started to promote Heidi’s music!! That’s when I was out! Who needs him anyway? We got Celebitchy and of course Dlisted!
    P.S.
    You don’t want to sellout, Celebitchy! You may be making the $$, but we’d all stop reading your site! Please keep it real!!

  50. notsoanonymous says:

    I’m glad someone else called out The Superficial, which is also hilarious!

    I feel like I go there for hot babes, Dlisted for laughs (I <3 me some MK!) and here for my “real” stories. Celebitchy does do a great job of fact checking IMO. Most of the posting is also well thought through and intelligent when it comes to comments.

  51. Aspie says:

    This site is so much funnier and classier than crappy Perez Hilton, which is why I stopped reading his years ago! Ugh, he is so gross and untalented and his “blog” should only be worth 20 bucks!

  52. My2Cents says:

    People go on about how mean he is but commentors are just as bad sometimes. I mean look at any story about Nicole Kidman for one example.

  53. For Sooth? says:

    Losing weight didn’t make his personality any better. He’s a vicious guttersnipe.

  54. Michelle says:

    This site is the best 🙂 The Superficial and The Blemish are funny in a stupid way and they manage to stay relatively inoffensive (except when it comes to Serena Williams). I Don’t Like You In That Way is awful (don’t go there!) the guy is a misogynistic, racist prick. So many of these gossip sites (and their creepy hillbilly idiot commenters) have such a distorted and hate-filled prejudice against women, it’s quite disturbing.

    It’s a lot better here, but I still don’t like the “skank/slut/whore” labels being thrown around everytime a young celeb wears a particular outfit or has an unsubstantiated rumour about them. This site should be better than that! 🙂

  55. Jazz says:

    Celebitchy and Dlisted are the best sites for me. There are some good intelligent conversations going on here – except when there’s a Brangelina post, then common sense and sanity go out the window!

    Ugh, I loathes that tool Perez. Too many penis drawings, too many idiots going “FIRST!” Don’t even know if they still do that over there, haven’t been there for a long long time. He even looked gay when he was getting hit by Will I Am’s bodyguard. (not that there’s anything wrong with that!) 🙂

  56. ruth says:

    (you forgot to draw the white drips coming out of his mouth like he does on all of the pics he posts.)
    what a douche.
    he doesn’t write that material. his sister does.
    zzz

  57. Jag says:

    1. He should take the money and run. 2.
    American Idol would be stupid to have him as a permanent judge. 3. He is one of the most unattractive people I’ve ever seen, and he’s obnoxious.

    I used to read his site daily, until finding y’all here. Now this is where I come first, then to Michael K’s site. 🙂